Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-29
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Editorial Cortespondencel
Rapid City. Dakota, August 10. 1870
When I left you . week since | had just
gained . footing 10 the foothills, and was
trtmping upon the sands at Sturgis City
they may DO golden sands. Since then I
have passed, down the Centennial prairie to
Rapid City . point famous for its many
genial people. its fne location a. the sate.
way to the southern Hills and it, fertile
river valley which is already well. advanced
ing| cultivation and this aeason s%ustains .
very heavy yield of root crops and small
graia. II has also is waving corn fields
but they do not appear % thrifty u do the
smaller cereals. have given the subject
quite careful consideration since. and have
viewed the stuntsd efforts Of agricultural
isb In other favored valleys Of this remark
able region. and joyfully conclude that the
Cow counties" Of southeastern Dakota
will continue to furnish the Black Hills
for oil time to come. With this i'm
portsnt exception it seems that We might
ssy to them 10 the language Of Winfield
scott-"wayward sisters. depart Ia peace"
1 have yet to visit those sections most
advanced in agriculture. The Rapid riv-
or valley is making commendable progress
y farms and stock ranches. with thous-
Of cattle fattening on its nutritious
extend in almost unbroken line
from Rapid City to the mouth of the stream
where its waters mingle with those of the
South Cheyenne. Still further along the
settlers have occupied the valleys
OF Spring and French creek. The Box
Elder, to the north, has not been neglected
and the Bear Butte valley is settled for 10
miles from The mountains. But til. one.
great centre Of agricultural attraction as l
have been frequently informed is the Spear
fish. This valley was the first to be settled,
now three years since, aud having an ex-
cellent market in Deadwood, it's lands were
speedily taken and rapidly improved. Hon.
Barney Caul6eld pronounces it superior to
the choicest portions Of the Kentucky blue
erase region. In addition to these valleys
and their intervening areas, farming has
already encroached upon the foothills and
occasionally found a Judgment in the
mountains. Almost the entire region is
held to be productive. Native fruits are
not lacking. The wild plum abounds and
berries, in season are said to be plentiful.
I am atill a "tenderfo,t" as to the mining
interests. 1 have looked upon a score of
the nabobs who own so much Of this aurif.
erous earth, but have seen little of the gold,
and none of the great assures where it is
said to exist. One brief visit to Deadwood
where l enjoyed the hospitality of Judge
Moody is all I can now report of a visit to
the mountains. Deadwood impressed. me
as q delightful city. Iexpected to find it
located in a sort of crack in the earth, but
instead l discovered it occupying a level
area of considerable extent, bordered by
mountains, and broad enough to build a
much more extensive city than the one now
there. The streets, on our arrival(Sunday)
were packed with all sorts and conditions Of
men and women, long trains of cattle draw.
ing heavily laden wagons wound their tor.
turous way through the thoroughfares
sufficiently obstructed with piles Of
and stacks of brick. Men halloed
their weary animals in unintelligible &C.
cents, and it seemed for a little time that
chaos had come again." Improvement was
written every where the vision extended. 1t
seemed that the entire town was in process
Of construction as I looked upon it from the
exalted porch of Judge Moody's mountain
home. A great number of very attractive
dwellings. some Of them quite extensive,
have been built and many more are going
up. 1t is my opinion that Deadwood has
'come to etay" and l feel like extending
her a cordial greeting.
The court is in session here. The
officers are busy as bees. The Judge, who
SSS.o novS 6oAuSN tAV COuuOSUC6 0I
everybody is just pushing things" but the
best he can do will not conclude business
before the 1st proximo. Marshal Ray mond
has his hands full all the time and l take
pride in his excellent management of the
difficult duties of his Office. His systema-
tic arrangement Of official matters is admi-
rable; he dispatches business with surpris-
ing facility, and no man could perform the
varied and frequently disagreeable duties
which devolve upon the marshal and secure
the esteem Of the people more generally
than this gentleman has done.
I am looking to q trip to the southern
Hills soon, where, report says, many new
and valuable discoveries have been made,
l met here u old townsmen, D. N. Ely,
now Of Custer; Charley Allen, D. J. Stat
ford, MI. Tones, Frank Moulton, formerly
of Vermillion and the very efficient sheriff
of Pennington county. 1 have vet to see
Fred. Cross who is reported to have etruck
It rich and has hiyed himself in his cave of