Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-14
YAsx1ows OPPORTUNITY.
TIE Great Priss ~ stake. and What
#s Mast b Dane e Gain IL.

, The Great Priss st stake and VIVA
Must b Den e Gain IL.
. The extension Of the Dakota Southern
, railroad up the Jim river valley to Fire
sseel will give convenient railroad facilities
!. 70 the people occupying . section Of country
embracing over two thousand square miles
This entire area lie unsurpassed in fertility
and presents unexcslled advantages to the
stock grower and farmer, but it cannot be
settled and developed to its full capacity
without the aid Of railroads. At present
this vast extent Of rich and beautiful land
equal in extent to the state of Delaware,
and nearly twice that of Rhode Island-is
but sparsely settled, probably not more
than sae-twentieth part being occupied and
Improved. The entire population does not
at present exceed fifteen thousand, while
with proper facilities for transportation it is
capable of maintaining . population OF at
least three hundred thousand. Within the
limits Of this territory thus to be developed
the proportion of good arrable land is unu-
sually large, and not an acre but what can
Be probably utilized for crop raising or
grazing. The population it Is capable Of
maintaining, and which it will surely
receive when the construction of railroad
lines remove the existing obstacles to its
settlement-which are building material,
fuel and q convenient market for surplus
products-all this productive area will be
cultivated or used for stock raising, schools,
churches, villages and towns built, trading
points established in every settlement, and
as a consequence . large wholesaleing and
manufacturing mart within convenient
reach will become a necessity. And herein
lies Yankton's opportunity, and it is worth
every effort our people can put forth and
every reasonable demand for aid which
may be made of them to forward the rail-
road project that will do III the most good
and contribute in the largest and most
direct degree to make our city the entrepot
and supply point for the Jim valley region.
We have the natural advantages, and We
believe our business men and citizens gen.
orally have the sagacity to see the possibi-
lities within their reach and the enterprise
to secure and utilize them. The wagons used
in our territory can be manufactured here as
we'll and at as little cost a. they can be in
Dubuque or South Bend or elsewhere. So
can the agricultural machinery for which
hundreds of thousands of dollars are o
annually sent out Of the territory. There
is no reason why establishments for the
manufacture Of the classes of articles used
by the people of the territory cannot be
established and maintained here, and the
profits which they gain retained at home.
Manufactures and large wholessleing
houses, are the great and in fact the only
means Of adding population and wealth to
q town. The growth Of a place which relies
upon the retail trade Of a farming commu-
nifty is prescribed, and canno exceed a
certain limit. Its methods are common
place, and its growth must necessarily keep
pace with the slowly increasing wants Of
the tributary country.
The opportunities now presented to
Yankton to increase its business, wealth
and population should be vigorously taken
hold Of by our own people, and Yankton
made, what its location and natural advan.
tages designed it should be-the great
manufacturing and mercantile metropolis
Of Southern Dakota.