Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-01

about IN reliable as on the Indian question.
l doubt very much whether Gen. Sibley
knows there ia such a dam. One thing Ia
certain, he nor my other man inst. Paul
has a cents interest ia, Il. l call ii a worthy
enterprise for the reason that ] know is
construction will be worth Thousands of
dollars to the mill men below, as we'll as to
the directly interested parties. Your Gen.
Beadle has with much carnestness, advocated
in former years., q scheme, Of securing the
passage Of an actof congress, appropriatihe
monevato do jastswhst- hss been done bya
private enterprise. viz: To construct a dam
near the foot of Big Sand Lake for the pur.
pose of creating an immense reservoir for
holding the water back, and regulating 80
as to discharge it as it should
be needed below, for mill
purposes. The dam was built in the early
spring, during high water to its present
height, nearly. So soon az Mr.. Spencer
saw the water did not flow, as he thought,
the amount required below, he stopped
raising it higher, combining himself to in
%creasing the permamency of work already
long ago. he even went further
and lowered it some two feet, to make it
doubly sure, not to interfere with the de.
OF the mills below, so that atitimes
there has been more.water discharged than
has naturally been supplied. The truth is
there is very little water in any of the
streams this season, and the mill men COM
planning would have suffered had there
been no mill dam. So much the greater
evidence Of the benefits to accrue from it,
when finally completed and the mills it is
designed to furnish power for, are set in
motion. Then there will be no more COM
plant of a lack of water however low the
river may get in u time Of drouth, as it is
thought when this is accomplished and the
water under control there will be an equal
flow OF it at all times of the year. Taking
this view of it allow me to ask, who is
doing the most to serve the public, these
enterprising men or the editor who uses
his press to prejudice the public
against them. I regard that mill dam as
one of the most valuable enterprises that
has ever been prosecuted in Dakota. 1t will
not only be a great benefit to the valley be-
low, but equally SO above it. Already a
steamboat (not a large one, but sufficient for
the purposes it is intended for) is on its way
to Richmond, and before this reaches YOU.
it will be steamiug down through Big Sand
Lake to be in readiness to tow up and down
flat boats from jamestown next spring,
ladened with supplies of lumber and other
necessities needed by the swarms of emf
grants that will dot those beautiful prairies
the coming year, at q much less rate than
can be had at Yankton. The effort I have
put forth for the development OF this part of
the James river valley l do not feel at all
ashamed OF, and if the writer ofthe editorial
in question will pay a visit to Richmond
next spring be will iiud ";he latch
string hanging OUT and receive a hearty
and warm welcame. Yes come. up and see
us. Bring the wife ard babies and VIC will
place the little boat, with all the fishing
equipments he may ueel at.his. disposal and
il he likes, . ride on the steamer, Then
my good sir the mill dam will not look half
so terrible as to your present far off vision.
Yours respectfully,
ii .,s,L B.M. SMITH.
Free Lunch every morning. at Fred