Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-04
kingsbury County, Its Settlement and Nd
vantages as an Agricultural Section
The Lakes Drying Up Something
About Railroads. and a
Few Items.
Special Correstoadence.

The road from Sioux Falls to Msdisop,
the county seat of Lake county, lies for the
greatest portion Of the distance in the
Skunk creek valley. This valley, no,with-
starding the bad odor which It's name sug-
gests, is one Of the most beautiful in the
territory, and is well settled j entire length.
The soil ranks with Dakota's best, which is
the highes. praise that can be accorded to
ii, and many of the Improvements exhibit
taste aud the possession Of stamps, while
all have q comfortable and coy appearances.
The dinner station is at the residence of
Wn. Burke, one of the first settlers O. the
valley and who has probably employed
his time 10 improving his valuable landed
possessions. II. is . member Of the board
Of county commissioners Of Minnehahs
county. aud is 10 all respects q useful and
enterprisiug citizen.
Several miles southeast CT Madison the
road approaches the first OF the chain of
four lakes, which are a distinguishing fea-
ture of the scenery of Lake county. and
from which the county takes its name.
They are named, in the order in which they
are approached. B1ans. Silver. Madison and
Herman. They are magnificent bodies of
water, with gravelly b.4ches,n no marsh land
In their vicinity. and abound in fish Of the
6nesl,specles. Nearthe foot of Madison lake
and on the north haok, is Wicklow postofice
which supplies mail matter to what is known
as the Milwaukee colony. The nucleus Of
this colony, as its name indicates, came from
Milwaukee several years ago, and it has
yearly received sccessions to its numbers
from the same source until it is now the
most important farming settlement in the
county. The members are mostly Germans,
Who were ia good circumstances when they
made their settlement, aud all have good
frame houses and comfortable surroundings
The land upon which Wicklow postofice is
located was originally claimed by our former
townsman, John Doxling, who gave the
place its anne, but before be completed his
title the fame of San Juan captivated him
and he became a deliver in the argentiferons
regions of that far away Eldorado, and left
his Wicklow to iall into the hands of a later
conner.
The town of Madison is pleasantly located
upon the south bank of the lake from which
it derives its name, and ia a compac,ly built
and active little burg. The buildings, both
residence and business, are nearly all con.
fined to one street and confront each other
with prim regularity. 1t contains a number
of we'll stocked stores, and its business men
and citizens generally exh ibit a degree of
pluck and enterprise and faith in the future
of their town which is highly commendable
in these days ofwhiners and grumblers. The
hotel is kept by William Lee, who came to
the county ten years ago, and was the first
permanent settler on the banks of lake
Madison. He is about starting
a lumber yard. and will haal his stock from
Volga, B%rookings county, the present termi-
nus of the Tracy branch of the Northwest
ern railroad. The county Offices are located
here, and are occupied by an efficient and
gentlemanly set Of officers. w. T. Smith is
clerk Of the district court, and a member of
the firm of Soper & Smith, attorneys and
real estate agents; J. A. Trow is register of
deeds and county clerk, and also does a real
e'tate and land agency business; R.. R.
Wentworth is superintendent of county
schools, and is active and efficient in the dis.
charge Of the duties of his Office upon which
80 largely depends the we'll being Of the edu-
c%ational interests Of the county; William
Luse is county treasurer, and has held
the position since the organization of the
county. At the last meeting of the
county commissioners complete settlement
was had with the treasurer and his accounts
and funds we're found correct in every par.
ticular. The other officers of the county
were not at the county seat during our visit,
but Judging the others by those We saw Lake
county has been fortunate ia the selection of
its officers. W. called to see Zane & Fi6eld.
the youthful but able and spicy editors ofthe
Madison Sentinel, and found the boys keep.
ing warm at a hay burning stove and pre-.
pairing copy for their next issue. The Sen.
tinel is on a paying basis aud with the de.
velopment of the country will grow into a
bonanza.
Seven miles northwest Of Madison ia the
town of Herman and the las. of the chain
Of lakes, which bears the same name.
Here we found Sparhswk Hutchine, for
mer!v proprietor of the Yapkton and Fort
Sully stage line. He is keeping the village
hotel, and when Herman gets its boom
will reap a rich reward for bis enterprise.
This town occupies q fine site on tue north
bank of the lake, end contains q number
OF good buildings. Including q good store
of general merchandise and a Masonic
hall. Lake Herman is q beautiful body Of
water with an average depth of ten feet. 1t
lies 10 the shape Of a horseshoe, aud is
thirteen miles in circumference. Within
the half circle made by the lake Is 9 body