Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-27
DAKOTA TERRITORY.
Its Position, Extent, Resources, Soil, cii-
mate, Etc;


The territory Of Dlkota ia as large as the
state of CALIFORNIA; three times as large as
the state of Iowa. and twice Il. large as the |
kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1t
is larger than the republic of France with its
$4,000 900 of inhabitants, and with a popu
lalion as lhickly settled as those Of Belgium
or Holland, it would have room for twenty
millions OF people. 1t is bounded on the
north by British America, on the south by
the Mi souri, and Niobrara rivers, which di-
vide i, from Nebraska on the east by the
Red River of the North and the Big Sioux
rivers which divide it from the states Of
Minnesota and Iowa and on the west by
the territories Of Wyoming aud Montana
1t lies between the AID and 49;h degrees of
north Latitude, aud between the l9h and
9th degrees OF longitude west from Wash
ington. 1t embraces within its borders every
feature of nature and every variety of soil.
The Missouri river, appropriately styled the
"Mlghty," traverses the whole territory d.
agonalty from west TO east. while hundreds
Of smaller streams and myriad- of rivule,-
pour their contents into the gigantic river.
Vast valleys extend on either side its rv
trs especially suited to he growth of Indian
corn and hay, Will. extensive tracts OF table
land aud rolling prairie, The choices, grain
lNNuS Oh tdN III, StTtit' 'Itll SUI
faces between til. villages and The ranges Of
low bluff, along the streams Re ween the
Missouri river and the Black HILLS are ex
ten-ive grarsy plans aud upland p.stures,
invitlny tn. enterprise Of the stock raiser
and farmer Westward -till lie the mineral
land. Of the Black Hills, with their untold
wealth of gold aud other valuable minerals,
their forests Of pine and their lofty hill tup-,
which, mllkin. the clouds, draw down the
waters from the skles of heaven To tertlllze
tn. valleys that Surround them The wealth
of soil is scurcelv r,valed in Nor,h America
Rich dark loan to the depth Of seven feet IL
by no inrao- Il scarcity; and so inexhan-ta-
bic ia the spl that in the very Oldest settle
ments, which have been cul ivated for twen-
ty W .rs, the use Of fertilizers is Il thing un-
thought Of
WHY region possessing nj ,hese natural
advantages should remain IN occupied until
now, is a q,ie-lion that wall naturally sug-
gest itself The simple answer TO the ques.
liun ~ that railroads are necessary TO the
development Of u country, and it Is only
within the last few years that this territy ry
has had any railroads. In the summer OF
1872 The trst railroad train crossed the bor.
der Of Minnesota into Dakota over the track
of the Northern Pac,f'. In the same year
we're built the frs, five miles of the Dako's
Southern (now the Sioux City e Dakota Il
R.) Since that time until 1879 railroac
building IN Dakota as elsewhere was at ;
.stand.lil.. In 1872 the whole population o
the territory did not exceed $4,000 people
while now, under the Stimulation OF recen
railroad enterprise in the eastern and souti,
ern sections, and the mining industries il
the west the present population is at leas
l75O00 seven fold increase in less than
single decade-an increase unparalleled II
the history Of western settlement.
Less than twenty years ago, in the wiz
ter of 1S6O-6l. Dakota wns organized b
congress rs u territory, its population Wa
then perhaps 1900 inhabitants. Fror
1860 tn 1865 the settlement of the terrltor
was greatly retarded by indian scares. U
to the latter year the population consistc
mainly of traders, hunters. trnpptrs an
other adventurous spirits; hut in 1860 an
the year following, individuals and colonl'
settled 10 the valleys of the Missouri al
Sioux, aud along the wooded s,reamlc
trihutsrv to these rivers The federal Ger
sus nf 1870 estimated Dakotas populatic
at IA 600; and 10 the fall OF 1872 the pop
lat,on was less than $4,000. The constru
tion of the Dakota Southern railroad
1872 from Sioux City to Ysnkton gave
wonderful impetus to settlement, so In
now in many counties in the southern pc
ton Of the territory there Is scarcely SC
tion Of land without Its occupants.
In the principal useful minerals. as W
as the more precious Of gold and silver, {
kota richly abounds. l,s coal deposits a
yet undeveloped, but extensive beds
this valuable mineral have been discover
in Sully, Brule, Charles Mix, and oil
counties. Sandstone, limestone, granite a
chalk rock "a soft but beautiful and Use
-,one,) for building and other pnrpos
abound in almost every county Of the teI
tory. Sal, las been discovered in the reg
of the Rpd river Of the north, while rec
development. IN 10 prove the ack y
country the riches, mining region on
continent.
TINKER and wafer are subjects that v
naturally excite tho iEqo,Iy Of au intend