Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-14
VALUABLE INFORMATION.
Present and Prospective Resources Of III,
James River Valley.

Present and Prospective Resources of thu
James River Valley.
In reply to letters addressed to leading
citizens of the several organized counter
10 the James river valley asking fer infor.
nation In regard to population, produc,s
and general resources of the counties v,
have thus far received replies from Hu,cl.
tnson aud Dawson counties. The ohjec
Of our inquiries was to obtain reliable Stats
tics upon which can be estimated the amoun,
of local traffic. which the proposed railroad
10 the valley would have at its command
We make the annexed extracts from tn.
replies at hand:
HUTCHIsON COUNTY.
l cannot give the exact figures In regard
to the amour of grain raised IN this
(%Hutchinson) county in one year, but eau
safely say vt least 100000 bushels. No. ol
cattle. 2.036; sheep, 2O37; hogs, 9O5; mules
%; horses, 63S; population, 1885. This
county consists OF twelve townships. and
there ia hsrdiy a foot Of land but what is
tillable.
The above figures are taken from the tax
'ooks for the year 1879, therefore far below
the present number. for we had a large i'm
migration into this county last summer
md q great deal of stock brought into the
county, besides the years increase.
The Russians hold fair O sale every
Thursday at Scotland. and in one day there
llast Thursday week. there were seven cal
loads Of cattle bought and shipped ava,
On the St. Paul road. I feel satisfied tina
by next fall there will be no more govern
ment land left in this county. as we expec'
q large immigration this spring.
DAWSON COUNTY.
Yours of the 9TH inst. at hand and con
tents noted. I shall be glad to do every
thing in my power to encourage the con
%struction of a road up the valley. l ca,
only give you the standing of this county 1,
a general way. To give you exact dat
from last years enumeration would give 70,
40 adequate idea of what the present condl
ZION of the county is, and what its prospect
are.
Last year the county was little better thar
\ wilderness, next year it will approximate
to a cultivated garden. Nearly every acre
# the county is taken up, and in the eprint
yearly every quarter section will be occu
pied by an actual settler. There is no
enough waste land in the county worth
.peaking Of; nearly every acre is tillable.
The county is small, having only twelve
townships, but We hope to enlarge it at the
next meeting of the legislature.
OF its population You can Judge by the
oumber Of settlers before referred to.
A road up the james river valley would
come nearer paying than one in any othe.
portion of Dakota, and in my judgment it is
The best unoccupied route in the northwest
It is the judgment Of Engineer Kimball Of
the Milwaukee road, and also of many 9th.
ers who are in a condition TO know whereof
they speak, that thirty thousand people will
locate in the James river valley the ensuing
summer. If north and south roads are to
be considered profitable investments, then
40 better opening for a line can be found
than this one. I think that a considerable
bonus, in the way of landed donations, car
be secured at various points along the line