Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-25
ESPECIAL Corrfspondsnc..l

otouA Ndtiev ~ zen N~aEuus, ettuateu Wituiu
two miles Of the northern boundary Of Min
nehaha ounty It is a thriving. bustli, &
place of some three hundred people, and
gives u~nmistakable evidence Of business
prosperity and u healthy growth. The day
we were there the business street was literal.
ly crowded with farmers teams and all the
stores aud business houses were crowded
with customers. The only hotel now in OPP
Grafton in the town is the Exchange, kept
by Potter & Angel. and it is overwhelmed
with business. Another hotel is in process
of erection and will be completed in time to
take a share Of the spring rush Of travel.
The excellent water power at this place Is
improved and utilized to run the large
Touring mill Of WIN. Van Fps. The coun-
try surrounding the Dells is Of the very best
character, and is we'll settled. This is what
gives the own its "boom," and is what is
going to insure it a permanent and healthy
growth. The grade for the extension of the
Minnesota Southern railroad from Flsn-
dreau to Sioux Falls lies through the town,
and when the road il completed will give it
more commercial importance.
Mkt in order comes Flandreau, the coun-
ty seat of Moody county. aud the terminus
of the Minnesota Southern railroad. THIS
town is rushing forward with that energy
and rspidity which is characteristic only Of
u live western town. 1t contains q large
humber OF business houses, and all are ap-
psrently doing a profitable trade. Gus
toners come from thirty and forty miles
westward, while the immediate surrounding
country is we'll occupied aud furnishes a
steady and reliable share to the trade of the
town. The hotel business is done by the
Sioux Valley house, ]. ID. Andrews proprie
tor, (who, by the way is a brother of VIM
Andrews who was until lately engaged 10
business at Yaukton,) aud the Flandresu
hnuse Of which NJ. D. l.. Pettigrew is the
proprietor. Mr.. Pettierew is completing a
large three story addition to his house,
which will give him better facilities to &C.
commodste his host Of customers. The
capacity OF these hotels is nightly taxed to
the utmost limit to stow away the large
number of buyers from q distance who tsrry
10 own over night and the army Of land
seekers from the east. Another hotel Is in
process Of erection-s queer looking, octa-
eon shaped ~bu,lding-and 1t will soon be
ready to accommodate its share of the trav.
cling public.
Among the county officers who have
their offices here, aud with whom We be-
came acquainted, are F W. Pett,grew,
clerk of the court; Hans Olson, register of
deeds, aud George Rice. county treasurer.
They are courteous and accommodating
gentlemen, and discharge the duties Of
their respective afices with precision and
to the full satisfaction of the people whom
they were elected to serge.
II FLANDREAU INDIANS.
For o distance of fifteen miles along the
Sioux river, extending about seven miles
below and eight miles above Flandreau. ia
the Indian settlement, general, known as
the Flandreau Indians. although that is not
the name of the tribe to which thew for
merry belonged. There are about 275 of
these Indians, two.thirds of whom are
Ssntees and the other ene-third Sissetous
Some ten years ago they went through the
process of what is called %renouncing their
tribal relations, a sort of naturalization,
which gave them the privilege of taking
hOmacSno,jo MAN shn ~,kI;o J,nS, TLz-
took their homesteads along the Sioux
valley, including all the timber as far as
their settlement extended. Their cultivated
land averages about twelve acres to each
homes:eader. In 1878 they raised 5000
bushels Of wheat last year their crop fell
1000 bushels short. a%ggregating 5000
bushels. They receive annually from III.
government from GOO to 800 bushels of seed
wheat, the latter figures representing the
amount purchased by the government and
now In store for this springs use. They
also receive from tho same source their
teams and implements, being thus specially
favored over other homesteaders BY liberal
and foolish Uncle Sam. About oue-third
of these Indians, since their settlement
here. have made some progress, evincing a
little enterprise aud industry. The balance
are as they were at the agenc,cs.-shiftless
and lazy-liviue upon what is gratuitously
furnished them, and making no effort to
improve their opportunities. When 1t is
taken into consideration that these Indians
were the best and most enterprisiug at the
agencies from which they came, their
status, after ten years Of experiment, ia not
very satisfactory to the advocates of the
theory that the Indians only need 40 or.
portunity to demonstrate that they are
capable of being civilized and self-sustain
Ing. The government also msintsins a
school aud church, and feeds and clothes
the school children. The mos. striking
evidence of civilization that came under
our notice while passing through their set
Element was two bucks Carrying wood
from the timber upon their shoulders.
Before they became Civilized" the souavs