Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-07-07

MinueapOl6 journal.
The trackmen on the Hastings & Da-
kota extension Of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee and st. Paul railway were this morn
ing driving away at the spikes within
six miles and half of Aberdeen, Dako-
ia territory, the great objective point
for emigrants at present heading west
over this line. It is thought that at the
presen rate. working ON Sundays, thus
tie up at Aberdeen on Monday, July 4,
but the glad event may be postponed a
day or two. Certain it is that grand
preparations are being made at that
point for o frontier jubilee which will be
inaugurated with the first toot of the 10.
comotive whistle.
Two years ago the region of the
bowling river, so to speak, now the "Jim
river" is about to bloom with noddipg
grain. Thousands of acres are under the
plow, settlers are rushing in by the hun
dreds and lively fight is being waeed
for land claims. The distance from Min
neapolis to Aberdeen is Just 286b miles.
The road has been in operation to Orton-
Vile for several months and has been do
ing splendid business. Aberdeen is
108H miles beyond Ortonville, the me.
tropolis of the Big Stone Lake county.
Towns all along the line have sprang up
as if by magic. The value of this new
feeder to Minneapolis can only be esti-
mated at present in feeble way, as the
possibilities of the country through
which it traverses are without limit.
The land is rich, well watered, and for
the most part ready and waiting for the
plow. 1t is altogether probable that
the first five years crop with an ordinary
season may be estimated at twenty-five
to twenty-eight bushels to the acre
OF No. l wheat which will average the
producer, upon an estimate based
upon the prices of the past three years,
eighty or ninety cents per bushel. Other
crops, corn and oats, are equally produc-
tive and profitable. The openings for
81! kinds of business are unprecedented.
The settlers will need our lumber, flour,
groceries, boots and shoes and dry goods
annually will pour into Minneapolis
Most of the settlers are prepared to pay
cash for what they buy, as they have
nothing to pay for lands, and 20 out to
their homes prepared to meet their ex-
penses until their land begins to yield
them return.
The Benton cut off was SO far compile
ted on Monday that regular trains we're
put on and five trains per day are now
running each way over this branch. It is
the intention of the road to put on
through service just as soon as it is prac-
ticable to do SO, thus bringing tc our
very doors the rich country Of the Jim
river valley, one of the most fertile in
the territory. The jim river branch in
tersects the H' & ID. At RIGHT anples at
Abefdeen. No iron has been laid as yet,
but the track is graded forty miles north
Of Aberdeen and twenty miles south.
The track will probably be laid Just as
soon as the trains are running to the
point of intersection SO that the iron
can be obtained.
Twelve miles from Milbank station
the Milestone branch, so called from the
stone creek. is graded for thirty three
miles running northwest up into the rich
lands of the Sisseton Agency. The
extension Of the I. & d. branch is point.
ing toward Deadwood, and the rich
mines of the Black Hills. 1t is expected
that the Jim river branch will connect
with the I. & d. branch at Mitchell. The
I. & d. grade to North America creek
crossing. This branch will cross the
Missouri at the point where the new town
of Chamberlain is laid out. 1t is 22s
miles in an air line from North American
each crossing to the Hills. Minneapolis
has cause to be justly proud of the Mil
waukee & st. Paul railway and specially
of Superintendent Prior and his assistant
@. w. Case, for the seal with which they
protected home interests.