Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-12-03
Governor Ordway's Report for the Year
1881.

I
from Dakota than heretofore called for,
and in response to this request Governor
Ordway has just completed and forward
ed very full report Of Dakota matters,
boundaries, size and extent of the terri
tory; it's agricultural resources; for
what grains, fruits, vegetables, etc, the
| different sections are best adapted the
average yield per acre Of the several
kind Of grain and vegetables; the adapt
ability of the territory to sheep and
cattle husbandry, with prices and pro-
fits its mineral resources, accessibility
of mines and recent Developments the
amount of snow and rain fall during
| last season, with an account Of the ice
gorges and floods, showing the number
of people who we're cared for 10y the
government and the relief committee
| with the amount of cash and other con-
trhutions, which have been SO judici-
ousiy used that, although the relief COM
mittees have distributed over fifty-eight
thousand rations, besides those issued
by the government, and over six tons Of
clothing and other valuable articles con-
tribu,ed and sent by express, the COM
mittce still have Il small amount left for
the care of the sick, aged and intirm to
help them through the winter. The
report also gives full statement Of the
educational facilities, and urgently re-
commends better protection to the
school lands, now being unaw fully used
and cultivated. The governor also
shows that there has been large in
crease of the very best class Of settlers
during the past year, and estimates the
total increase Of population in the terri
tory at from 10000 to $4,000, and that
the property of the territory has nearly
doubled during the same time. The re.
port shows the finances of the territory
i'll Il splendid condition, the six per
cent bonds authorized for the insane
asylum, having been sold at from three
to five per cent above par; that contracts
for the erection and completion of the
asylum, and also for the main building
and wing of the territorial penitcntiary
have been entered into by the trustees
and directors Of these institutions upon
the most favorable terms, and the gov.
ernor expresses the opinion that the
territory will secure two of the largest
and best public buildings that were ever
erected for 10000, the sum appropriate
ed for the construction of both.
The transportation question is fully
discussed in the report, and an appro-
priation $780, 600 by congress is urged
for improving the Missouri river and
the other available water-courses in the
territory.
The governor also recommends that
congress make donation out of lands
designed for the encouragement of agri-
culture for the benefit of the dgricultur-
al college at Brookinss.
The question of division and admis.
rion are fully considered in the report,
and comprehensive enabling act is re-
commended which will cover the ques-
tions of division, ample protection for
the use and disposal of the school lands,
and an increase in the membership Of
the legislature to one hundred i'm the
lower house, and thirty-si in the upper
branch, with an equal membership in
the constitutional convention, all mem.
bers to be elected from single districts
and to be apportioned and fixed in the
enabling act from the census reports and
the last spring assessments of polls and
estates in the territory.
The governor attributes the issuance
of the large amount Of outstanding coun-
ty bonds bearing high rates of interest,
to the exceedingly small membership OF
the territorial assembly and the i'm.
mense legislative districts, removing to
a certain extent the necessary account.
ability which should always exist be-
TIVE cen the members and the masses OF
the people.
He cites the far-reaching and bitter
| financial experience entailed upon the
people of Minnesota and other adjoin-
ing states by their small and irrespon-
sible early state legislatures as a reason
for the immediate increase Of member
ship recommended.
Governor Ordway estimates the prop.
erty or wealth Of the territory at fifty
millions, and the population at l75,OOO
and says that the transition from terri.
torial to state government can be made
safe and beneficial to the people by
throwing around the new state the safe.
guards indicated, bv a most carefully
prepared and comprehensive enabling
act, which shall retain the name of Da-
kota with prefix for each and every
subdivision.
| Guiteau Interviewed.
| Tb> Ch;c,ro Ipfar Ocoan,o Woeh;nr