Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-07-13
THE GREAT NORTHWEST


YANKToN, Dakota, July 2, 81
EDITOR REPUBLICAN Thinking that
possibly my old friends in Brady town.
ship, and Others throughout ClcarGeld
county, might read with interest al
short letter from Dakota, have de
cided 10 draw on yun for space for the
same.
The route | took to come iu this
country whs over the Pennsylvania
Central from Philipsburg to Pitts.
burgh, then over the Pittsburgh, IT.
Wayne Il Chicago, and the Illinois
Central IRON Chicago to Sioux City,
Iowa. | left Philipsburg on the 9Th
Of June, and reached Sioux City on
the morning Of the 10th. | remained
in Sioux City week, waiting Tor the
railroad to Yankton to be repaired,
and enjoyed my visit in that city very
much. should judge that Sioux City
contains about 5000 inhabitants. 1t
is a lively, active town, containing five
railroads, large machine shops, many
large business buildings, fine residences,
handsome streets, and life enough for
a city double its size.
am now IN
YANKToN,
the Capital city of Dakota Territory.
This is town of about 1000 popula.
ton, situated on the north bank OF the
Missouri river, on land slightly raised,
though level. The city presents very
pretty appearance, and cannot help
but please the stranger Yankton has
some fine streets and respectable brick
buildings. A large brick Court House
serves the double purpose Of Temple
Of Justice and Capitol. This is un.
questionubly city Of churches and
schools, and by this you can readily
infer that society is good, intelligence
not lacking, nor morality at as low an
obh as many suppose 1t is in the West.
| find this city surrounded by good
agricultural and grazing country, and
what helps this particular part Of the
Territory out is its large forests Of
timber along its rivers.
| have passed several times down
the valley for sixty.one miles over the
country that was flooded last April.
The valley of the Missouri is from three
TO ten miles wide, and as that whole
area from here to Sioux City (6l miles,
was under water from five to fifteen
feet deep, the damage to property,
both real and personal, has been great
Many beautiful farms are now simply
sand. bars, houseless and tenantless,
and where roamed large herds OF cattle
and horses, can seldom be seen an ami.
NAL. But the section flooded was only
very small part of the beautiful land
of Southern Dakota.
People here seem to be prosperous
and busy. The industrious generally
get in comfortable circumstances in a
few years The man succeeds here
who pushes and looks out for himself
Sleepy men have no business in this
country.
The inhabitants of this section are
generally eastern born. Among the
leading citizens of Yankton | find sew
eral representatives of the old Key
stone State Ex-Governor Faux, of
Kittanning, Hon p. c. Shannon, Chief
Justice Of Dskota, formerly of Pitts.
burgh, W II. and ]. G. McVey, and
S. d. Coulson, also residents of Pitts.
burgh, are all leading men who are
making it coin in the West.
There are villains and sharks hero
as well as elsewhere. | have spent
considerable time at Court watching
the course of trial OF the United
States against j. d. Cameron, whowas
indicted for swindling homesteaders
and the Government out of land by
the Wholesale. lie is certainly an ed.
ucated swindler, though the jury dis.
agreed, and be thus gets his liberty
some months longer. | have no doubt
he will be finally convicted.
There are no fences around farms
here, and, as a consequence cattle and
horses are either herded or "picketed" b"
As my down East friends may not un.
derstand what "picketed' means,
will explain by saying that a stake is
driven in the ground and long rope
hitched TO it and the animal tied to
the other end. Ny first experience
with "picketing" was not very pleas
ant can assure you. The third day
after my arrival in Dakota gentle
man invited me to take a ride. When
in the country north Of Yankton we
drove close by where horse was
grazing, when the first thing we knew
our horse and buggy were terribly
tangled in the picket rope attached to
the other animal. With considerable
trouble and copious use of profanity
on the part of my companion, we got
out Of the trouble, but | shall long re.
member my first experience with
picket ropes in the West
In few weeks shall return to my
old eastern home, and, if time permits
may give you other observations on
the West. Very truly,