The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1881-03-04
Grant County!
ITS WONDERFUL DENEL-
OPNENT.
Agricultural Wealth aud
Natural Advantages
the Cause.
Increase in Population of
Over 1000 Within the
Past Year.
of Acres Of Land
Yet Open for settlement.

- The steady and rapid settlement
and development of our county. with
Its extraordinary advantages, h.i been
almost beyond comprehension or pre-
cedent. The first white settlers in the
County were Solomon Roberts and
Moses Mireau, both now living on their
farms adjoining the little town Of
Hartford on the shore Of Big Stone
lake. They came here about the year
=, 1865, making a business of trading
with the Indians, but not attempting
farming operations for some years
\ later. In 1870 the Moyius family set
/. tied at the present site of Big Stone
City, and William the younger brother,
opened trading store, which he car
ried on for some years. The following
season Oliver Martell and Louis
Sharon settled near the same place,
and filed upon their re.emptions; the
n land office for this section Of the conn-
try then being at the old town OF Penn
blpa, III the extreme northern part Of
the Territory, near the British line
Ludwig Rieschka and John Blake
came III Il, and from thence forward
settlers commenced to come III slowly.
taking their claims where choice Sc
lected. The great grasshopper scourge
OF rs and the two following years,
checked for time western immigra-
tion, and it was not until tile Hastings
l. Dakota railroad commenced to push
their line TO this point, that the grand
: stampede to the county began. The
railroad was completed to the foot Of
the lake in the fall OF -, since which
time the county has nearly thrlbbled
IN population, and the increase Of
wealth and taxable property has more
than kept pace with tho increase Of
population. New towns are springing
into existence within It, borders. i
line OF railway trayerses the
county through the center with
branch running through the north
ern portion, affording shipping tacii-
Ties to tho settlers, and convent ent
and ready market for their wheat and
other products. 4 vigorous Young
town Of 500 or 400 inhabitants has al
ready been blill up. whore one YEAR
ago WAS al unii1habted and fertile
/ i
bandman, hut which, in the short In
terval that has elapsed. has become
the happy and prosperous homes Of
m intelligent and cultivated people.
The rapid settlement ard growth of
the past Year. IS hut tile commence.
Ment OF a glorious future for ON,
county, as her resources have Har.ill
cOplnenced to be developed ~ the
Aanu of industry. \ large anpun, of
government land Vet remains to be
taken; but from tho present avidity
with which it is being fled and settled
upon this will not long remain SO. and
another year will without doubt leave
OUT Iitlr government land III the
county, and those seeking new homes
1rOm the over crowded East. will then
nave to move still farther wes., to
countloS not SO highly favored with
naturdl advantages and railroad facil
itiss.
TIE cause OF this tapitl settlement
anu ddevelopment lies IN tho natural
sdvantages that the county presents
20 the Immigrant, tie principal one of
which - the nneAamplti fertility Of
the soil and its adaptability To the
raaslng q wheat. the great staple pro