Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-04-29
DAKOTA.
The Winter--StoeiS--Go Crops Pre-.
dicted--Immense Increase of POpu-
on--RaflwayS--AN New state.

D<AAOAAs
The Winter--Stoeix--G God Crops Pre-.
dicted--Immense Increase of Popu-
lation--R ailways--A New state.
Chicago Tribune.
Judge w. w. Brookings, of Sioux
Falls, Oak, is spending some time in
the city, at No. Z Park avenue, and gave
the following facts in regard to the
winter and other important matters in
regard to that territory to Tribune re-
porter:
"What kind of a winter nave you
had in your section of Dakota?"
''The longest and most severe in my
experience, having lived IN that terri
tory for the last twenty-folr years. /
think more snow has fallen in southern
Dakota since the 10th of October last
than the entire ten winters previous. :"
''Has there been much suffering and
loss of stock?"
In isolated places and where parties
had recently settled in the country
there must have been suffering for
want offuel and perhaps food, but gen
orally our people had sufficient food,
and by rigid economy in the use Of fuel
would have enough to prevent suffer
ing. In the southern and eastern por-
tons of the territory where stock is pro-
vided with shelter and hay but few
have died; in the western part however,
where stock grazes through the year
and are not provided with hay, there
has been heavy loss, although | am
informed that around and in the Black
Hills but little loss of stock has been
sustained, the winter has been much
mllder than in the eastern part of the
territory, and that spring was sufficient
~ advanced by the middle of March to
sow small grain"
"Will the past winter have tenden-
cy to retard the growth of the terri
tory?"
"No; look upon the deep snowfall
as beneficial. The heavy fall of snow
during the winter of 1856 81, and the
seven years following it were years of
abundant crops, plentiful falls of rain,
and no grasshoppers or other injurious
insects. Glorious crops followed. and
with the vast increase of settlers now
populating our territory repetition of
such harvests will more than compen-
safe for all the losses of the past winter
We have many shallow lakes-some of
which have partially, others entirely,
dried out III the past few years,-all of
these will be again filled, and will be of
the utmost benefit to the country. Da-
kota rarely suffers from too much wet
but rather the reverse, consequently
these reservoirs of water increase our
rainfall, and with sufficient moisture
no country on the globe can smpass
Dakota in the immense yield of crops.
There Is no better stock country"
What are the prospects of Sioux
Falls?"
Remarkably good A party of New
York and English capitalists are inn
proving the water power to its full ex-
tent. They are building one of the
finest Touring mills in the United
States, and the third in capacity The
amount of $4,000 will be expended for
government buildings there this sea-
son."
"What do you think of the division
Of the territory and the admission of
any portion as a state ?"
''More than nine-tenths of our people
want the Territory divided on the 10th
parallel of latitude. giving the southern
part 81 900 square miles and the north
ern part 10000, with population of
10000 in the former portion, and in
the latter 10000 As soon as Congress
could pass an enabling act, and the
people of the southern part form and
vote OH a constitution, the population
would exceed the required complement
| for a State, and within two years the
northern part would have the requisite
population"
upon what facts can you base your
predictions of such an increase?"
The growth Of Dakota, by the cen
sus of 1880, for the last ten years, was
S54 per cent, nearly three times as
great as any other State or Territory.
The most of this growth has been in
the last three years, and at the same
rate of increase my predictions would
be more than verified. The emigration
to Dakota in the next five years will be
immense. | will read you an extract
from a letter just received from the
Hon. A. S. Phillips, United States
Counsel at Fort Erie, Canada: Last
week between thirty and forty citizens
left this county for Dakota, taking
100000 in property and money. From
another point further inland, in one
day 1913 persons, with nine carloads of
live stock, left Canada for Dakota.
From another point thirty-two in num-
Der, and so on. The emigration to Da-
kota from Ontario is something marvel
GUS This is only from one section.
Even Counsel Phillips has caught the
infection, and after holding the office Of
Counsel at Fort Erie for twelve years
he has resigned, and will make Sioux
Falls his futurl home. Last year $50
miles Of railroad were constructed in
Dakota, leading all other States and
Territories. This season as much more
will be constructed. There are seven
parallel lines Of railroad running
through Dakota east and west south of
the 10th parallel. These roads are all
| built in the most substantial manner,
and. with the rapid settlement and de-
velopment of the Territory, they will
be well supported and prove good in
vestments for the owners. Can you
you doubt from these facts that we will
soon have population enough for two