The Evening critic., 1882-02-01
A GRAND OPPORTUNITY
To Form u New state, which This
GOnrress ShouId Avail LlaeIf Oh.

tion now in the city urging the division
and admission of that Territory, and had
conversation relative to the social, moral,
educational, developing and other features
Of Dakota. Mr. Mellette is the register of
the United States Land-olice at Water
town, is gentleman of education, large
experience and influence, and has for some
time been the leader in all enterprises in
Southeastern Dakota which have effected
the development of the Territory. There
is probably no other gentleman who can
speak more intcllgently upon the subjects
touched than he who now talks.
Mr.. Mellette," began The Garlic,
"will the proposed State of Dakota be as
large as other Western States?"
The proposed new State will embrace
all of Dakota south of the forty-sixth
parallel, and will contain $4,000 square
miles.
"All good land, suppose?"
q" 1t will contain by far less waste land
than any State in the Union, being almost
all tillable land. 1t is plateau of slightly
undulating prairie, having an elevation of
about 5000 feet above the sea level, abound
ing in small lakes and permeated in every
portion by perennial streams of excellent
water The soil is a rich, black loan of an
average depth of eighteen inches, having
clay subsoil, and produces all the grass,
cereals and vegetables grown in the other
Northern States in the greatest abundance.
In its native state it is covered with a
luxuriant growth Of grass unsurpassed for
stock. growing purposes. The Sioux and
Jim River Valleys, comprising the portion
of the new State cast of the Missouri River
are unsurpassed in fertility and attraction
by any section of the United States east of
the Rocky Mountains, and, in my judg-
ment, are unequaled. Fruit? Fruit, as
yet, has been but slightly cultivated, but
it will surpass Wisconsin and Minnesota in
this direction"
"Will Dakota be admitted?'
"The members of Congress with whom
the Delegates have conferred have uni
versally expressed kindly sentiments to-
ward our Statehood, and have manifested a
great interest and surprise at the advanced
state of development of the country
"Why do you ask admission p peril
nently queried THE CRITIC.
"We ask admission" answered Mr..
Mellette, because we arc American citi-
zens and have a right to a State govern
ment because we have the requisite popu-
| lation to entitle us to q representation in
| Congress, who shall have a vote upon
| questions affecting our interests. Dakota
| has more highly developed her resources,
mas CStaDllSHeu DeUJcr C0ue Oh laws,
| and more thoroughly enforced them,
has cultivated more acres, produced more
| bushels of grain and more pounds of
| pork and beef, built more mills, school
| houses and churches, and drawn from her
| mines more tons of gold than any Terri
| tory that ever knocked for admission rs
State, while only the States of West Vir-
| ginia and Wisconsin have been admitted
with greater population"
| Ulat t. 4 @l,a,, ,1a<,.1 e n,1r
"Thc present population can only be es-
timated. At the census in June, 1880, the
counties composing the new State con-
tanned 100, 800 people, and since then the
number can only be estim ated."
Estimate" echoed The CRITIC.
"We have based estimates upon statistic:
from the General Land-office the Post.
Office Department, the revenue reports, the
local elections since held, and finally have
procured the estimates of the several
counties from those in position to best
judge, and the result is a population vary
ing from 100000 to 100000. l think the
most accurate test is that based upon the
homestead entries. This entry is based il
every instance upon an affidavit made
within the land district, alleging inten
to settle and cultivate the land personally. ,
You have those exact fgures?"
81 have. On June l, 1880, the who'll
number of homestead entries in the new
State was LIZ, representing population
OF 125500. On January !, 1882, the home
stead entries had increased to 81 ,257 whicl
should, therefore, represent population 0
147,700."
THE proposed new State has now
population of 147,700?"
"Yes, sir, and no mistake" answered Mr.
Mellette. "This wonderful increase is ac
counted for from the fact that the value o
the lands is just becoming ascertained."
Wonderful, astonishing development o
country that" calculated The CRITIC
But the fact cannot be disputed"
prior to 1S79" continued the distin
, guished Dakotian, there were only ninety
five miles of railroad in South Oak ota, an,
, now there are LAO miles built, full,
equipped and in daily operation"
"Enterprising railroad companies"
wonderfully enterprising. They ar
the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul and th
Northwestern. Every mile of the increas
has been built without the donation of
dollar of money or an acre of land fror
any source, and the trains along all thes
lines now make their progress through well
ordered and bustling villages alive wit
travel and enterprise. Our delegation ha
. taken the pains TO collate from reliable dat
furnished by actual residents the preser
population of eighteen counties along the:
, lines of railroad. These counties had
population in june 1850, of IL, ,105. Thei
= present population aggregates 4S,500."
There are other developments than i
the populationY'
A "The general material development {
these counties makes an equally favorab
c showing Codington county, in which
!, reside, is one of the eighteen. In 1873
@ had not 100 acres under cultivation. III
: returns given to the assessor in June, 18S
y show 103, 1856 acres in cultivation, to whic
4 may be added the breaking of last year.
Q "The people-are they rough, unedI
I, Gated and uncivilized?"
10 " Not by any means. 1t is a mistake
y idea that the population of Dakota is III
ss tutored and disposed to lawlessness. ms
O. again refer to Codington County, with
y population of 3, 100 people. There has be-
but one murder committed in the coun
since the Indians left it. 1t contains tl
licensed saloons which pay tax of S5
!. each per annum. There have been h
Ie terms of court held within the coun
r since its organization, sitting part of o
s. day each, and there will be another tel
,st as soon as a case is ready. There is po
in lively not a pauper or person in
TX county who is not self-supporting. A
II this is but an average county of those ei
e. of the Missouri River, embracing the ag
a cultural district and population of ~
IL coo to 10000 people,
to "WheTe's your banditti, your roadste