Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-05-10
POETRY WITH PIONEERING.

From Ordway 60 Hurea---s, 900 square
Miles for 100000 OF People.
The editor Of the Ordway Times
has been out riding and fourishes
the flowers Of rhetoric in the face OF
the world as follows:
Leaving Ordway the terminus Of
the James river division of the q. h
N. W., and prospective terminus 0k : <
branch OF the Northern Rarifics We.
proceeded down the far famed valley
Of the James.
This line OF railroad runs nearly
due south down the river and on an
average Of about six miles distant
from it's western bank The valley
stretches away ON either side fifteen
or twenty miles distant from the CO.
teaux, which stand shiubless and 81
lent in their somber and quiet beauty
overlooking the widespread and far
reaching prairie whose borders they
fringe. These hills, which rise sever.
al hundred feet above the level Of the
prairie have stood for ages silent SEN
tinels OF the past, watching that saw
age and ;sIciriiizsd race Vi men vino
are now passing away in obedience
to that inevitable but progressive law
of nature, .'the survival Of the fittest,"
and whom but recently the onward
march OF civilization has pushed west
ward beyond the Missouri. AL
though as sweetly still the sunset
rays these valleys fill, although the
same pure breezes blow over these
hills, as when first the sight Of these
beauteous plains and magnificent and
boundless landscapes greeted the
eyes OF its primitive people and glad
dened the heart of the untutored saw
age, they now behold another and
different people, defendants mostly
OF those, who about the third CEN
tuary crowded out and subdued the
barbarians OF ancient Briton, the
fatherland Of Englishmen. The
same law is operating to-day as then,
the inferior race yielding to the SUI
perior Who can doubt that il was
designed that these rich lands should
be occupied by another and superior
racei Who can doubt when he sees
the surging mass of humanity with
which every train entering the valley
is laden that this fair land .more
fruitful far than Eden" shall very
soon be redeemed from natures wild
ness and made to blossom in one rich
field of beauty. Among the hundred
on each incoming train to the valley
is represented every occupation and
almost every type OF mankind; young
men, the middle-aged and q few upon
whose locks time has left its traces;
farmers, strong and sturdy, from the
western and middle states and from
the far east, where rolls the Atlantic,
seamen tired of life ON its stormy
waves, mechanics and artesans from
the overcrowded manufacturing CEN
ters, professional men, merchants and
capitalists, men once opulent in for
tune hut whom the storms of advers-
ity have visited, and the speculator
avericious and greedy in his desire
for rich quarter sections and desirable
corner lots. Ali, all are coming 10
the great valley of the Jamee to oh
tain for themselves the homes and
fortunes which await the million it,
area can sustain.
1t is neither visionary or Utopian
to predict that the valley between
Ordway and Huron, embracing an
area of about 1000 square miles win
ere long be densely populated and
contain as thrifty and happy q peo-
pie as any agricultural district in The
ULited States, nor Is there We believe
larger tract among which is to bs
found no more waste land than here.
anywhere on the continenk