The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1883-11-24

where improvements are being made
on every hand. And the rate is to-day
as much as can be borne
Fourth To the time needed to Sc
cure homestead by residence five
years) must be added the time requir-
eel to survey this new land, for the
Government has not yet surveyed a
foot of it. The Reservation will be
filed with squatters who will either
have come from the East, thus fore
stalling those already here, or by squat
ters from among us. who, with mort
gage already on their hands, must live
for one or two years on their new
homestead before the survey, and then
the required length of time to COM
mute in addition AMI, meantime, be-
ing in a newer country than this, even,
will have no way TO earn the means to
meet the mortgage coming due on their
presumption. Result-away goes their
Ir..emption, and they are left on the
frontier with only one claim, with an
unstable river between them and mark
cts for years.
Fifth Every town east of the Mis-
souri,, with the exception of the rivals
for the crossings" is more interested
in the filling up and increase of wealth
of its surrounding country, than in the
opening of country which will draw
from its population and retard for years
its growth and prosperity.
Sixth The very towns which are
so situated as to- draw temporary
benefit from the opening of til, Reser-
vation, will almost Immediately find
numbers of small rivals on the other
side of the river tn divide trade with
them and when we consider that at
Bismark where the Northern Pacific
has II $1,000, 900 railroad bridge, there
is no wagon or foot bridge and cannot
be without great expense. the making
of which would be Of questionable
prudence, we can readily believe it will
be some years before wagon bridge
is put across the turbulent Missouri Mt
Pierre. How can Pierre get the retail
trade west of the river without wag-
on bridge? AS for wholesale trade,
would il not be wiser for Pierre to first
more strongly strive for the develop
ment of its own surrounding country
than to he SO eager in the search of
fields rs vet untried, to the detriment
OF its own immediate vicinity. Keep
the Reservation closed until Hughes
and Sully counties, Pierres present
direct tributaries, are on tirmer foot
Ing, and Pierre will then have the cap
ital and stock with which To supply
wholesale demand on the other side.
Seventh Let no one believe there
are no lands to be had east of the river.
All the counties named have quanti-
ties of as good land rs has been taken,
vet to be taken up. 1t is true tict tious
filings may cover many claims, but
these are easily brought to light, and
generally constitute the best claims,
No better lands in any quantity are to
he had by opening the Reservation.
We have had Il year of prosperity, good
crops, plentiful rains, and good health
prevalent, with everything to induce
immigration the coming spring Let
the Missouri stay this tide of hunani-
ty and wealth in its aimless search for
a resting place. and it will settle among
us to our mutual advantage.
The prominent citizens of Pierre
have sent their circular to the Black
Hills counties. What reason is that
for our throwing our golden opportu-
nifty into the already overaowing horn
of plenty of the Black Hills. They have
their mines of coal and precious met
ais, and are already wealthy. We
have but our fertile prairies why
should we discount our possessions for
the sake Of the already abundantly ia
vored Black Hills
Eighth The denser our population,
the more improved our farms, the larg-
er our crops, the more railroads and
the better more convenient and cheap
er transportation to the great markets
we shall have, and the sooner we shall
get them. Finally,
TO THE PEOPLE or sULLy COUNTY:
4
With the Reservation closed for two
years more, the value Of the taxable
real estate in our county will exceed a
half million dollars at present prices
of land. The improvements consequent
upon living upon the land will double
the value Of that property, and the
implements necessary for such i'm
provements, with the additional stock
and other property brought into the
county will add so per cent. to that
valuation, the result Of which will he
plenty of neighbors, good farms, good
schools and churches, and, in addition
to all these, LIGHT TAXES. Open the
Reservation and you have the reverse.
| have one further suggestion to
make, that we let Pierre hold her con-
vention by herself, and that we take
every measure (and the opportunity is
at our handy to protect our own inter
ests by protesting against the opening
of the Sioux Reservation until we can,
with safety to our own interests, with