The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-20

A Reprssentatio. From a Disappointed In
migrant.

A Representation From a Disappointed In
migrant.
The rush nsde last summer to Dakota Ter
ntory in consequence of the repstation OF the
bonanza wheat farms" and the agents Of in
terested Railway Companies, is likely to be
augmented during the coming season by the
large immigration arriving from abroad as
well as by our own citizens whe are willing
10 believe the silvern stories promulgated BY
interested parties. 1t seems well, therefore
to caution The adventurous to look at both
sides of the question. the negative of which
is rather ably stated in the following extract
from the Chicago Journal:
Notwithstanding that the emigration to
Dakota this spring has been so great that
some OF the lines of railroad leading thither
have been absolutely blockaded, the Chica-
go Journal has lifted its voice against the
eXpediency of the exodus, especially from
the Stale of Illinois The story of Dakota
. has been in some respects altogether too
highly colored: the emigration business has
been overworked; the excitement is about
over, and now comes the relapse. Dakota
is no Geubt a good place for wheat growing
purposes, and is just the place for the
poor foreigner from Sweden or Norway, or
any other cold country in Europe,
to settle in, but the climate is too
severe for q man who has been raised any,
where south of the fortieth parallel of lati-
tHoe. AS a matter of courtesy on the part of
the geegraphers, Dakota is placed in the
temperate zone," but when wells twenty
feet deep are frozen over aud winter sets in
about the LIST of October, with a coldness that
defies the registry of Fahrenheit. and contIn-
ues until May, it might as well De called
cold section of country
From letter written to the Aledo ILL.,
Record, by Mr.. Thomas s. Sharpe, who has
been a resident of Hutchinson County, Da-
kota, for the past five years, me facts NAV
be gathered that will enlightsn those who
are contemplating settling in that Territory.
We quote some extracts from Mr.. Sharpe's
letter:
Persons East will do we'll to accept with
caution the reports about Dakota. They ap-
pear mostly written by persons who have
never raised crop or seen one raised. North
Dakota is a wheat region. South Dakota is
not, and between is debatable land. L have
lived here FIVE years On homestead. There
is plenty OF good wAtec, bat more bad, AID
some have aug several wells before they hit
palatable water. a man can raise timber
very easily; orcharding has been tried and
determined.
81 have net seen a crop of wheat of twenty
five bushels per acre; have asked old settlers
and they have not. Last year the Depart
ment Of Agriculture made the returns tor
this County at fourteen bushels. This was
rather light, but the crcp was the best in
five years. Forty bushels of oats and thirty
i've of corn are good CROP, aud it takes five
scres OF prairie 10 pasture a steer through
summer. Flax il our msin market COP
and is fast running lands devoted tn l.
Many who undertook sheep farming have
given it up. Cattle business is the most
profitable business at present and the men
who run threshing machines grow poor at IT,
There Is heavy immigration To this Ter
tf l e lar -yra tani f1r
nature. Six months fictitiOLs re,i6eacs
then prove up, mortgage or sell tor $500 to
$500. then leave Dakota or repeat the game,
making net gain of perhaps 500 Ir the six
months, is the programme by thousands
And many an honest pioneer taxes his claim,
tolls to make home, and in year or two
finds himself almost isolated from neighbors
and debarred from the blessings OF S, Getty
IF g ASST Oppers or a failure of crop occ1rs
this year, there will be a bigger stampede
thu n followed Moses OF old
''Ane one intending TO come to Dakota
Territory ough. 10 be prepared N accept the
regular hsIdships of pioneer life. Don't
build your hopes on enormous crops. Every
dollar you earn here is well earned. The
busiest man in South Dakota is Shylock
His grip is on some quarter or more of
nearly every section, and five years will see
thousands of farms in his hands,
1t seems from the above that Dakota is
not the land of promise, flowing with milk
and honey, which many people have been
led to believe, and Mr.. Sharpe's represen-
tations are abundantly corroborated by
Others The man who leaves Illinois for
Dakota IL going away from home, land
don't you forget ii"