Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-06-19
WESTERN LETTER.
CANTON, LINCOLN Co., OAK, /
June 9th, 1888. !


are readers Of the DEMOCRAT, would like
a fair and candid statement of the facts
in relation to Dakota and the far West,
l submit the following for considers
ton.
For the last year or two there has been
the greatest immigration into Dakota
ever known in the history Of any of the
States or Territories. This vast body OF
newcomers have settled upon the lands
adjacent to the great railroad thorough
fares running from the Missouri river to
Chicago; the Northern Pacific, the Chi
cago, Milwaukee & st. Paul, and the
Chicago d Northwestern. In Dakota Is
the only incidence where railroads have
gone ahead of immigration. Cites have
grown up. of from three to five thousand
Inhabitants, where five years ago was
nothing but the bare prairie. Lincoln
County is on the eastern border OF the
Territory, and lies almost wholly in the
valley of the Big Sioux River, the bound
airy line between Iowa and Dakota.
Canton, the "Gate City," of Dakota and
the county seat Of Lincoln County, is To-
Gated in the Big Sioux upon the high
ground that slopes gradually to the river
half mile away. The bluffs that rise
abruptly from the river on the same side,
break the monotony Of rolling prairie
A view from the cliffs on the Dakota side
five miles south of Canton looking north
ward up the valley is as pretty picture
as ever saw at this time of the year,
everything is so green. The soil in the
Sioux valley cannot be beaten in Dakota,
and few years more will show whether.
it is as good as lands in Eastern Iowa,
that are selling for one hundred dollars
per acre. The average price Of improved
farms in this County is ten dollars per
acre, Choice raw, or unimproved lands
sell for eight dollars per acre on the aver
age. Cheaper lands range from FIVE to
eight dollars per acre. Lands under
eight dollars are either low and full Of
prairie ponds, or rough and hilly, being
situated on blufy creeks. Since coming
to Canton have travelled over a large part
of South Eastern Dakota with team,
and have made apersonal examination OF
lands in different counties, and have come
to the conclusion that Lincoln County
lands are not excelled in this part of the
Territory. Canton is town little
more than ten years old, and contains at
least eighteen hundred inhabitants. All
classes of business are represented by en-
ergetic men who are alive to the interests
of Canton and Lincoln County, as well
as to their own interests. 1t supports
three banking institutions and ten law
yers. Litigation is frequent, and the
'.rattlers,' are sufficient to liven even
a morbid mind. Collections are hard in
in the Territory at large, on account Of
the Statute of Exemptions, homestead
Of one hundred and sixty acres and fif-
teen hundred dollars worth Of personal
property, being exempt from attachment
and sale on execution for debt. A man
might be well off and vet need not pay
his debts unless he saw fit. No loans,
therefore, are made by the careful with
out security on real property or on chat
tells. Tie regular rate of interest on loans
secured by real property is ten and twelve
per cent per aunum; on loans secured by
chattels is a dollar month on small
short time loans, and two per cent a
month on those of longer time. Bank
ing and loaning money is a profitable
business in Lincoln County, and almost
anywhere in the Territory. Most of the
attorneys do more or less of it, operating
through eastern capitalists, on commits
sions. The farmers of South Eastern
Dakota are not so good class as are to
be found in Eastern Iowa and Illinois.
The great difference is in the amount of
work they do, compared with those in
the States above mentioned. They de-
pend not so much upon work as upon the
rise in the value of their farms for liv-
ing. Hence many farms are mortgaged
for a third of their value, yet the farmer
is making money because the land is ris-
ing all the time, having gone up from
one to FIVE dollars per acre during the
last year. The farmers of Old Oxford
County, with the same amount of hard
work put upon land here, that they put
upon their farms, could make this coun-
try a garden and paradise. The only
thing wanting here in this prairie coun-
try, are the forests. To one born and
brought up among the hills and forests
of Maine, country without forests seems
no country at all at first. While pass
ing over the plains of western Nebraska
and Southern Wyoming last summer,
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