Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-05-08
A Dakota Picture.

The Standard Bearer, published at
Concord, New Hampshire, contains a
letter of recent date from Rev. L. Muir
ray, from which the following are eX-
tracts. Coming from an orthodox cler-
gyman, the statement will be taken in
New England as free from coloring, to
which worldly minds are sometimes
addicted:
The Great American Desert" is no
more, and the Harpers will have to
change their geography if they desire
to travel on the line of truth. 1t rains
in Dakota. The Father Of us all lets
the gentle dewdrops fall on our broad
prairies. The great crops of the west
are no myth, and 250.O0O people have
settled in this rapidly developing land.
1t is a wonderful land, full of surprises.
Cities are built in a few days here, and
the noise Of the hummer and trowel is
heard on every hand. The" rustic" and
growth of the west is charming, and,
after living in it 1orsome time, the set
tied states seem nnbearably tame.
The people Of Dakota comprise many
classes. A few men who were failures
in their former homes are here and are
successful, because of the many grand
opportunities. A snail number, too
ignorant to succeed anywhere, presu-
ming upon the ignorance of the people
for their acceptance, come here, but
follow the march of the empire and
go west" The people of Dakota are
a shrewd, wideawake class, and are
not to be imposed upon. In the little
sod shanties and shaclls that dot the
beautiful praines, one may find college
graduates, with their libraries, organs
and pianos. There are more young
people here, full of grit and long days
work, and very hopeful of their future,
than | ever met in travelling from
ocean to ocean. No wonder the noted
Sunday-school worker, b. f Jacobs,
said g l really believe God has skinned
the cream Of the states and brought it
into Dakota. All Europe was sifted
for seed good enough to plant Dakota
with. Judge Tourgee must have been
thinking of our great territory when he
said: 1.-The west takes a stranger by
| the hand and makes him feel at home
that he is of the people with whom
he dwells." This is realized in Dakota
| every day.
The climate Of Dakota is all that
could be desired. With . clear, pure,
dry and bracing atmosphere, and fine
sunny days each week, what more
could be desired? The springtime of
the prairie is all music and beauty. The
air is laden with the delicious perfumes
of flowers that dot the rich carpet of
! green that covers Mother Earth as far
| the eye can reach, unless somesettler
has turned the black sod, that looks SO
greasy in its richness. Life is real on
the prairies, and all nature is grand
Cattle, horses and sheep never seem SO
much at home as they do here, crop
ping the fine buffalo grass, or wading
the lake beds, or playing upon the ro-
manufacturing bluffs. The cattle Elay
be seen on u thousand hills during the
summer, and in some places during the
winter. The birds make merry music
and the meadow lark enjoys the new
land so that new song or a few notes
added to the old one is piped forth in
praise of Dakota. We can boast of oull
natural scenery-the rolling prairies in
this great expanse, in the towering
bluffs along the winding rivers, and
the deep gulches and canons are pictur
esque and grand. The fame of Dako
ta's minerals has reached around the
globe and the eXcellency of her cereals
and all agricultural products has fol
lowed in the wake. The resources of
this country are wonderful.
The horizon continually reminds one
of the ocean, only that the sun in set
ting does not play hop skip and jumI
along the waves, but simply and sub
timely sets. All newcomers admire
the beauty of the prairie sun-setting
There is an infiniteness in every view
that seems to inspire one, and, after
gazing upon the magnificent scenery O.
Dakota, the soul can not shrink bach
to former proportions. Every prospec
pleases.