Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-06-05
A Visit to the Famous Ooteau Section in
the Territory Of Dakota.
A Fine Agricultural Section with Many
Natural Advantages The soil
Climate, etc.
IN THE corRAUs.

NUS, tiiat eA'euu tie entire
length Of the county. Dakota Is not en-
tirely made up Of a broad level pinin, but
there are spots 10 be found here and
there, where hin and vale form a pleasing
and striking contrast to the level waste
of valley land l have just LEFT. There
seems to Re two important ranges of CO.
L aus extending for considerable distance
uPsGa down the coun,ry in Dakota east of
the Missouri river. One Of the ra ges Is
fprmr d by the Washington aud Rice hills,
and the Bald mountains lying between
the Jim and Missouri rivers, and running
parallel with those streams, while the
other range is the one above mentioned
as the one extending through this county,
and being about fifty miles east of the
Jim river, and, / think. is known as the
Coteau de Sioux. Formerly
THKsE corsAu REGIONS
have been regarded as of little value for
agricultural purposes, and were the last
lands TO be- taken by the settlers who
came to the territory for government
land. But / think the estimate placed
upon tiiv.e lands by the earlier settlers
who catne to to the territory for govern
ment land was altogether erroneous, q fact
VIII ich is already being demonstrated. II
has been found that upon these hill
tops and slopes is soil as rich and fertile
rs in the valleys, while the country
generally is much better watered.
In these hill ranges
are numerous little lakes, and springs
and brooks. with now and her a clump
of a few acres of timber, all valuable in u
country like this. 1t has also been ascer-
tanned that there is
MORE HUMIDITY IN THE ATMOSPHERE
in these coteau regions, as the ram and
snow fall Is, a a general thing, much
greater than in the valleys. Last year,
when crops were materially shortened
from the effect Of drought In the ALLEY
land to the east and west Of the hills, the
yield here was abundant. The farmers
of this region have also been quite n
cessful in the cultivation Of corn, so much
so, in fact, that many are preparing to
plant considerable this season.
Day county contains several thousand
acres Of good timber, and there Is nearly
two thousand acres of timbsred land,
within a radius of ten or twelve miles
round about Webster. This country still
contains considerable government lan5,
and the best decided lands can be had at
prices ranging from S600 to $500, per
quarter section-l60 acres.
Webster is situated on the Hastings
ard Dakota division Of the Chicago, Mil
waukce 4 81. Paul railroad, about fifty
miles east Of Aberdeen. and about the
same distance west Of Milbank.
rnE rows OF WEBSTER
contains a population OF about 500, and
the buildings and improvements are of a
character superior TO most towns of its
size in this country. Large stocks Of
goods are carried by the merchants. and
there is every evidence Of extensive bus
mess transactions. noticed a good sub
stantial frame courthouse and a hand
some school bniIdlng that cost about
$500. A handsome church edifce, the
property Of the Congregational society,
occupies an ~eIninence ON the OF tskirts Of
the town, and there are numerous hand
some cottages that add not a little to the
general pleasing aspect. The surround
ing country seems TO be well settled, and
in no section of the country that l have
t~rayersed where a better class of build
ings observed.
This little city is beautifully located on
a series of elevations, and II only the
trees we're here, would resemble greatly
many of the villages Of southern Mich
igan aud northern Indiana.
TIKI ISHABiTASTs OF WEBSTER
are largely Americans, and while the
population Of the county, which now
numbers about 5000, ia made up of var
ious nationaIities, the larger portion ere
from the states Of Illinois, Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan. with now and
then one from imperial Iowa." as Will
Herman would say. Day county contains
2.0l6 square miles Of territory, about one
third Of which is embraced in the Sisse-
ton and Wahpeton Indian reservation.
Webster is located In the southeriy por-
ton Of the county, and about midway
measuring from east to west. Clark
county is immediately south, all of the
north part of wa;Oi, finds market facili-
ties here. From the north Webster gets
miles. The Tower City and Great South
ern railway, now being constructed, di-
V ies the county in twain, and upon the
line Of which ssyt raj new own have
been started, and the prospects for n live
immigration into Day courty this year
arc exceedingly bright. Thee sre few
ifaiy, seciio Of Dakota that offer TO the
INVESTOR, OR BUSINESS NAN,
better opportunities ut the present time
than this county OF Day. 1t is one of a
very few sections Of Dakota. where good
land, stone. timber and good water are
al abundantly represented. l believe in
u few years, fruit win 10 produced here
in abundance. / see no reason why Ger
tain varieties Of apples, cherries and
plums should not DO grvwn with the
same degree Of certainty here as In por-
tioAs If Minnesota. ~hare horticultural
pursuits have become profitable. and |
would advise the people to at least make
the trial. There are many valleys and
hillsides that are protected from the Sc
we're wintry blasts that sweep over the
level, open p~rairies. and the greater depth
Of snow will furnish that protection TO