Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-01-11
The Fuel Question.
IS THE LACK OF FUEL A SERIOUS DETR1-
MENT TO DAKoTA?-A FARMERS
..
Dakota Farmer.

DhhOth a1hiea
DEAR FARMER:-I am in receipt al
most daily of letters from the East
p%ropounding various interrogations
relative to Dakota, regarding climate,
soil, agricultural capabilities, ETC.,
etc. But no question is put forward
with more vim and pointedness than
the following: "What is your fuel
and timber supply. and your expecta-
tions for the future?" Fot long since
a letter of inquiry camel to hand from
a gentleman of considerable promi
hence in Western Michigan, contain
ing the aforesaid Interrogation, &C.
companied with the following remark:
"We are satisfied as to the wealth of
your soil and it's wonderful product
iveness. We concede to Dakota I'M
surpassed agricultural capabilities,
healthfulness of climate, beauty of
outline, grandeur of extent, and I'M
parallelled rapidity of growth and
development, and the possible exist
ence of yet undiscovered mineral
wealth, in addition to the we'll known
immense deposits at the Black Hills;
but after all there is one glazing, I'M
deniable deficiency-timber--one very
pronounced desideratum, wanting in
her economic relations, which, from
our standpoint of view, seems to
counterbalance all the very good
points to which we have conceded,
and we therefore hesitate in our
judgment as to whether it would be
wise and expedient to leave a timber
country like Michigan, to make our
homes in a region with a rigorous
climate. so palpably deficient in tim
Der. We would be glad to hear from
you in regard to this particular"
And now, dear FARMER, what course
shall I pursue in this seemingly try
ing exigency? I am not insensible
to the magnitude of the matter in
hand if I attempt a response. The
limits allowed me for defense in the
columns of the DAKOTA FARMER, de-
mands brevity of argument, and pre-
cludes anything like a full and COM
plete~ exposition ofthe points involved
in the case. l labor under the self
satisfying consciousness that a per-
feet defense is practicable under
moderately favorable circumstances,
and my fears + not grounded on
any consciousness of inherent weak
ness on the part of the subject matter
itself, but in my power Of mind to
properly treat it in a cogent manner
commensurate with its Importance,
creditable alike to him who assumes
it, and just to the great Territory.
And nov what is my duty in the
premises? Shall I, by silence, give a
tacit endorsement to this aspersion?
A negative response is evoked by my
own conscious sense Of duty, and a
potent voice therefrom demands a
attempt to a defense however feeble, of
the land I have adopted as my own,
in which to build up a home, and of
whose career towards a glorious de-
velopment I feel veryproud, and also
in whose bosom I desire that this
poor perishing body shall repose when
life's ftful fever is over.
For the sake of perspicuity and di-
rectness I purpose to direct my re-
marks especially and pointedly
to my Michigan i%nquisitor, and other
interested parties elsewhere can listen
if thcy choose. And now to the mat
ter on hand:
Hon. Sir, You state in your letter
that Dakota has one glazing. defect
etc. etc. In reply, I would ask you in
sober earnestness if you ever expect
to find this side of the grave, a place
or situation, where everything is per-
feet and just as you could desire it To
be, where there are no piercing winds
nor whitening blasts-no hasting pes
thence moi devouring Aoods-where
the rose is without thorns, and the
poisonous henbane does not grow
among turtle doves, where is no care
nor disappointment, o sorrow, nor
sickness and death, no defect, to Gre
ate discomfort, and make us sigh for
something better. If you do, I am
free to assure you, that you are doom
ed to disappointment, 1 have sought
such a place from childhood to age,
At home and in distant lands-In
climes in perpetual verdure, blooming
flowers, and ever smiling summer
skies, but unsuccessfully-And I
never expect to be successful, in thisl