The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-01-11
| railway will hold their annual ball in
Mitchell on the night Of Feb. q.
DAKOTA IN 1883.

The opening paragraph OF the report Cor
1883 of the governor of Dakota sets forth in
language that is none too strong the wonder
fal change that a year kas wrought in the
great Territory of the Northwest; I'll
progress and development of Dakota during
the past year have been almost phenomenal
The tide of Immigration which set in strongly
in 1880 has been constantly increasing. until
during the past year, ! think, a fair estimate
of the increase in population would reach
100, 900, while the increase of assessablc
property has even been more marked than
the increase in the number OF Inhabitants. =
Year by year, as its resources and capa-
bilities are proved more fully by the prteti-
cal test of experience, as we cease to rely
upon the vague reports of travellers and sur
yeyors and come TO the proved results of
settlement, the horizon of Dakota's future is
extended, and q more adequate idea of what
the Territory is. and is to Inc, may be OBJ
tanned. Alphabetically the outlook is annu-
ally improving; and new, instead of the vast
desert tract through which the Missouri
was once supposed to flow, an inviting
and prosperous section lies encouragingly
open to the. thousands who are seeking
n free and independent life. There is very
little waste or entirely yalueless landin Dako-
ia, says Gov. Ordway. Even the bad lands
of the Little Missouri are found to be excel
lently adapted to stock raising, and with the
rapid development Of the. Territory as q
whole, new directions in which industry
may profitably exert itself are constantly be-
ing discovered. The production of gold and
silver continues to advance, and the compile
ton of new miiroad facilities is expected 10
give a great impulse to the Black Hills, as
well as TO other regions. Tn school rev.
.euues Of the Territory for the last year re-
ported were nearly 100000, and under
the ~reorganized system adopted by the
last legislature great Improvement in edu-
i%cational facilities is expected. 1t is esti-
Imatad that q tax of three and a half mills ON
the dollar of the assessed valuation viii
meet all obligations, and the financial con
dition of the Territory is summed up as
follows: -Four years ago the Territory
owed some $20,0 600 in warrants. which
securities, bearing 10 per cent interest, for
WIFI VI 1hIiNo, NEIt btllhS at ~ idlSI Wis
count. These warrants have all been paid
Of from current revenues, leaving a hand
some surplus in the treasury, and the Ter
ritory will have an outstanding indebted
ness. when all the bonds provided for by
tn last two legislatures are issued,
o 1894, 500, bearing but ) and 6 per cent an
nual interest" To offset these inconsider-
able Liabilities the Territory has public insti-
tatieas costing $s40G, 0aGy and it is estiinated
that its total Indebtedness could be paid and
every bond retired bv a five-mill levy upon
the assessable property. These figures give
some index of that great development which
only those who have wiSlessed it or been o
part Of it can fully comprehend. The foun-
dations of Dakota's prosperity are firmly laid,
and the time is not so far distant when this
great region will take honorable place among
the most prosperous agricultural States OF
| the Union,