St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-13
Pierre.
Correspondence of the Globe.

PIERRE, OAK, June 10.-Being reader
of your valuable paper and knowing that
| there are a great many of your readers in
the states that know but little of this West
ern country, with your permission l will
| give short description of Pierre and the
country surrounding it. Pierre certainly has
| the best of position on the map, enjoying as
| it does one of the comparatively few sites
| on the surface of Dakota that seem to have
| been especially designed by nature for COM
mercial purpose, so richly have they been
endowed with natural resources OF a high
order The position of Pierre is SatiSfac-
tory guaranty of its prospects for the future.
1t has first of all the birthright of a Mis-
| souri, river town. 1t is the nearest available
| point on that great continental channel OF
commerce to the Black Hills. and standing
at the gate of traffic leading to that wealthy
mining district, with the best watered and
most fertile portion of the great Sioux
country lying between it and the hills, and
| lying itself within the central wheat belt of
the great Northwest, it is apparent that
Pierre holds the key to welI-defned geo.
graphical situation applying to the CONNER
cial development OF vast area OF untold
mineral and agricultural resources. Added
to this. it is the geographical center of the
state OF Dakota, as divided on the 10th par
allel. Pierre is the present terminus OF the
Dakota Central through trunk line of the
Chicago Il Northwestern railway. The
town was reached by the road in the fall of
1880, but did not obtain its real start until
the spring of 1881. AS soon as Hughes
| county was organized Pierre became the
county seat, and it is beautiful city now
with several thousand inhabitants. The
site of Pierre is one Of the most pictur-
esque spots on the Missouri river.
At this point the river makes a sweeping
bend from north to east, leaving a bowl or
basin on its east shore at the foot of the CO.
teaus, or high hills, which form the east
banks, and rise, bench above bench, in wide
and beautiful terraces. The river, less
than mile in width, is lined with native
forest timber, which also grows in abund-
ance on numerous islands. Adjoining the
town there is large grove of fine forest
trees, skirted by the river upon one side
and overlooked by the steep bluffs on the
other, which seems intended by nature for
park. Its surface is nearly as level as a
floor. 1t is the property of the railroad,
and has been reserved for park purposes.
AS mentioned before, Pierre being the
terminus of the Chicago & Northwestern
the traffic between Pierre and Deadwood is
of vast proportions, and everything is
transported by the Northwestern Trans
portation company, by which nearly two
thousand men and ten thousand oxen,
mules and horses are employed most of the
year round. This company also operate a
daily line of stages, making the trip in
about thirty-six hours. The company own
their own ferry boat, with Capt. Horn at
the wheel. Capt. Horn is the oldest cap
tain on the Missouri river. took trip
across with him and greatly enjoyed the
ride in his company. He related many in
stances of early steamboat life on the
muddy stream that were interesting. Fort
Pierre, the old Indian trading post, is just
across the river opposite Pierre. 1t is a
very pleasant little village, and the mer-
chants are doing good business. The SOL
diers and old fort buildings have all been
removed from here to other parts of the
territory. Wells addition to Pierre, or
East Pierre, as it is usually called, is down
the river about half mile. They have a
postoffice of their own, but are under the
same city government as Pierre. The city
is putting in water works, and
in short time, this season,
will put in street railways, which
will be followed by gas and electric light
Pierre has fine business houses, residences
and public buildings. A fine court house
costing $35, 900 is just completed. The ho-
tells are of the best. East Pierre has the
largest one. the Wells house, M. D. Tillot-
son, proprietor. Pierre has several, and
all are crowded to their utmost capacity
daily. The Northwestern, G. A. Jarvis,
proprietor, is large frame, neatly furnished
and is very popular. MI. Jarvis is a live
Yankee and a true Democrat. The Grand
Pacific, J. W. collars, proprietor, is two
story frame, neatly furnished and well con-
Quoted. This is Mr.. collars first expert
ence in the hotel business, but he is doing
nicely. The Phoenix, j. Dug, proprietor,
is another good house. There are many
more good things would like to say of
Pierre, but will close by saying that when
the territory is admitted into statehood,
Pierre will put her best foot forward for the
capital, so other competing towns must look
out. She would have secured it last winter
but for the governors veto. She is the
most centrally located and we can't see
why it would not accommodate the people
at better advantage if located here The
crops are all in fine growing condition and
if nothing happens between this and har-
vest to damage them there will be an
abundant harvest Large herds of cattle
and sheep roam over the hills, showing that
the farmers do not place all dependence on
grain. 81. S. L.