Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-02-04

Marshall, nearly nine thousand.
/ )ne noticeable feature about our
population is, that they are all bone
fide settlers, people who have come
here to stay and who are industri-
ously engaged in making a home on
our fertile lands. As a consequence
there is a permanence and stability
to our business interests not ordi-
narily found in a new country-one
especially that has only commenced
to evince the grand possibilities
that lies before it.
The county vas organized ill jan
uary 1882. The assessed valuation
of the county that year was 1915, 20,
and the population less than 100.
In 1888 the valuation was 81, 942 ,O6
and the population a little less than
1900. In 1884 the valuation was
$780, 900 and the population about
$500. In 1885 the valuation was
$500, 900 and the population nearly
| 1900 souls-an increase in three
years of over 5000 population and
in in the assessed valuation of SIX
| HUNDRED AND NINETEEN
THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED
| AND TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS,
and this too, by q people the ma
jority of whom came here with COM
paratively nothing to begin with.
Why, it seems more like the story
of the wonderful achievements of
Aladdens famous lamp as recorded
in the "Arabian Nights Entertain
ment," than the work of an intel
ligent and progressive people, and is
only another evidence of what can
be accomplished by Industrious, in
telligent, well-directed effort.
Webster township in 1881 had
seven population and no assessment.
In 1882 the valuation of the town.
ship was $S4, and the population 20.
In 1888 the valuation was S655, 90
and the population about 400. In
1884 the valuation was 1891 81
and the population about 700. In
1885 the valuation was Sl2j,2t4, II
and the population nearly 1900
souls. With the exception Of 1882
the population is estimated, the
| valuation, however, is what furn-
ishes the clearest idea of the rapid
progress our people have made in
the short period of three years and
shows them to be enterprising and
wide-awake to a degree not often
found in communities either new
or old.
Webster was plated as a town i'll
1881. The assessed valuation Of
the town in 1882 was about 554,
and the population less than ten all
told. Three years have rolled away
and to-day the population Is fully
SO and the assessed valuation in
creased to about S35 $3.50. During
tie first two years but little build
ing was done. In 1888 a number
| Of business houses and residences
were erected and the march Of I'M
provement had fairly begun. In
1884, improvements were rapidly
made and at the close of the year,
Webster had become " live, thriving
little village, having put over
$4,000 into public buildings, resi-
dences and business houses, as we
more fully stated in the first OF
January edition OF the REPORTER Of
that year.
The year 1888 witnessed even
more rapid strides in the march OF
improvement not only in the city
but the entire county. In the
country good substantial farm
houses in many places, took the
place of the "Little Sod Shanty,
and graneries, cattle sheds and 9TH
err improvements were added, very
materially ~lessen;ng the hitherto
wild aspect of the country, and
more surely ~prcsaging the thrift,
comfort and independence IL pee
pie are destined to enjoy i'll the
ntar future.
J. c. Bush, Ed. and Willis Rug
GIGS were the first settlers in the
township having located here in
Oct. 1880. They were followed by
Ed. Small, L. G. Ochs2nrciter, DIR.
Harris, John Norton, and Mr.. Bal
ger aud wife were the first to make
an actual residence after Bush and
the Ruggles boys. j. c. Bash built
the first residence IN the city-the
house now occupied by County Aud
itor Brigham west of the Court
House. l.. G.. Ochscnreirer opened
the first business house, the one
known as the Pioneer hardware
store of Ochsenreiter s. Small OF
which Mr.. o. is senior member,
J. p. Webster was also contempt.
rary as a resident with Mr.. Busi
and the Ruggles boys, and WA,
among the early business men o.
the town.
Having thus shown in Il genera
and cursory wa, the wonderful adj.
vances made, we now address our
selves to a special consideration
of the
IMPROVEMENTS FOR 1885
in the city Of Webster. As will b
seen, the year has brought a re
Moved life aud activity as well a
progress that cannot but be crafty
ing to all our citizens. Pratt, Por
). ter & Mason's
ELEVATOR
: on Main street, north side of rail
: way track, is one of the fine as vel
E as nseful improvements of the year
5 1t is 30x32 ground dimensions, wit
warehouse edition 40x60, and has
7 capacity of 10000 bushels. 1t ha
j a fine driveway, two receiving hoI
- .al-o H., - ,a,I1a q