Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-01-04
A PoNCa MYSTERY,

rs it Coal, Copper or a Railroad Bridge
--LaEd Purchases Excite Attention.
Ponca Journal, 3lst: The inquiry Is
often made, "What is the real reason
why certain parties in Sioux City have
purchased Is large tract of land along the
river blatfs lear this placer" 1t is evil
dent that the land wss not purchased
Tor cultivation nor for stock farm. For
such purposes much better land could
have been obtained and at much less
price. For farming purposes it is the
| worst located and most unsatisfactory
tract to be found in the county. Its
| main features are immense hills divided
| rom one another by deep ravines.
But the Sioux City men grabbed up
| this terrific tract OF rocks, mountains
aud gnlches with great avidlty, and paid
from so to $40 per acre therefor, at
least double and perhaps three times
what 1t was worth for farming or stock
| raising.
| 1t is alleged by some who claim to
know, that The land had previously been
carefully examined by experts in coal
and mining, and they reported large and
paying beds of coal within those hills
and but short distance beneath the
surface. This report is in a measure
corroborated 10y the former investiga-
| tions of Bisbee and others.
1t is also said that in addition to the
coal, copper ore is found in abundance,
especially in the region near Bigley' &
ravine.
On the other hand there are doubters
who claim that the land was not pur-
chased for mining purposes, and that the
coal and copper talk Is for the purpose
OF covering the real object. They claim
that the land is purchased for railroad
company, and that bridge across the
river will be built. What in heavens
name any railroad company could want
of such a Tartarean portion of the
earth's surface in order to build 8
| bridge is q question hard to answer
The most reasonable belief is that the
land was purchased for mining purposes
1t is also reasonable to believe that 8
bridge will be built. 1t is almost an i'm.
possibility to build bridge at Sioux
City. AS an exchange truthfully says
sat and about Sioux City is one of the
most unfavorabIe points at which O
bridge could be erected, as the river
is much more than average width and
no tFuSt worthy IOuuuablOn has yeb DeeL
found.'' But here, near Ponca, as has
been decided by the careful examination
of competent engineers, is the best place
for bridge ii q distance Of 200 miles
The river is narrow, the bottom is hard
and close at hand are ire2haustable
quarries of granite for the building o.
IT,. That there's will be bridge in con
nection with railroadafrom the north
there can be bnt little doubt. The
Tower City line (the Great Southern,
is already moving this way and the
company has recently purchased the
right of way toward Elk Point through
the lands of number of citizens ol
Union county. The Elk Point Courier
of the 23d, says that o prominent gentle.
man of that place has received private
letter from one of the officers of the road
asking about the lay Of the land between
Elk Point and Ponca. The road; wher
built, will pass through Ponca and from
thence will go up the South Creek valley
to Martinsburg, and from that place
southward, probably touching Wake
field.
We now confidently expect with al
these sure prospects ahead that Ponce
and vicinity will sooD boom as they
never doomed before.