Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-01-11
first great triumph achieved by demo-
cratic administration.
THE DENVER OF THE HILLS.
Rapid City Nesting in the Gateway
to DalkOta's Mineral Region, Comes
to the Front with Brilliant Pros
ppct for "a Boom


Rapid City, Jan. |, 1856 The Black
Hills country is getting It's second wind.
When the rush days OF IT'S aud rs be-
gan to wane, and things commenced re-
treating to narrower margins, those who
remained-streng IN their faith of the
great prosperity and perman-
ency OF this region-lnaugurated asys-
tem OF railroad agltanou. Not tuuU
they believed the iron horse would put
III an appearance within the time they
specified, but merely to bolster up thelt
own courage. The newspapers here
quilt railroads from every point of the
compass. They argued the feasibility,
necessity and certainly OF each OF theii
enterprises. But none materlallZed, and
jus: when many began TO despair the
Fremont, Flkhurn and Missouri Valley
company pushed Its liue Hlllward to the
sufp. Use aud delight of everyone in this
region, because u road from that quarter
WAS always regarded as u mere posslbil
lty. There was not a sIngl 10 man, how
ever, among the thousands OF tar-seelDg
aud patient denlzrns no camped here
TO await "the good times coming to
come but was firmly confirmed of the
surety OF rall communication with the
states within the current decade OF the
oUs. They We're satisfied that the
growing Importance OF thelt
cUon demanded such accom-
modntlons, and now that this
chief want OF this country Is to be sup
Piled before the expiration of the first
nall Oh the present year, the old timers
who stuld with this city through veal or
woe Can congratulate themselves OF the
steuutustness OF their faith aud good
judgment, as they are already realizing
largely Oh both.
But the past five years of disappoint-
meut, Hunted slugnatlon and compare
tive general business depression have,
perhaps, been the very best years in the
history of the Black Hills. 1t forced
many from the over crowded mining
camps out into the vail, ys, where they
have since been engaged IN developing
| the agricultural resources of this region
Hence, to-day, upon the approach oil
the second and lasting awakening OF in
terest in the various rich and diversified
elements of wealth of Dakota's Eldors-
do, we find producers instead OF tur-
Duieut army of consumers who lmpOy-
| crushed the country during its first years
| of settlement. Now there is solidlty
here, then there was none. Everything
was transient then, and Investments
were SIMPLY hazardous specnlations,
with all the chances against the Investor
But now values are fixed, and q mar
can put his money in real estate with az
absolute assurance of realizing hand
some percentage on his purchase by the
natural enhancement of the worth of the
property--that ls, if he exercises ordI
nary Judgment. This is the difference
| between the old and the new status o1
affairs out here.
There are "boom centers," of course
even in this promising region where ont
can sink all he puts in. That center
however, is not Rapid City. On th'
CONTRARY 1t is my judgement that Rapic
is the coming commercial and MINING
metropolis of this gold belt-and thirty
two years experience in frontier boon
camp" ought to have ripened my Judge
ment sufficiently to give 1t some reliab
Illity. This city is the center of attrac
ton to-day, and the thousands of ney
|home-seekers in quest of new locations
and capitalists seeking profitable IN
vestments are turned this way. There
fore shall contine myself to the presen
tation of the resources and the advan
tagies of Rapid as / find them existing
at the present writing, In this connec
ton 1 would say that Rapid boasts mel
IN every way fitted to keep her in tn
lead of all rivals. They sIe alive to tn
demands of the hour. In short, are me-
of means, nerve, and broad, ample busl
ness capacity who will never suffer he
to take back seat. Ia this respect sh
is very fortunate, yet no less SO than il
her admirably selected geographical lc
| cation. Beng situated squarely in th
; teeth OF the Rapid creek gar, which al
fords the only convenient entrance t
: the Black Hills, everything in
ingress or egress to and from the mimi
, camps must pay tribute to her in on
way or another. Thus it is that she
styled the gate city of the bills. All til
! wagon routes to the many mineral diI
r tricts throughout the hills converge 6
g the western limits of this queenly llttl
9 city into one wide and ample highWa
y whose dust is gold" You can't ge
:, round her. The several railroads su
# veyed through this country pass tbroug
a the gap, and consequently through tt
town. This condition of things rende
her the hub, proposition that none
her rivals can gainsay. A year ago the
3 was considerable uncertainty, doubt ar
% anxiety-a trlnity of corrodIng ingr
dients IN human life-regarding the
tentions Of the railroad company, b
IL now that this question has been def
re itely settled by the planting of the col
j. pany's western terminus in the city, t
q at least year to come, that spirit of u
rest which proved such disturbing
ID cubus to the denizens has been displac
by vigorous buoyancy, born of certai
ty. 1t IS as plain on their countenan
7y as dry goods box on the sidewalk.
al Notwithstanding the protracted del
:. of the promising era of new growth n
az upon this burg the leading men of I
Wy place never lost confidence, but dem,
in strated their nerve and wisdom by
he Inauguration and completion Of elegl
private and public building impro
Wy of that irksome reign. The Florma
sci block three story brick, 100 by
Mt feet on the ground, is one of the ha
:. soonest and most costly private impro
ments in the territory, and would
OF credit to Sioux City. There are tn
,ut or four other brick blocks within
est coinlnercial puise Vi 'he o1'y 1ha'
ant nnm,har o. noontemniat,nn uhioh r.;ll
ISL erected ia the early spring. The F
tie. nington county court. house, which
BUS one OF the architectural features OF Z
the ~ IVA e p n,,fv anps'led Uv M aIa hv ,ha ,n
! of school and the territorial school of M
cry buildings which flank it on either g
L. ~. L. 4 u,