Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-10-21
GOV. prEneE,s REPORT.
He Sets Forth in Glowing CoiOrs the Progress OF
the Great TERRITORY.
W2sBIsGros, Oct 12.--Hon. Gilbert A
Pierce. governor of Dakota, in his annual re-


WASHINGTON, Oct 12.--Hon. Gilbert A
! Pierce, governor of Dakota, in his annual re-
port to the secretary of the interior, says:
/ The year has MT been altogether as prosper
ons a. was desired Dakota suffering in COM
m IN with the rest Of the country from more OF
| less business prostration and from the droutn'
which injured the small grains there py ma ma
1 tarfaliy lessening the WELD. The drouth was
| not general however, but local in its character,
some parts OF the territory showing large yielos'
| while in others the failure was almost complete
/ It Is tifcult 20 estimate correctly the shortage
| in the crops over last year, but think iss
| safe to say that In wheat ana pats ~
/ will be at least one-third, lesi
/ more. Flax rye and barley also suffered,
/ but 10 what extent 1t Is impossible 70 say. Inc
/ yield of potatoes and other roots Will pronspIy
| has developed very rapidly during the year In
! other parts OF the territory. IL has been sup
posed that the large cattle ranches must De con-
4 lined TO the weste part of the territory where
the abundant grasses and limited snowfall en-
4 able cattle to Craze during the winter. Late ex-
1 periments have demonstrated. however, thae
cattle raising can be proftably pursued even IN
| the extreme northern part OF the territory, ana
i the result has been the establish ment OF large
| cattle ranches in various sections. The bonded
| debt of the territory remains the same az
one wear ago. namely. $565,290. sTha ASSESS
.ment of 1856 shows an increase over
1885 Of about ga 00O, 600, making the total as
i sessment for the year about $3.50, 100000. The
| tax for territorial purposes for 1856 ~ but z
mills The total county indebtedness OF the
4 territory. bonded and floating, Is a h6tie over
| 81 600 900 School statistics for the last year
1 have not been yet received. but there Is 20
| doubt that the remarkable progress shown
| during the fiscal year 1855 is continued On
| yelopment of the territory the gov
1 ernor quotes at some length from the
report OF the commissioner of immigration as
| follows: There were 90, ADJ new hiings ON the
/ public lands during the year under the three
/ general land laws. divided as follows Home
steads. ,466; pre-emptions, .;ssA ana Tree Tree
the year was 3. SOS, 1865 acres. There were 9.962
| final proofs made. The sales Of land by the
1 Northern Pacific Railroad company during the
/ year are estimated at $4,000 acres. The total
1 increase in population of the territory for the
wear il estimated at $4,000 giving Dakota a
population June 80, 1885, Of fnlly 100000. The
/ railroad building of 1856 bids fair TO be much
greater than for any previous year In the history
OF the territory. The governor estimates the
total
| in the territory in 1886 At 500 miles. In rela-
| ton to the Grand Fofks county school lands foI
rental, of which J. w. Scott offered a draft.
/ which was refused correspondence growing ont
/ of which was published at the time. Gov. Pierce
/ recommends that a law SCI ting forth thu
exact terms upon which the lands belouR,ns
/ to the school fund can be occupied and enli-
waited would operate TO the material adyan-
| tage of the territory. He thinks that those
who enjoy the use Of these lands should
ultimate beneficiary, an amount equal 70 the
| waste and deterioration resulting from such oc-
i cupancy. He calls attention to the fact that
Dakota has spent large sums in cash and lands
for the purpose Of providing public buildings, in
| the hope that congress may see proper to dc
something Ia this direction for the TERRITORY IS
the government occHpy offices paid for by private
subscription and furnished by the territorial leg
islaturet Bonds are an excellent investment MANY
! of them viii be paid during the coming year, h,
| thinks, unless the holders show Willingness e
| refund at a lower rate of interest," He com
4 mends congress for passing the act restraining
territorial and municipal indebtedness which ht
| says was great relief to him. The governol
/ discusses the admission of Dakota into the Tn.
ion, and adds: Il renew my recommendation
/ most earnestly that this great people be nc
| longer kept from their rghtful heritage but b.
/ permitted share and voice in that government
their industry,