Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-06-06
LAWRENCE. FIRST, LAST. AND roREvEI

This, the widest advertised county In
the Black Hills, and one Of the best
known in the entire territory, was organ
lied in April, 1877, receiving its name
from Colonel John Lawrence, an old
resident and leading citizen Of the Hills,
and who at present resides near Dead
wood. Lawrence county is the most
wealthy, populous and important of any
in the Black Hills region, containing
over one half of the total population, and
proportionate amount Of the accumu-
lated wealth. 1t has an area of 1900
square miles, fifty square miles smaller
than the state of Delaware, and nearly
twice as large as the state of Rhode
Island. It is bounded on the north by
Butte county formerly a part of Law
renee, but set off by itself in 1883 and
the Belle Fourche river; on tho south
by Pennington county; on the east by
the two forks Of the Cheyenne river, and
on the west by Wyoming territory.
The extreme length of the county,
from the Wyoming line to the Cheyenne
river, is eighty seven miles, and the
distance across its widest portion
is about thirty-two, while the
eastern end of the county near Chey-
enne river dwindles down to fourteen.
About third Of the county lying in
the southwest is hilfy and mountainous,
and nearly covered with magnificent
growth of pine timber. The remaining
two-thirds of the county, from the foot
hills to the two branches of the Chey-
enne, compose large portion of the
broad-spreading plains for which the
Black Hills country is so famous. The
billy portion of the county is quite a
distance above sea level, the average
height being about 6,G00 fect The east
ern end of the county, and in fact from
the foothills to the eastern boundary, is
considerably lower, ranging from 1000
to $500 feet. Tho Redwater, Falsebot-
tom, Whitewood, Bare Butte, Alkali,
Elk, Box Elder, drain the principal
basins in the county, while Beaver and
Rapid creeks drain small areas in the
southern portion.
The best and most fully developed ag-
ricultural lands are situated in Pleasant
valley and along the Bare Butte, Alkali,
Elk and Spring creeks Thousands of
acres in the past few years have been
taken up by settlers. The records of the.
land office show that up to March l,
1887, nearly 5000 filings had been made
on lands in the Black Hills, over 5000
of which had been entered by settlers
in Lawrence county. Surveys made re-
Gently show that there still remains
enough vacant land in the eastern and
southern portion of Lawrence county to
make 5000 farms and this land not of
a barren, unfruitful nature, but of the
richest loan, capable of producing any
thing that can be grown in the same lat
itude the world over. The most mag
nifcent farming land on earth lies idle
awaiting the coming of the thousands
seeking now home in the west. The
laws governing the obtaining of these
lands are not difficult to comply with,
and the settler will find that instead of
the close guardianship of Uncle Sam be-
ing hardship it is of inestimable bene-
fit and value to him.
Water is in abundance throughout the
eastern two-thirds of the county, running
streams, bank full the year around, and
travcrsing every valley, makes irri-
cation entirely useless and unnecessary.
The products of the county are limited
only by tho time, skill and patience
of the husbandman. Grains OF all
kinds are grown as only Dakota can
grow them. The rich, deep soil is easily
broken and turned up toward the sun.
Farmers can plant their seed with the
greatest ease and then let nature take
her course, assured that when the har-
vest time comes his increase will be
twenty, fifty or an hundred fold. Wheat
can be relied upon to go from twenty to
forty bushels to the acre; oats thirty to
seventy five; corn from sixty to one hun
dred. Barley and other cereals do as
well in proportion. The. finest quality
of hay-wild at that covers prairie and
mountain side alike. All stock men
throughout this portion of the west
unanimously agree that no hay, not even
the long timothy and clover from cult
waited lands, can equal in nutrition the
wild hay of the Black Hills. Hay from
the states cannot be sold here when ma
tive is on the market. Stock men of all
kinds never feed grain to. stock unless
they are engaged in heavy work. This
may seem like a fairy tale, but no truer
were ever spoken. Horses and the like
are fed on this native hay alone during
the winter, and the spring finds them
hardy and sleek, ready for their sum
mer's work. The prairies and mountain
parks are open to the settler to go upon,
start bis mower and gather crop of
hay as heavy as be desires. Corn is one
of the easiest crops raised. Al breaking
pillow easily turns over the sod, the farmer
planting his corn as he plows, and the
close of the season will find him the
possessor Of crop Of this valuable
cereal equal in every respect to the aver
age grown in the states, nurtured and