Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-07-11
PAST SATISFACTORY: FUTURE ASSURED


PAST SATISFACTORY: FUTURE ASSURED
Sturgis City is located on Bare Butte
creek, twelve miles east by north from
Deadwood, and one and a half miles
from Fort Meade, ten-company post
The town is situated between the foot
hills and the higher portion of the Black
Hills. The site is most magnificent
one, lying on dry, almost level ground,
with. a slight declination toward the
creek, giving the best of facilities for
drainage. There is plenty Of room for
growth, as the valley in which the town
is situated is wide and-peeufiarly adapted
for the site of a large city.
The town lies at. the point of. con-
vergence Of all the important roads ira
versing the county, and as consequence
is the headquarters Of all settlers in the
surrounding country when they desire
to transact business of any nature what
soever. 1t is reported that the first set
tier located on the present site in June,
1876. Major Wilcox, J. M. Rodebank, A..
Buckbee, Major Lazelle, B. g. Caulfeld,
Judge Dudley and J. w. Caldwell
formed company and proceeded to Sc
lect site and lay out town. It is
said Major Wilcox selected the site.
Eighty acres were originally plated, but
since then, to keep up with the increas-
ing demand for residence property, sew
eral additions have been made. The
town was christened Sturgis, after Cen
eral Sturgis, of the regular army. The
first postoffice was opened in the winter
of 1879.
Since then the town has exceeded the
expectations Of its most ardent friends
and supporters. It has increased in
population, wealth, intelligence and
morality. At present it boasts Of four
churches, two schools, four hotels, a
national bank, lumber yards, planning
and feed mills, stucco and plaster works,
nearly a hundred mercantile establish
ments and trades represented, Masonic,
Odd Fellows and G. A. R. societies, daily
mail in all directions, direct telephone
communication with every town in the
Hills, both in Dakota and Wyoming, the
control of the immense trade of Fort
Meade and the thickly settled farming
community beyond it; steam fire en-
CINE; hook and ladder company, hose
company, engine company, system of
fire cisterns, live, rustling board of
trade, fire protective association, hack
lines to Deadwood and Fort Meade;
lastly, and best of all, a a aon. Of Of only
a w, payable in twenty years, against
m assessed valuation of s2o5,ooo.
Some improvements now under way
ire. TIE building of an Episcopal
CHURCH; a ,..adies' seminary to cost sl5,-
700; city hall end engine house; street
,ar line TO Fort Meade; the boring of an
lrtesian we'll; the laying of system of
water ma4Sas, and the grading of our
ide and residence streets.
The above readily shows what Sturgis
las done and what it intends doing in
he near future. An unprejudiced mind
'annot but acknowledge the superior
position of Sturgis as regards the farm
ng community surrounding it. By
studying the map of tie Black Hills it
IAN be readily seen that the facts ap-
bearing in the preceding columns are
literally tue. The secretary of the
'turgis '.,oard of trade, Mr.. Max Hoehn,
IAN '.eadily impart- and will do SO
vii .lngly-any information concerning
,turgis, the Key City of the Hills, and
the surrounding country
FORT MEADE;
This we'll kh6wti military post is stu
ated ohe and half miles east Of Sturgis.
The first military ca".s oatot1;.io5
in the spring of 1876, on Spring creek,
north of Bare Butte. This camp was
called "Camp Sturgis," in honor of Lieu
tenant Sturgis, killed in the Custer mas
sacre. The present fort was established
in the August following and named after
the celebrated Union general, George G.
Meade. The site is most magnificent
one. On one side rises the foothills of
the Black Hills covered with their dark
pines, while on the other hand; stretches
away toward the east the rolling pralr-
les Bare Butte, just north Of the post,
rises straight out of the level prairie and
stands like some lonely sentinel watch
ing over soldier and citizen alike. The
buildings comprising the post are new
and elegant, and from the lips of officers
who have seen the majority of the posts
of the country we have heard that Fort
Meade is one of the most desirable loca-
tions in the entire war department. The
post is ten-company post, and at pres
ent is occupied by the Third infantry
(white) and the Eighth. cavalry, who re-
Gently moved hero, from Montana and
Texas, respectively. Until May this
post was occupied by the Seventh cayal-.
ry and Twenty fifth infantry.
The post requires enormous quantities
of supplies, all of which are furnished by
the farmers of the country contiguous.
An idea of the amount of material used
can. be gathered from scrutinizing the
following figures, Hay, LOO tons; corn,
10000. pounds; oats, 100000 pounds;