Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-01-11
DAkOTA'S PROGRESS.
Condensed Review Of the Wonderful d,
Is vel0pEl emit Made in 1887

Condensed Review of the Wonderful De-
velopnl ont Made in 1887.
The area sof Dakota is $50. 932 souare
mules; her population is over 600 600: the
number of miles Of railroad within the
territorial limits are 4, 246; number of post
otnces, l,O39; newspapers published in the
territory, 800; expended for support Of
public schools in 1856, 1868. 700; cash in
treasury, 1raasurer's report for 1856. $685.
972; wheat crop for 1886, 3O,7U4, 600 bush
els careful estimate Of the wheat croD
for 1887 places it at 100000 bushels:
assessed valuation, 1887, $157, O84, 1856:
value of farm products, 1885, $32, 400
Sl6; corn crop for 1856, Is, 805, 600 bush
els Corn crop for 1887, estimated at 3d.
600. 600 bushels; value OF live stock, P43,-
1875, 229; number Of public schools, 5000;
number OF school teachers, 5,O55; capital
invested in banking, $4,000, 600 1884,
The above is a brief but comprehensive
outline of Dakota's wondrous wealth and
development The Territory has had
another year of unprecedented growth in
wealth and population. During the year
ended June 80, 1887, 1907, 281 acres Of
| tne public domain were newly filed on. and
the population at that time, based on the
most careful estimates, was $4,000. I'M
migration during 1887 averaged about
1000 each month, which now gives Dakota
1ully 100000 people. The agricultural,
manufacturing, commercial and mining in
oerests are all receiving careful atten-
ZION, and the outlook generally for the
future may be considered prosperous and
| happy one.
Dakota, as compared with all the States
ana territories in regard to miles of rail-
road in 1887, leads all but twelve States
Dakota's wheat crop, lust harvested. is
greater than was ever credited to any one
State for seasons yield, and is equivalent
10 one-seVenth of the total wheat crop of
the Union in 1886, or about thirteenth
or the wheat crop of the world The grand
IoCal OF acres and number of bushels in
KIND produced in the Territory will give
correct idea of the enormous Yield of
! the principal farm crops: Wheat-Acres.
3,s1S, 1884,. bushels, 81, 553, 400; Corn
Acres. sos, 807; bushels, "a, oil, 726; Oats
Acres, l,l72, 289; bushels, 3,267, 478;
Rye-Acres, II. $50; bushels, $40, $50; Bar
ley-Acres, 235, 100; bushels, 6,4OO, $50;
Observation-Disclosures. $40; bushels, 81, $50;
Flax-Acres, 40, TIL; bushels, 3,91O,944.
The quality and quantity of the yield of
! vegetables of all kinds can not be excelled
Onions are prolific and sure crop Tur-
nlps, peas, beets beans parsnips, carrots.
squash, cabbage, caulitower egg plant.
lettuce, melons, and in fact all field and
garden vegetables are wonderfully prolific
The potato crop for 1855 was 1858, $50
| bushels. For 1867 no reliable infor,na-
| ton can be obtained. The hay crop for
1887 will exceed 2, 5OO,O 900 tons
Dakota has $4,000 horses, valued at
$17.61S. 1872; IL, 1854 mules, worth 81
1874 ,622; 427, 176 hogs. worth So, 3l4, Ol3;
oxen, mich COWS and other cattle, valued
| at $21, Az, 302. The wool industry is repre-
sented by 256, 200 sheep, valued at $685.
100.
Of Government land subject to entry
there is still %, 81, 445 acres, divided
among ten land districts. Even at present
| but faint idea of the real extent and i'm
portance of the mineral wealth of the Terri
| tory can be given Deposits of coal, pc
! troleum, salt, tin, iron, copper, lead, mar
| bic, granite, mica, asbestos, potter's clay,
! besides the precious metals, in fact, almost
| all of earth's treasures, SO far discovered
| and utilized by science, are known to exist
| within the boundaries of Dakota
| The following summary of school statis-
tics must convince the reader that the
cause of education has not been overlooked:
| Youth of school age in the Territory, 1O9,-
475; enrolled in public schools, 81. 131;
| average daily attendance, $3.50; I'M
! graded schools, 1856; whole number of
Seachers 1924; value of school property,
| 1926, $50 Amount expended, 81. 917,-
25S The school lands comprise 5, 900, 900
| acres. School attendance is compulsory in
all children from ten to fourteen Years of
age, for at least twelve weeks in each
! school year, six of which must be consec-
! utive unless excused by school authorities
! for good reasons The Territorial institu-
! uiohs are the Agricultural College, Brook
! ings; University OF North DAKOTA, Grand
| Forks; the University of Dakota, VermiIl-
| ion; the State Normal School, Madison; the
Normal School, Spearfsh; the School of
| Mines Rapid City. and the Dakota School
for Deaf Mutes, Sioux Falls. Denomina-
tional colleges universities or academies
are located at Yankton, Mitchell,
Pierre, Sioux Falls, Groton Scot
land, Redfeld, Jamestown, Tower City,
Canton, Arvilla and Fargo The Catholic
church has established parochia schools at
Iankton, Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks.
There are in Dakota about 500 ministers,
representing different denominations, and
caring for more than 1000 separate
charges These religious organizations own
more than 600 churches, not including par
sonages, schools missions, ETC., and the
valuation of all church property in the Ter
ritory will exceed $63, 100000. Twenty
six years ago the first Sunday-school was
organized at Vermillion, and to-day there
are fully 1000, with membership of
100000
OF all the marvels of the Territory there
is hardly one more remarkable than the
press of Dakota. Of the 352 newspapers
published at present 25 are dailies, 314
weeklies and the remainder, Is, are pub
ished quarterly, monthly and semi-month-
~. Of the total 345 are printed in English,
three in Scandinavian, one in Dutch and
three in German
The total capital invested in all classes of
manufactures is over ST., 100000. For
the last seven years the yearly increase in
the assessed valuation of taxable property
has averaged 500, 100000, or an annual
growth in Dakota's wealth, if represented
in real value, of about SAC, coo, O00 In
1886 the treasurer's receipts amounted to
$S9S. 552; his expenditures to 1896, TAI,
surplus in the treasury of $3.50, $50,
md an assessed valuation in 1887 Of $751;
OS4, $50, representing real value OF at
least twice this amount
The term Black Hills has at various
times, been applied to different sections of
country lying between the Missouri river