Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-10-15
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cHuRcH's ANNUAL.

The Report of the Governor of Dakota
to the Secretary OF the Interior.
Washington, Oct. 13-Goy, Church OF
Dakota has submitted his annual report
to the secretary Of the interior. 1t is
o very lengthy and comprehensive docu-
ment, and touches upon nearly every
topic of official interest in the territory.
Following are the most important por-
tions of the report.
con June 80, 1886, the commissioners
Of immigration estimated the number OF
Dakota's inhabitanta to amount to 500,-
600 sonls; year later, June 80, 1887, the
same authority gave. the territory O
population of 56S, AT, and his estimate
for the year ending June 80, 1888, indi-
cate gain, since the date OF the last re-
port of 62,346, or total population to-
day of $40 S23. This, OF course, does not
include Indians, government employees,
nor the other Inhabitants of the numer-
Gus Indian and military reservations
The population in 1860 was less than
5000; in 1870 it was l5, lSl and In 1880 il
was l35, Az"
"Oomplete tables from the efficial re-
rurns OF the different land offices in ts.a
territory show there were 1000 new
filings under the genera. land laws dur.
ing the year ending June 80, 1888, as
follows: HON esteads, 3 1898: pre- emption
4,20S, and tsee claims, 4,034 The acres
newly filed on during this period were
l,S3s.l42 There were lO,455 final proofs
made. of which 46T7 were cash entries,
4 nai ant. II ,tr,a
timber culture proofs. or the cash en-
tries there We're 1928 proofs made under
the pre-emption law and ,349 com
mnted homesteads. The area acquired
by final proof and cash entry during the
year was / 1,6l6,650 acres. and that p1r-
chased by land scrip 3,l0S acres. The ne "
settlements were almost equally dIstri-
bnted north and south of the seventh
standard parallel, the area filed on in
the four government land offices OF Far.
go. Grand Forks, Devils Lake and Bis.
marck amounted TO 950,473 and In the six
Offices of Yankton, Mitchell, Wster.
| town, huron, Aberdeen and Deadwood
to SS7 ,669 acres. The final proofs south
| OF the seventh standard parallel received
| covered total area OF l,157,754 acres
whilst one north of that amounted tc
| 45S 1896. The area OF unsuryeyed lands
taken up but not filed on, is estimated
| as being equivalent to one-thIrd OF the
area filed on in the Bismarck and Devils
Lake offices, or about $50 600 acres. rht
sales OF land by the Northern Pscifi,
railroad company and private owners Il
different sections of the territory are ap
proximated aa being equivalent to 2!
4 per cent of the government lands flet
on for the year, or about 10000 acres.
| "The grand 6otal OF lands newly filet
on and purchased by immigrants fol
settlement for the yeaf ending June 80
| 1888, therefore closely approximates sh,
sum of 2. 10000 acres. or 5000 square
miles, an aree twice that of the state O
| Delaware"
"The vacant lands oil the territory
| lands SUBJECT TO homestead, pre- empt,on
etc., approximate the sum OF 22,245, ,94t
acres."
During the building season OF 1885,
and 1888. 842 miles of completed tract
were added to the railway system OF Da,
kotn. The total number of miles II
operation in 1888 is A 1888.
.In 1860 less than / 200 bushels o
wheat were raised ia the territory. Il
1870 the crop amounted to ITO ,662 bush
els; 2 $50 ,S89 bushels in 1880; 3S, ,166, Al
bushels in 1885; and in 1887, by the est
mate of the statistician of the nationa
department of agriculture, 81, 406. 900, o
rather, il the evidence In the hands O
the territorial statjsclsn are to be relie,
upon 81 ,553 ,499 bushels. Whichever Q
these estimates is accepted Dakota j
placed fer ahead OF any state OF the unio,
in the matter OF wheat production. Their
ID growing tendency among the farm
ers occupying the well-til.ed sections q
the territory, toward mixed farming an
the diversifylng of farm products; eae
year set 8 an increased area sown to corr
oats, root crops and other fodder fo
stock. The yield OF corn in 1885 was 7,
500, SOB bushels; TIVE years later in 1885,
the yield increases more than 300 pc
cent, and as reported to the territoril
statistioian, amounted to "a, ,511, 726 busl
els, o crop larger that that OF Minnesot
Michigan or any one or more than
dozen states.
The governor enlafges upon the ur
, developed resources OF Dakota and th
inducements offered to immigrants an
passes on to the financial condition {
the territory. "The total bonded del
Is ST. ,089 300. The rates OF interel
range from 4 to per cent. The tot
!, disbursements by audtror's warran
, for territorial expenses for the year en-,
: ing Sept. Both were $4s8. 100 81. III
: total receipts on sarne accounts W,
: $3.50, ,786 81. The annual intereat {
: bonds is S56,026.50. The current d.
8 mands upon the territory have bes
paid on presentation since March 25t
. 1882. The matter OF assessment Of
taxation Is exhaustively treated by COZ
!, prehensive tables and comparisons. IT
d total assessed Valuation OF the territo
4 in 1883 is 161, ,42e ,a27.30. The tot
wealth OF the territory IS estimated
9 $500 ,000, 200. In 1880 the total assess
o valuation was $20.000.000. The numb
e has multiplied eight times in the il
eight years.
The governor comments very ful
upon the laws OF Dakota, particular
with regard TO the taxation OF Yailroa
y and the matter o! the Northern Paci
'e railroads land tax, which was settled