New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-05
ABERDEEN.
VII.
SOCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL FEATURES OF A
PROSPEROUS YOUNG CITY.

TO BE THE CAPITAL-INFLCX OF I'M
MIGRANTS FROM RUSSIA
Copyright 1889: BY ne Se,o- York Trfouns
tTRox STAFF CORRESPONDENT or TIE TRIBuSEl
Aberdeen South Dakota, May /.
Except upoa the newest maps Of Dakota, Aber-
Ceen does not appear, and yet 1t IS the second
ciiv in size. in population and in commercial
strength. 1t is only six years old. and It has
5000 inhabitants. 1t Is near the border line De
tween the two Dakotns. 1t Is filled with young
men and young women, practically all from the
East and a buster, brighter, quicker, sharper lou
of people never were drawn together There is
something intensely fascinating about these com
munities. where absolute democracy prevails where
independence is exalted. and where the cast-iron
rules Of conventional society are not SO much ms
thought about. Some aniable people The other
evening were good enough TO ask me 10 recep-
tion: and the prettiest and most charming woman
I met, the wife Of rich young nefChant. re-
marked that she came from B.ston.
And did your husband come from Boston p
I asked
oh no." she said. | met him here. lie came
here year or after he WIS gr1G Lated from
Amherst and boarded for while in the family
where worked
She was a dainty little creature. Her voice
was sweet. and her manner exceedingly refined
| glanced at her slovcd hand 1t was small and
slender. At the tips OF her little feet. They were
neatly dressed. | looked at LCr costume. and
while my knowledge OF feminine apparel docs not
cntitle me to speak authoritatively "a 10 the
degree OF perfection in this case. vet there was
certainly nothing conspicuous about It, and She
looked trim and. IN brief. Just as she ought TO
have looked Later in the evening | asked some
questions about her. and ascertained that she came
Wpsf
New Highlander Now she was the mistress OF one
OF the finest houses IN town and an ornament OF
society. The richest man in Aberdeen. banker.
not yet thirty five years old whose hand directs
every public enterprise and whose purse is open
at every worthy solicitation, came into Dakota
first as a fireman on locomotive. lie says was
for were and them for those but when
he is securing employment tor the Young college
graduates who come TO him hundred year
they don't hagCle because he isn't the scholar
they are HIS word IS law in Aberdeen. and his
edicts would be thought Of no better il they were
written in Latin.
To understand society in these new cities. II
must he remembered that they have been built by
every type OF energetic man. They contain plenty
Of people who are used TO ell the rcfnemcntS of
Eastern life. and whose homes here are maintained
in as gentle a style as prevailed in the homes they
came from They contain others, lust as rich and
lust rs poor and Just A. necessary To the elOTt
mcnt Of the community and Just as important IN
the communitvS eyes as these who eat beans
with knife and drink SOUP from all over IN"
spoon with u palpaolc gurglc But neither thc
PEOPLE who have been gently bred. nor tlos" who
came along a Il. 10THy. can do without the other.
and public opinion would not tolerate nm attempt
~ social Determinations. The result of the com
minrlng OF all classes Is bring out the manhood
4 Of tl,,sr ylp Ia yc
lacked social advantages and to create society
devoid Of all arncIal manners. sincere. generous,
hearty The men do not dress suits at
dinner or at evening assem- lilies. and the women
rarely app ar in low-neck costumes. They all put
on the best they have, and that is Sufficient. II
would be- poSsi BILE undoubtedly to describe society
here ~ crude but that If true. would hC important
only 10 shallow people who are themselves not in
the least important 10 thcSr Wcscrncrs. The
great charm OF lie here is that every man stands
on his own individual merits. II he has no
merits. he las No standing.
When you look AT the Topography OF Aberdeen
and the country around IT, you wonder why its
frs: settlers started il where they did rather than
anywhere else II sits down on the prairie, with
never tree. shrub or brook at hand,
and with nothing to commend the ground
IL occupies as town site over the ground for ten
miles IN any and I'll directions. How II has sue
cecded in ob'"nng It's rank the second city in
Dakota is explained in its railroad relations II
has grabbed for railroads every time it saw Tho
chance Of getting one. II has thought no sacrl-
flee too great II only n new railroad the com
pcnSation THIS sagacious policy has given II
an immense tributary country, with thirteen rail
road lin"s distributing its produce, manutacturcs
and other goods It's merchants sell, not eXclu-
svclv, but largely TO 10000 people. scattered
along IL 90 miles Of railroad running INTO Aber-
deem ms The nearest or best point OF supply. This
situation is an advantage as we'll TO the farmers
around Ahcrd zen as to the merchants IN II. With
such unusual opportunities of putting their prod
ucc upon the market. they have cultivated their
land thoroughly Every available acre in Blown
County is growing grain or feeding stock. and in
1885 the 5000 farmers Of Brown County grew
1000 600 bushels Of wheat trihc more than ono
per cent Of the VIII AT crop Of tho whole world. Be
ing thus profablv engaged in actual business, Abrr
dccni has taken no part whatever in III" boom
srcCulatiOns, q Circumstance which cannot be cS
mated 10" much itS credit 1t pONseS'c min" fnan
ral observation-disclosures, loan and mortgage com
panes-wlth a capital Of $3.50, 900 They do an
cnorncr, business in small loans Of about 81 per
acre upon improved and cultivated farms. l sup
r,se fr - what cdn and hcas, 1t A. class Of
investment, if wisely made is so richly profitable
AS these Western farm mortgages. and for the very
good reason that men can come out here practl-
callv pennilcss and pay for their farms in SIN
Gle crop Of wheat. A farmer near Aberdeen told
me- that upon 600 bushels of wheat, sold at =?
cents his net profit was 81 ,o44 GO. He seemed 10
feel pretty well satisfied with himself.
In considering the character OF community 1t
Is II importance 10 know who owns its rea estate
and what tho history of property values has been
ONT on the Missouri there is a little town with
three or f-ur houses. an empty and idle mill,
saloon and a church, whore claims that could ne
bought SIN weeks rJo for $500 are to-day actually
selling for $1,000. There is absolutely nothing