New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28
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PIERRE, OLD AND NEW.
IT'S LAwLESS PAST AND PROMISING FUTURE
THE SHIPPING POINT FOR THE BLACK HILLS
RAILROADS As COIONIZERS-AN EAGER

IT'S LAWLESS PAST AND PROMISING FUTURE
THE SHIPPING POINT FOR THE BLACK HILLS
RAILROADS AS COLoNIZERs-AN EAGER
CANVASS FOR TIE CAPITAL
tFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE THrBUSFl
Copyright: 1850 Bg The Ne,c- YORK. Tribune.
Pierre, South Dakota, April pa
II is matter of surprise TO visitors in this
country that such small towns enjoy such
markable railroad facilities. place with tire"
or four thousand inhabitants often has rs many
as six great railway systems and dozen trains
a day connecting IT in the shortest possible time
with the entire country. The fact is Dakota
has been made by the railroads. Minnesota, Iowa,
Nebraska and other Western States have shown
them that it pays 10 open way for settlements,
rather than TO follow settlements. Three thousand
miles of track had been laid in Dakota before the
Territory contained single town Of more than
300 people In other parts of the West settlers
came along in wagon trains with a few blankets,
IA few farming implements, Il yoke Of oxen, little
hard tack and a barrel Of water their Only
equipment. When they had turned the wilder
ness into wheat-hcldS. the railroads cauflonsN
came along after them. Then it was seen that
-, fast as the tracks were lai1 cities arose 10
meet them and that no iudiciouS railroad enter
prise could fail
This experience prompted new methods when
eyes Of settlers turned toward the rich black soil
of Dakota The railroads perceived that if they
took time by the fOrcloci thcv could not only
get, their rights Of way for nothing but they
could direct migration and grow rich as we'll
by the sales of land along the lines Of their roads
as by ordinary traffic They took the risk.
1t was not very great They could build upon
the level praircs for $4,000 mile. They could
- IL
the Immediate good fortune Of themselves, but,
of course. 10 the final ruin Of their road, and
their investors Bat such of them as pursued
legitimate business have already rcapcd golden
harvest. and are still rcaping and will reap for
years TO come Under the liberal and wise policy
Of Congress they were allowed 10 make ont their
own routes and 10 take for nothing n strip Of
! 90 feet rs far rs they would build They picked
ont prospective town sites, tool; mp two or three
SQUARE miles Of lard around under the prc.cmp.
ton law ~ an expense Of II - per acre. lad II
out in lots put up few houses gave the place
Il name and waited for settlers.
They did not med to wait LONG. 4 host of
farmers were waiting for the Glance that now
arose They were al ready 10 20 wherever they
conlI have q fair opportunity 10 market their
produce They chased the railroads and gave an
Immediate value TO these town sites Village after
village TIN, lifted itself upon the plains and the
prairie grass made way for grain. Industrious
people could not help but make money, and they
were the only class who had any motive for com
irc Their cattle RANGED winter and summer upon
the prairc>, living Oh the richest hay :hat grows,
cured a> il fell upon tie ground. They thrv"l
and multiphed while the settlers built their sod
~haclis" and barns. sowcd their wheat. gathered
il i'm and sent il OF 10 market. These facts tell
Of n,lyc hoy Sbo,,.
how II is that Il social condition has been nc.
conpi>hcd here easily and quickly which IN other
Western States was attained only after twenty
ana thirty years had been spent IN TIE SevcIest
experiences with hardship and poverty. They
show why Dakota. save i'll the Black Hills district,
Las always been tree from those dcplorablc evils
that form SC shocking a chapter IN the history OF
carly settlements elsewhere.
The only town east Of the mining lands which
has ever known what II is 10 he dominated 10y
Gamblers and dcSpcradocs Is Pierre. now the scene
Of as much that is peaceful and refined as can hc
found anywhere i'll the Territory. But before
the railroads got into the Black Hills Pierre was
the point from which they received all their
supplies and 10 which they shipped all their
minerals wagon trail extended straight across
the big Sioux Reservation. which separates all
South Dakota east of the Missouri from the Hills
Pierre settlement on Indian land. and there
ry suiicrancc only, Just across the river from
Pierre Though assuming military name Fort
Pierre never was anything hut "A trading post
fortified in the early days by the traders them
selves Pierre Choleau. tn, old French fur mer-
chant Of ST. Louis. established it in 1929. and
pn, men there TO stay during the winter and take
furs from the Indians whenever they could he OBJ
tanned Then barges came up IN the spring from
ST Louis loaded down with provisions and
,rinke,s which were left the capital for
other winters bargaining. Choteau's men were
mostly French Canadians They were good
terms with the natives and made wives Of the
duskv maidenS whose hnll-breed progeny form
the larger part OF Fort Pcrres present pOpuld
,ion. They are IA curious lot OF people. and they
I,ve a curous town Ii contains most in
congruous collection Of houses mud shacks.' log
bu,s. peacocky Queen Anrcs. lncian tents and
mere corras with sod roofs. Its people have
gradually become NOR Indian than French. though
they resemble no creatures on earth except them
selves They are neither barbarians nor are they
civilized neither savage nor tame. neither white
nor red They wear clothes the sight OF which
would make ChathamSt. sick with envy. They
sccu to hav" ntitLer emotion nor ambition. but
they can trade horses shoot cl.rabDi's fish and
hunt with the best Indian in the land Few OF
them do or at least few will. speak English. You
must talk In Sioux or mongrel FrenclI/ If you ex'
pn1