The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-02-21
PROSPECTS OF PIERRE.
A ROSY PICTURE OF SOUTH DAKOTA,s
CAPITALS FUTURE.
The Sensational News About tho Reserva.
ton Rush-TheT True Situation of Affairs
Economy the Watchword, and Its Neces-
sity-Gratitudc to Railroads-State FL

The Sensational News About the Reserva.
ton Rush-TheT True situation of Aifasrs-|
Economy the Watchword, and Its Neces.
sity-Gratitude to R~aiiroads-State FL
nances, Etc.
Especial Correspondenoe.l
This city has been the scene of great re-
joicing during the past week. The joy and
happiness seemed to be contagious, for
every citizen that your correspondent saw
had an Illuminating smile on his face. The
city is crowded with strangers. Thousands
Of people are focking in here to invest in
Pierre property or secure a claim on the
reservation, and the general opinion is that
the future of Pierre is now assured. The
millions Of acres of land that stretch from
the river banks 10 the distant mountains are
sure to attract thousands of settlers. Rail-
roads will soon span the Missouri and
speed across the new domain. Cities will
sPringup within the next six months that
will be the wonder and surprise Of every
one. The location Of Pierre is fortunate.
She will become the great iobblng center
of all this section of the state.
Highly Colored.
The sensational accounts of the opening
OF the reservation and the conflict between
the military and the settlers had no
existence outside of the brain
of the newspaper correspondents.
It is true TINT there has been a steady
stream of people crossing the river at this
point, but we have failed to secure any
authentic account of q conflict with either
the Indian police or the regulars. The
new settlers have scattered along the river
bottom, and groups have pushed their way
along the valley Of the Band river and
have squatted on lands that will
be worth money some day. On
the bluffs We. have watched the
adventurous boomers carry up their lumber
and rear their claim shanties. Until their
lands are surveyed there will be trouble
between the settlers. No one appears to
pay any attention to the probable boun-
diaries of a claim;la choice site is selected,
q shanty is built aud the rest is left to
chance and the uncertainties Of the sur
veyor's plats. Some Of the counties are
already organized, but no one seems to pay
any attention to the selfeconstituted au-
thorities. For a while at least the adj
joining counties will be attached to
Hughes.
Economical Legislation.
The good people of South Dakota are
not in a position to find fault with their
lawmakers. A bill passed the lower house
the other day that calls for q constitutional
amendment reducing the mileage OF mem
bers from 10 to S cents per mile actually
travelled in going to and returning from
the capital. This is a reform in the right
direction; it means IN annual saving to the
state of many thousands of dollars; it op-
presses no one. This may have been done
for effect. Whatever the object, the state
will reap the benefit.
Taxing Mortgages.
r. woc. uoporol1v ovrootod that the 1aoio
lature would not favor the adoption of rad
ical legislation that might affect the tinan-
cial interests of the state. Those who
have nursed this hope have discovered that
their judgment is sadly at fault. A bill
passed the house the other day that strikes
a direct blow at the capital invested in
farm mortgages. The intent of the bill is
to tax the holder of every mortgage for the
interest he claims in the land. This is one
of the score of measures introduced to tax
oil the capital invested in the state. A
large lobby of bankers and mortgage
men are here, working as hard
tho passage of what they term bad legisla-
ton. These gentlemen claim that the
present demand for money far exceeds the
supply; that a number of farm mortgage
companies have retired from the state;
that at the present time it is difficult to
secure money to replace the loans that are
now due and unpaid; that radical leylsla-
tion on this subject will Dive to other
folds all the companies now doing bust
ness here. and u panic 10 inevitable, that
must result in the foreclosure of thousands
of farms and cause n general depreciation
in real estate values. What effect these
nre pushing this kind of legislation it is
innnSsih1a. at this time tn fell
The Railroad Lobby. ---
Lne railroads during the present week
have sent representatives to look after and
protect their interests. The leaders of the
alliance are determined that strong legis-
lation must be passed by the present leeis-
lature, and it is feared thut if these men
have their way it will stop the building of
all lines contemplated and under course of
construction. III railroad lobby is some.
what surprised at the strong farmer ele-
ment that has rallied to their support.
These men are mostly from what
are now known as the destitute counties,
and they speak in the highest terms
OF the generosity of the railroads,
and freely state that the prompt action of
these corporations in shipping in, freight
free, coal, food, provisions and clothing,
prevented q great amount of suffering that
must OF necessity have occurred this win
ter in these localities. They frankly state
that they are o insensible to these fayors
and are opposed to radical railroad legisla-
tion. The true reason that un !erlies all
this kind OF legislation is that the times
are hard and among the farmers there is q
desire to shift the burden of taxation and
place it on railroads and real and personal
securities.
The Appropriation BILLS.
Much interest now centers il the bills
mat the appropriation committee will soon
report. The treasury ct the present time
10 exhausted, the constitution places a
limit on the in i~ebtedness, and where the
money is to come from that is needed to
defray the expenses of the several depart
ments OF the state government is a
conundrum that as yet none of the states
men at this place have been able to solve.
Inc various penal, charitable and
educational institutions are clamorine
Tor large sums of money, and
n lobby to impress the necessity Of o LARGE
appropriation IN the several committees.
70 use the pruning knife is on unpleasant
duty and the friends Of the institutions
whose appeal for q large size appropriation
IS no needed are sure to make war on the
committees who must perform this thank
less task. Reform is necessary, and every
department of the state must cut do n ex.
penses.
Newspaper Legislation.
The newspaper fraternity are receiving
some recoenition from this Legislature.
The Rexford bill defining what shall be a
legal newspaper passed the house by a
large vote. This bill provides that the
owner OF every legal paper must file an
affidavit with the county auditor that the
paper he represents has been published
regularly for six months and has a bona
fde circulation Of 100 copies. Tha
Corner bill also provides that
notices OF foreclosure Of real ep-
tate mortgages must be published
in the newspaper nearest the land. This
will have atendency to stop competition and
restore the legal rates IN all that kind Of
advertising. An effort will be madeto pass
law compelling the foreclosure of all
kinds Of real estate mortgages in the courts,
but the printing fraternity are against the
bill and it will never pass. If there is any
class of men that deserve favorable legisla-
ton it is the newspaper men that have
ctp,, with 80 r. 49, 80