Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1890-09-24
DAKOTA INFORMATION.
observations OF Gov. Mellette ON Hts Fri
Across thei ReservatiOn-SGrvey Os thu
6ame-,NeWs In Brief,

.
Gov. Mellette and party have returned
from weeks trip through the rcserva-
tion country west Of the river. Regard
ing the country the governor said: II
have not time to tell you much about 1t,
but will say saw u splendid country
and think good deal OF it, too. Bar
ring going thirty-six hours without food
enjoyed the trip immensely. There Is
no better stock country In the world,
Judging from what we saw. l visited y
number Of ranchmen on both the Chey-
enne rivers and saw their stock, and it Is
in prime condition. l would rather have
thousand good cows out there than
have the best Office in the country.
have bunch of cattle on my farm In
Goddington county, and have made ar
rangcments to place them with Scotty
Phillips. There is short buffalo grass
growing all over out there which is very
nutritious. besides an abundance OF
bunch grass, alkali grass and other
grasses am not familiar with, but the
ranchmen say all these grasses possess
sfattening prOpriettea And s1teir. at0ek ia
living example Of It, We found water
in abundance; excellent water, too.
There may be places where water Is
scarce. but there was plenty where we
went" Referring to the question of or
ganizing Nowlin and Stoling counties,
the governor stated he had the matter
under adviscment. The governors face
was badly scratched, the wagon having
upset and spilled the whole party out
while crossing bad places.
Survey Of the Reservation.
+. w. Pettigrew has about completed
his contract OF surveying seventeen
townships of land west OF Fort Pierre.
Mr.. Pettigrew's will be the first contract
finished, and even then filings cannot be
placed until couple of months later,
or until the maps and data are returned
from Washington to the Pierre land
office. Mr.. Pcttigrew states that he
finds the land first class agricultural,
and in his report to the general land
Office is rating it as such. While there
are good many "squattors" on these
| townships, not SO much of the land has
been taken as would have been tho case
had settlers been able to make filings:
| but there is increased inquiry from diff
| ferent parts of the country regarding
| homesteads west of the river. time OF
| filing, etc, and 1t is more than likely
that these comparatively free homes will
be taken as soon as filings can be made
on the land Prominent Scandinavians
here have been corresponding with their
| friends in the east and the prospect il
now good for large colony OF Swedas
| to locate somewhere out on Bad river
There is small settlement of these peo
Pile in Hughes county, aud they have
raised pretty good crops every year, and
seem to be prospering, never complain
| ing about the country. II a colony o.
several thousand OF these frugal people
| can be induced to settle on the lands
west of the river, 1t will mean much to
wards the speedy development OF thai
part of the state.
Crop Reports From wolsey and vIcinity
The cold wave Of Friday night put
stop to growing vegetation. Ice formet
almost one-fourth Of an inch thick
the thermometer registering 26 degrees
The damage, however, is very light, a
almost everything had dried up before
The prairie grass Is almost as dry as Il
spring and fires are almost daily oc
cnrrence. Thrashlng is about halt fin
ished, so that something like a safe esti
mate can be made Of the yield. Whea
about bushels; oats 20; barley IA, an'
flax almost a total failure. Corn onl
about to 10 bushels, although fey
fields will yield 25 bushels. Potatoes
very Light crop, many farmers bcin
compelled to buy potatoes for their ow
use. Prospects are now that they wi
be legal tender by planting time. Ha
is abundant, which, with the grea
amount of corn fodder, will be ample t
carry the stock through until spring
Taking all in all farmers are in niue
better circumstances than at this tim