Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-10-31
A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
South Dakota Towns Are Feeling
the Effects of Good Crops.
The Change Is Radical From Year Ago.
Many Former Residents Are Returning
to the State--Coionei Joliey and
the Old Log school House.

CHAMBERLAIN, s. D., Oct, 2o.-A trip
through South Dakota this fall shows
a marked difference in the appearance
of the country as compared with one
year ago. Especially is this true as
regards the portion of the state south
of the Milwaukee line of road. Th
various towns in this portion of the
state plainly show the benefits derived
from the good crops this season. The
writer has within the past day or two
Travelled over n considerable portion of
the southern part of the state, and it
was not difficult to see the changed
condition of things. At Scotland the
grain buyers are kept busy day and
night, prac ctically, and a steady stream
of farmers wagons loaded with wheat
and other products are constantly
going into town In one day during
the past week twenty-three ears
loaded with wheat were shipped
out from that point, and from
twelve to fifteen ears is an
average shipment. Buyers are
paying from - to IS cents per bushel
for wheat. and it will thus be seen that
great deal Of money is being dis
tributed among the farmers. In addi-
tion to the grain the farmers are mar
keting immense amounts of eggs, but
ter, etc, and from this source alone
they are receiving thousands of dollars.
At Freeman, Hutchinson county, the
farmers are also marketing large guam
titles Of wheat and other products, and
it is difficult matter to secure a sutfi-
cient number of cars in which to ship
the grain. At Memo and other towns
in that portion of the state, long lines
OF teams can daily be seen on the
streets, the owners having disposed of
their products and with the proceeds
purchasing lumber, coal, and numerous
other things that go to make their
homes comfortable during the long
cold months of winter. The appear
ance of the towns plainly show the
prosperous condition of affairs. Paint
ers are Mt work improving the numer-
Gus buildings New houses are going
up, old ones are being repaired and
improved, streets are being put
in better condition, new side
walks are being constructed
and everything presents a more
prosperous and cheerful appearance.
What has been said of the above men
toned towns can also be said of the
various other towns in South Dakota
1t is the same in all of them. They
all feel the prosperity induced by the
immense crops tnis year. One year
ago most of the South Dakota towns
had Observation-Disclosures appearance,
but this year it is different.
Never before in the history of the
state had the farmers such great
amount of grain to market, and the
yield this year has encouraged those
who during the short crops of the past
year or two had become discouraged
and were talking of leaving the state.
A vast amount of fall blowing has al
ready been completed, and from pres
ent indications the acreage next year
will he at least one-third larger than
that of the present year The past
season has aptly shown what the soil
in this section of the northwest can
do when there is sufficient moisture,
and it is the general belief that the
dry seasons are now Il thing of the
past and that in future the
state will be blessed with a sufficient
quantity of water to make crop fail
ure an impossibility. AS one result of
the good crop the farmers who started
WIFI DuJ IL SIHtil uilOunL OF money ana
were compelled to mortgage their
homes in order to begin farming are
enabled this fall to pay off their in
debtedness or at least the greater por-
tion of 1t, and have money that is
needed to make necessary improve
mcnts on their places During the |
partial failures Of the crop the past !
year or two many Of the farmers have
a iol 4 4 l.;
which 90 to make life pleasant, and in |
consequence of this they have this year
determined to procure the various |
things desired Many of them have
also done without things that were al !
most an absolute necessity, but now |
that they have some ready money they |
can live much better and enjoy life. A 7
number of them have needed new
sheds, improvements to their dwell /
lings, fencing, etc, but because of /.
the previous poor crops have not been
able to do the things needed. This |
year, however, they have the ready /
money and are making the improve ,
ments that they would like to have |
made year or two ago
One more favorable year will COM
pletely clear the mortgages from the !
homes of those who have been unable /
to pay all their debts with the proceeds I
OF this years crop. That capitalists no
longer have any doubts in regard to
the future greatness of the state there
is no doubt. The loan companies that
have for years been loaning money on
South Dakota farms have never pushed
the farmers until this year for the rea- /
son that they did not wish to crowd |
the farmers and foreclose on the lands |
mortgaged to them. They much pre-
ferred to give the farmers an extension
on the time in which to pay the bor-
rowed money, rs they did not want the
land Now, apparently, they consider ,
the land worth more than the loan, and |
are compelling the farmers to pay
promptly or they threaten to foreclose
the mortgage. They of course realize
that the land will steadily increase in
value, and would much rather have the !
land than the money.