Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1891-03-12

thursday, MARCH L.. II
as, Tor instance, Fred Pettigrew has done
In q recent issue Of the Sioux City Jour-
nal The judge may have taken pains to
hunt reporter up and ask for an inter-
view-but that makes no difference 80 we
get to say something about South Da-
kota.
The interview was as follows:
F.sW. Pettigrew, of Fort Pierre, s. D.,
is in the city. Mr.. Pettigrewis is q brother
of Senator Pettigrew, OF Sioux Falls, and
has been the engineer in charge Of the
government surveys Of the Sioux reser--
vation. He is largely interested in reser-
vation properties in and about Fort
Pierre, is actively engaged in the work OF
securing the settlepent OF the reserva-
tion, and is thoroughly conversant with
the history, geography and resources of
this now historic portion of our county.
nview of the recent legislation by
congress looking to the encouragement OF
the settlement of the reservation, Jour-
ma! reporter sought Mr.. Pettigrew's
views on that and other matters OF inter-
est connected with the reservation. The
gentleman was found at his room in the
Booge, and inresponse to an inquiry as to
what effect the late legislation would
haveon the settlement OF the reserva-
tion, said: st is exactly what is needed.
The old requirements Of the payment of
81 .25 per acre for lands after residence OF
fourteen months, or a five years residence
on the lands with no payments, before
title could be obtained, were severe and
amounted almost to prohibition OF set
tlement. Under the new act, which re-
Quires only fourteen months residence
in order to secure clear title to the lands
from the government, the settlement of
the 1900, 900 acres ceded by the Sioux is
boundsto be rapid and permanent.
"But what of the drought stories? Will
not they interfere with the settlement?'
mot in the least. The drought talk
cannot be applied to the reservation. It
Is not otdrought-stricken. Last year we
surveyed a strip of the reservation sixty
miles long and twelve miles wide. and
IiieIes was nOt d seCtlon III VIC wnoie
strip that.w not accessible to q bounti-
fnl supply OF water /"
'1ssthe water supply sufficient for agri-
cultural pnrsuits?''
"NosEl cannot say that 1t Is, but that is
not necessary. The reservation will
neversbe settled by crop raising popu-
lation. II is the coming stock country of
the west. All the settlers will be stock
men and the greater portion Of these will
engage in sheep growing. The dry air
and the soil are conditions highly favor
able 10 this industry. They will act as q
preventive to the disastrous hoof rot that
1 so ilfests the section ofscOuntry now de-.
syoted t6 sheep raisitiR, and which is'so
disastrous to the sheep herds
"What reason have you for anticipat-
ing these things for the reservation"
"Why there is no anticipation about it.
1t is q dead certainty. Persons have
been looking over the country from all
portions Of Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and
from eastern Dakota and southern Ne
braska. and hundreds of them are going
| to settle in the country. They are the
aOest class OF settlers. TOO, ana VIII come
Into the country with thousands of doll
lars in capital, which will be invested in
sheep principally, and III horses and cat
I:tle. Why, practical stockmcn say that a
|Ecow or horse on hoof can be carried
through an entire year at cost of 81 .225. .
D..Is the country surveyed and ready for
occupation?"
1.-THE southern half Of it has already
been surveyed, and with the $4,000 ap-
Ipropri ated for the purpose Of the entire
survey Of the lands will be completed this
year.
what will be done for railroads."
THE Burlington and Missouri River
company will have aline completed from
Rapid City to Pierre this year, and the
Northwestern and Midland Pacific will
il5.ss9 III 3 49, 1,