Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1894-03-08

following the discovery of gold made
IT necessary for the stream of gold
seekers, in their impetuous rush. to
cross this basin country. Prior to
this time the climate and resources of
this portion of the public domain
were practically unknown.
Upon the heels Of the prospcciorS
for gold came the settler and the
stockman. When these appeared
upon the scene large herds of antelope
and buffalo grazcd almost unmolcsted
by the white man where since have
grown acres of waving cereals. The
scattered bones Of these wild herds
are all that now are left to remind one
of their former presence. and it is in
| tercsting to note how from year to
| year The plowSharc turns beneath the
sod these last remaining relics. Over
Il large portion of the Missouri basin
are now dotted, though sparscl5. the
home of the farmer and >tockman.
The Missouri basin is the sun-and
of Dakota. II is dryer than the east
divide country. From the Missouri
divide in the northand the high plains
of the south it extends by Il long
aud graceful trend westward to the
banks of the Missouri. From this
valley, 10y gradually increasing c!cva-
tion. to the foot hills and spurs of the
Rockies. From the north ii dips
down below the middle of South la
kota. Take The map as an aid and
picture in your mind an elongated
basin-lile plain: the diagonal outline
of the Missouri divide forming the
eastern prn: he irregular outline of
the mountain foot hills the western
briln: the east and west slopes dcclil-
ing to theAliSsouli river: The northern
end narrowed by the northwest curve
of this river: the southern end mar
rowcd by the eastward projection of
the Black Hills and bad lands. and
Missouri basin. approximately speak
ing ii is about 3o0 miles long and from
100 TO 300 miles wide. Its elevation
varies from 500 to 5000 feet on the
brilns and from .2Co To 900 feet at
the Missouri valley.
The surface is covered with Il luXu-
RANT growth of native grasses that
contain remarkable qualities for sue
cessful grazing. The streams are
skirted with timber, usually tine
growtsls of cottonwood and box-cldcr.
tnong the cotcaus and breaks of the
hills trees of smaller growth are
found. The soil is peculiarly rich and
productive. The surface is abundant
ly supplied with ii layer of loain. re-
markably rich in those soluble >alincS
so essential to the perfect growth of
vegetables ana cereals. This layer or
loan is from three To four feet thick.
and is undcrlaycd with a sand and
gravel sub-Spil OF varying Thickness.
Iiu, few areas 80 large have flowing
through them water as pure as that
found in the Missouri river and upper
tributaries Much OF the water that
flows through the basin rivers is form
ed hy thc melting Snow and ice in the
region Of the mountain sources OF the
Missouri. To The volume of the Mis-
Souri is added the snGw waters gath
cred from The mountain feeders of the
Little Missouri. the Cannon iull and
the Cheyenne. In the summer months
| these melting SHOWS and ice swell the
! Hood OF these streams. especially the
| Missouri. almost 10 Overlooking.
Analysis has shown that the waters
of the upper Missouri are among the
! purest Of the river waters on the globe.
1t is worthy of note. also that this an
nual food of soft. pure water passes
through the Missouri basin during the
not months Of thcycarat Il time when
its value from Il sanitary point OF view
is greatest. The never failing June
rise of The Missouri. for as such it is
known, always appears and begins TO
Subside only When, as a rule. late in
| The summer season. the Rockies have
given up their beds Of snow and ice.
The Importance of this natural ar
iangcment for the supply OF pure WA
ter for the basin country cannot easily
be overcstinatcd. since water is the
common and most prolific carrier Of
the germs OF disease to the system.
In the valleys the sub-soil, is porous
and well adapted for the most perfect
teaching. Wells stink III close proX-
unity TO the river if properly kept af-
ford water supply simply unsurpassed
for domestic Use. Besides being sup
| piled with the purcst surface waters
the Missouri basin, as we'll as a large
portion of the Dakotas, is undcrlayed
with water-bearing rock. Artesian
wells have been sunken in many lOcali-
ties, and the water has invariably
Il