The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-11-04
Letter from South Dakota.
T Correspondence of The Journal, I

HosMER, EDMUNDs Co., SOUTH DAKo-
ia, Oct. 20, 1897. Although Dakota has
had rain enough the past season to pro-
duce half dozen crops the crop is no
more than an average for this country. A
few men got Is or 20 bushels of wheat per
acre, but it was due to luck and not good
sense and the majority got no more than
8 bushels. Since the country has been in
spring blowing best, as it destroys all
weeds. But the past spring it did not
rain from the time snow melted until
June, consequently grain sown on spring
plowing dried out and did not sprout until
the June rains, while that drilled in stubble
came up at once and made fair crop.
We had some quite hot days, but not
enough to injure crops. Most of the late
grain was harvested green, as it did not
seem to ripen on account of SO much wet
weather. Competition has placed the
price of threshing SO low that machines
have not been able to make expenses for
the past few years, and so many have gone
to other localities that some grain must
be left unthreshed if we have an early
winter. They have threshed as low as 5
cents per bushel out Of the stack, but this
year charge cents.
The deserted homes of Dickey county
present a striking contrast to the more
thickly settled portions of Mcpherson
county, South Dakota. Dckey Co., North
Dakota, was settled by spectators, while
tied by Russians, who came here to make
themselves homes. They get no better
crops than the people of Dickey county,
but they build their own houses from sod
or mud. The mud is either made into
brick and dried, or placed at once in a
WALL about feet thick and feet high,
and when thoroughly dried another 2 feet
is added. The mud is preferable, as mice
do not trouble it, while sod house is in
tested with mice. They whitewash the
walls inside and paint the doors and win
quite attractive. The contents of the
barnyard is mixed with straw and water
and maze into bricks which are piled up
and plastered over for the winters fuel
They also have large furnaces for straw.
Thus the hardy Industrious pioneer set
tier has found a free soil and produced
nearly everything he needs at home His
only expenses are for tea, coffee and
sugar. Stock is largely depended upon
instead of grain. As the settler acquires
wealth, the sod and mud house is aban-
doned, and some of the finest farm houses
l ever saw are to be found in these Rus
sian settlements. They are eager for
knowledge, but their progress has been
greatly retarded by the employment of
teachers who knew nothing of German.
Pupils often learn to read book through
without knowing the meaning of the
words. But wherever the Russians are in
the majority they are careful to elect off
GERS who will look after their interests.
Eureka is the terminus of railroad and
is a lively town, with % grain buyers and
Is saloons, and with lumber yards, banks,
and everything that goes to make up
western town. Hillsvew has two eleva-
tors, a store and post office, and Hosmer,
just across the line in Edmunds county,
has about the same. Lutheran churches
are scattered over the country. Without
regard to nationality the people are agreed
that it is not safe to hire both capital and
labor for the purpose of producing grain.
But it is safe to hire either capital or
labor for the purpose of producing stock.
The county passed through from Ellen
county-a slightly undulating prairie
but after getting a few miles west of
Leola, we come to the Cotean hills. For
some miles after entering the hills we see
nothing except an occasional bunch of
CATTLE After the more precipitous and
stoney hills are passed settlers are found,
and the valleys are large and fertile. just
north of Leola we crossed the path of a
prairie fire which was driven eastward by
fierce wind the Saturday before. 1t
devastated hundred of square miles and
destroyed something for every settler in
it's path, some escaping with only their
clothing. The clothing Of two men caught
fire and it is said they will be cripples for
life, if they recover. l am located for the
winter where | can see the train pass
every day, and as l go home at night can
see both the towns of Hosmer and Hills
| view. GEO. NJ. COLE.