The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-11

DEADWOOD, S. D.. Nov 1O.-South
Dakota has a mo Mans Land" Down
in the southeastern part of the state,
in Clay county, on what is known local
ly as the Island" there are 100 or more
people who really live nowhere. Their
part Of the world was made by the pc
culiar freak that the Missouri river takes
occs sionally, when it eats up one mans
farm on one side of the river and carries
it across and deposits it to the credit of a
more fortunate neighbor on the other
side of the stream.
In 1881 the Missouri river val
ley was visited by very de-
structive food caused by the sud
den melting of the heavy SHOWS all
over the state. Several million dollars
worth of property and live stock were de-
stroyed and the little town of Vermilion
was practically wiped out of existence.
One OF the many freaks of the big
Muddy was to cut through some of the
best farms in the northern part of Ne
braska, for a distance of about two
miles, thus shortening the old channel by
seventeen miles. The island of land
thus left has been in the courts of the
state ever since. People living there are
wondering where they ARE at" There
Is nearly an entire township and the
land is very valuable for timber and
agricultural purposes.
The last state legislature annexed the
island to South Dakota for judicial and
taxable purposes, which action was good
as far as the state and county were con-
cerned.
stitution which says that land cannot be
added to nor taken from a county with
out submitting the question to the peo-
pie of the county for a majority vote.
This constitutional amendment was made
to prevent counties in the state from
being divided up without the consent of
a majority Of the people.
In order to get this island into such
shape that the inhabitants can vote 1t is
necessary to have it annexed to Clay
county. 1t was hoped that this election
could be held this month with the tu-
dicial election, but the secretary of state
decided that ii would take q general cleo
ton, which will not be held until the fall
Of 1900. At that time the people all over
the county will vote on the question
whether or not the island shall be annex
ed. 1t is extremely doubtful If such an
election will every carry.
The people in the northern part of the
county are for the most part farmers
These farmers are most decidedly against
expansion in the southern part of the
domain, for the reason that it would give
the citizens Of the little town of Yer
million control of about twenty-three
votes to have the island annexed.
The inha bitants of the island are the
"outlanders" of Clay county They were
very graciously given the privilege Of
paying taxes into the county treasury
and they can also be brought before the
county court to have justice meted out
to them, but vote they cannot. The rich
farmers in the northern part of the
county Will keep on rolling up their
wealth, and any and every pet scheme
that they want to become a law they can
vote through, the outlanders of the island
Notwithstanding. 1t will do the down
trodden islanders but little good to re-
volt, for they are outnumbere6 ten to
one. Submit they must or else abandon
their Missouri claims" and move back
across the dead line"
A majority will never be secured, 1t Is
said, on the question Of annexation and
it is highly probable that Clay county
will always have mo Mans Land"