The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
FIVE SOUTH DAKOTA TOWNS MoVBD.
Railroads went Around Them and They Had
to 90 to the Railroads.

sIou1 CIrI, Ia, sert. io-Ftvs well eetab-
ltshed South Dakota towns have been torn
from their foundations this year and dragged
across the prairie TO the irresistible magnet OF
newly settled countries, q railroad extension.
The Chicago, Milwaukee and st, Paul road
this year has built from Armour west through
Charles Mix county-which never had a rail-
way beforehand from Bowdle west OF the Mis-
souri, River. Purposely the surveys missed
all the towns and new townsites were plotted
As a result Geddes and New Platte, the new
railroad towns on the Charles Mix county ex-
tension, and Evarts. on the Bowdl extension.
are thriving communities Of 500 persons each,
while Selby. Bloomington, Edgerton. Castalia
and Old Platte are now only memories.
The railroads towns have been doomed to a
point where collapse seems imminent. A
$1,000 hotel. Of sixty rooms. Is building In
Geddes. there are three banks there and many
general stores. Al Platte the growth has been
so nearly instantaneous out Of treeless prairie
lands that II IL still In disorder but the streets
are daily lined with scores Of teams and the
saloons, stores and blacksmith shops 90 a re
Just now. At the sites Of the deserted towns a
solitary church or cottage stands sentinelamong
the gaping cellars from which homes have
been dragged. The streets are grown up 10
weeds The howl of a lonesome dog voices
the wall over blighted hones for which the rail-
il no longer Is considered worth while TO
find the towns In running railroad surveys:
the enterprise OF the times dictates town max
ing Al the first intlmation that a railway
was headed toward a town up would go the
prices for land and clear titles were, more
over. almost out Of the question so railroads
Of the West now quietly purchase a town site,
plot N, sell the plots and pocket what Is received
for them above the cost Of acre land as clear
gain. There is no trouble about right Of way
or dickering with obstinate town councils.
So a railroad goes out Of its way TO leave the
old towns high and dry and in consequence the
country has there been such wholesale migra-
ton "a the Milwaukee road caused this year
First old Platte swallowed it's pride and disap-
polntment and one building after another,
stores, homes and saloons. were hauled TO the
now town site. Horses and thrasher engines
were hitchcd to the structures and away they
went, M hill and down dale oyer the undn-
! lating prairie three and a half miles TO the place
the railroad company h0d piCked out for a
town. Castalia moved its buildings ten miles
10 Platte Edcerton ard Bloomington both
divided their buildings between Geddes and
Platte One OF the biggest structures moved
was a general store owned by NJ C, Cool.
which was 200 feet by 40 II was moved with
Platte 10 the new Platte. Business went on
all the time II was. going over the prairie
There seems 70 be q future for new .SeIby,
Geddes and Platte. They are surrounded by
rich farming lands and will be the shipping
points for the grain and cattle 81 treat regions,
Platte will get the shipments OF wheat from
the farms between the Niobrara and the Mii-
souri,, than which there are no richer In South
Dakota or the West