The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-29
RUSSIA 70 THE DAK0TAS
PROSPEROUS SETTLEMENT OF
RUSSIAN-GERMANS LIVING
AROUND EUREKA
CAME FROM THE BLACK SEA
A Woodworking, Generous and
Honest Body of Men Eager to
Learn American
Ways.

An interesting feature of Eureka, S. D.,
writes e. S. Rollins, III the Northwest
eTn Miller, besides being one of the great
est wheat receiving points in the world,
is that this little town in the northern
part of that prairie state is surrounded
for many miles by a class of people who
are, or were, indeed strangers in a
strange land q few years ago. From the
southern provinces of Russia, on the
north shores Of the Black sea, to the Da-
kotas, is a change that requires some
thought and map of the world to fully
comprehend. Yet these people came with
their families, their household goods and
a little money, and settled upon the wide
prairies of the Missouri valley, their only
thought to make their homes here and
prosper as the conditions of tie new coun-
try might permit That they nave pros
pered, the many fine farms weil-stock-
ed and with good buildings, bear witness.
The strangers who came to this section
Of South Dakota a few years ago. and
who now are the predominating people
around Eureka, have an interesting his
tory, although they have no country of
their own, no "fatherland." L cal Y, they
are called German-Russians, but IN spe ch
and customs they are neither one nor the
other, fully. Their ancestors We're Ger
mans, from Wurtemberg and Baden, in
Southern Germany. One hundred years
ago, or, to be exact, from 1901 to 1918, the
Russian government offered special in
ducements to German farmers VINO would
go over to Southern Russia and settle In
the Odessa district. They We're given
lands on plan somewhat similar to the
American homestead right; they were
permitted to have schools, churches and
courts, in which their own language was
used; and, in addition, the men We're ex-
empt from service IN the Russian army.
These privileges were granted for term
of slXty-ive years. 1t can be said, to the
credit of the government, that, during this
period. the compact was kept, so far az
anything is heard to the contrary. But,
of more recent years, the ear has
thought that it were time they W. re De-
coming fully Russian. Their nRblts and
speech had meanwhile become mixed, So
that many of their words are unintelligi-
bic to q German.
What led to their immigration to Ameri-
ca was that the government began to in
sist that they adopt the religion of the
country and become Greek Catholics.
Then, too, land had become valuable in
their district and there were no opportu-
mites for the young men to get start
in life. So, many of them sold their pos
sessions, gathered together their house
hold effects and their numerous family
and turned toward the ever hospitable
shores of far-away America.
The first German Russians to come to
South Dakota. settled in Bon Homme
county, in the southeastern part of the
state in 1SI2-73 1t was not until 1854
that they began>to settle in the northern
part of the state, in Mcpherson county.
In 1887 a railroad was completed to Eure-
ka, in that county, which is still the ter
minus of the road. The western part of
Mcpherson, the larger part Of Mcintosh,
Emmons, Campbell and Walworth coun-
ties are now settled by these people. A
man who has been among them and
knows them thoroughly thus describes
the German-Russians Of South Dakota:
"Gereally speaking, they are hard
working. generous and honest to a fault.
Their hospitality is unlimited, and per-
son asking for shelter is seldom turned
from the door, regardless of circum-
stances. These people are God-fearing,
and in many ways adhere to their Rus
sian customs, manners of belief and reli-
gion, but are eager to learn American
ways; hence they are often duped by
American rascalS. When once misused
or taken advantage of, they never forget.
Through strict economy they are acquir-
ing fine homes and are becoming first
class American citizens. Most of them
are now out of the reach of the money
sharks and machine robbers who have
preyed upon them for many years; and
Wien they can are assisting each other
to acquire independence and property.
Those of the second generation are apt
scholars, and as fast as opportunities
are offered are making good business men
and citizens
Eureka is ii town of about 1900 inhabi-
tants, and as it IS the terminus of the
only railroad In the country, with no
ParaHel1ng lines nor competing towns, it
IS the distributing point for a wide sec
tion of country. Farmers come here to
sell their grain and stock and to buy
their supplies from sixty to siXty-five
miles to the northwest forty 20 the west
ward and equal distance to the east.
Therefore as wheat is the principal crop
in this section, Eureka becomes n very
large receiving point for wheat from first
hands. Coming from the extreme dis
tances with loads of wheat, farmers are
on the road two days. They stay in
town over night and start back home the
following day. The women and children
often come with the men,. They bring
provisions with them, as a rule, so that