The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1901-04-12

When the curtain rolled down on
the year 1900 the people of this city
were pretty we'll satisfied with the pro-
gress that had been made in the way of
building operations. The building COM
menced early in the season, really be-
fore the frost was out of the ground, and
kept it up until the weather got too cold
in January for further work.
Not in good many years has Mitch
ell had the impetus in building that was
accomplished in 1900, and an immense
amount of work has been outlined for
the present year, some of which has al
ready been started and since the first of
the year considerable in the way of new
buildings has been completed. Mitch
ellis growth was not of the boom variety,
not an erection Of number of houses to
stand idle waiting for imaginary tenants,
but from an actual necessity for the
houses. The building boom was brought
on largely by the scarcity of houses for
rent. People who lived in rented houses
would wake up to find that their home
had been bought by another party, and
the situation was then either to find
another house or build and in75 per cent
OF the cases it was a case Of build
The year before there had been
great movement in the sale of homes, no
less than sixty people, who have been
tenants for number of years. saw the
opportunity coming when it would be
wise to own their own residence. This
actuated the building movement early
in 1ooo and the spirit of building will be
continued throuhout 1901; it is an even
possibility that the present year will
outdo the past year in repect to building
Improvements. This great activity in
building has increased the price of real
estate in the city to figure that has not
been approached in number of years.
From its inception Mitchell has never
been what might be termed boom town
its growth has been steady and in
close touch with the country surrounding
it. Its population has increased, the
houses became scarce, and the natural
result followed. People who have in
vested their money in city property have
done so with the fullest confidence that
their judgment would be rewarded in
the course OF them, and it has not proven
to the contrary.
There are good many things that
have tended to increase the growth of
Mitchell-things that were natural and
appeared to the good sense and judg-
ment of people who were looking for a
location. The city is centrally located
in the state. 1t is accessible from all
parts. There is hardly town in the
state on this side of the river but what
person starting from home in the morn
ing can reach Mitchell during the day
time. Being on the line of the Milwau-
kee road running north and south and
east and west it taps the most important
cities of the state, no trains arriving in
the city later than 3 o'clock in the after
noon. This is a division point for the
Milwaukee coming in from three direc-
tions-the north, south and east. The
round house is located here and
employs a goodly number of men.
Mitchell also has part of the
Northwestern system, the Omaha road,
coming in from Sioux Falls. At Salem
this road taps another portion Of the
state that brings person into Mitchell
practically at the close of day, but this
service, we understand, is to be i'm
proved upon SO that passengers will ar
rive earlier in day. These two railroads
circle the state in nearly every conceiv-
able direction and makes it possible to
establish Mitchell as the most centrally
located city in the state, and one that can
be reached in the same day by greater
number of people in the same day than
any other city in South Dakota.
Mitchell has splendid educational ad-
vantages, which have been increased
from year to year as the demands were
made by the ever increasing population.
Al the head of the educational institu-
tions stands the Dakota University,
which is fostered by the Methodist peo-
pie of the state. Itis regarded as one of
the very best educational institutions in
the state and the young men and women
who have been sent from that institution
as graduates are occupying higher posi-
tons in life. The attendance at the Un-
iversity has outgrown the capacity so
that it has become necessaryto to erect an
other building. The matter has been
under advertisement for the past year,
when the first steps were taken in that
direction, and by the middle of June,
when the annual commencement exer-
cises will be held the new building will
be under way, the corner stone to be laid
at that time. 1t is designed to raise
| s35 900 for the new structure and good
portion of this money has already been
| pledged. The city schools occupy