Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-10-02
Dakota as Seen by Some Extra Boys,

Of Extra. Inquire of SAM ScHARFF.
Dakota as Seen by Some Extra Boys.
On September first, Henry Bush,
Ed. Young, Theo. and Chas. Patty,
boarded the train for Audubon and
on arriving there our train being
late, the Northwestern had pulled
out. Here we took supper after
which we chartered teams to take
us to Manning that evening, there
being several other delegates to
South Dakota, some seventeen or
more, trying to get to Manning to
board the 5:l5 a. M. special land
excursion train. On arriving at
Manning about II p. m. we found
our special sleeper on the side
track and after procuring tickets,
we proceeded to retire. In the
morning our car was attached to
the regular west train, and at
Manila we stopped twenty minutes
for breakfast, our car was trans
ferred to the Sioux City branch
train. We arrived at Sioux City for
dinner at 1910, here our car was
transferred again to the Yankton
and Scotland line. We got into
Scotland at 2:30 p. m. Here we left
the rest of our crowd they going
north and we going west.
We arrived at Geddes at $50 p. m.
At Lake Ande we saw the prairie
dogs in Dogtown, covering a good
many acres of land. The lake is
said to be nine miles long and from
one half to one mile wide. Here at
Geddes we met our friend, w. S.
Bush, we stopped over night
there. At 8 o'clock a. M. we started
overland to our friends home,
twenty-five miles distant. At
Bartholde eight miles out in sight
of Scalp Butt, we sent postal cards
home. Here is where we got our
first sight of the Big Muddy.
Arriving at Scalp Creek ferry we
crossed over the Missouri river
there being no bridges over this
river for miles. We all arrived at
friend Bush's at one p. M, all hun
CRY as wolves tor dinner.
September 4th, we drove to Fair
fax, South Dakota, county seat of
Gregary county. which four years
ago only had fifty Inhabitants, to-
day it has 1900, and a thriving
young city. This is very level
section of country for miles and the
| crops are about equal to the crops
in Iowa, and good houses and barns
and we'll fenced farms can be seen
seen some sod houses left standing
as relic of olden times.
On Sept. 5th, we went chicken
hunting and strolled to the Burn
ing Bluff, which is on the banks of
the Missouri river. This bluff is
between 800 and 400 feet above the
river, and has the appearance of
being covered with fine coal cinders
and sulphurous substance, which
burns the year around and the
smell of sulphur is quite plain to
any one mile distant. Here we
found several relics, such as
petrified buffalo meat and fish and
wood, also some isinglass and iron
ore which we now have in our
possession.
We reached the home of Mr.. Bush
tired and hungry in the evening Of
Sept. 9th, we went to Bonestee,
which is eight miles west of Fair
fax and is within one mile of Rose
bud Reservation soon to be opened
for settlement. We took dinner ir
Bonesteel and put our team in H.
Testers livery and feed barn. Mr.
Lester was for several years fore.
man at the Stuart ranch several
miles east of Audubon. Mr.. Lester
has good business and is doing
we'll. We also met Forbes brothers
who were at one time in business
at Audubon, Iowa, now engaged il
business here. We took drive ou
on the reservation and saw some
land as fine as. lays out of doorI
any where, being level for miles
and the railroad is now grs led from
Verdigre to line of reservation
one mile west of Bonesteel. Cars viii
be running here by December first
The land is all under cultivation
right up to the line of reservation
: and all fenced and some fine houses
and barns are to be seen, here
Land is selling from $25 to $40 pc
acre. We have some wheat ant
, oats and corn raised on this lant
which shows for itself. Anyon
who is fortunate enough to draw
| claim will be in great luck aud w
hope to be one of the lucky persons
J On Sept. 7th we visited with ou
old friend, an Audubon county boy
: w. S. Bush, who went west seven
teen years ago, and after goln,
| through all the hardships o
: pioneer life, now finds himself an,
family enjoying the benefits there
!. of. 1t is quite interesting to sit an
I listen to old settlers tell of thei
hardships in early days. Mr. BUS
!, has fine ranch and quite her
( of cattle. Built new house and bar
r this spring, has ninety acres c
E corn, some wheat and oats, and
3 fixed to enjoy life.
I. There was one obstacle in ou
3 way of enjoying this trip and tina
: was our difficulty experienced q
: Fairfax and Bonesteel in procurin
i a fresh supply of Old Style smokin
e tobacco, which was in great de
e mand. However a firm in Bon,
! steel said they would order suppl
e so we could get it when we cam
n again to draw our claims. w
!, close with the words of Horat
8 Greeley, go west young man an
1. GROW I'M with the country