The Minneapolis journal., 1902-09-30
HOT CAPITAL FIGHT
South Dakotans in Minneapolis Say
the State Is Preparing for Its
Biennial Diversion.
It Promises to Be of the Strenuous
Kind This Year-A Great
Big Fight.

have come hitherward to see and hear l..
Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz"-assert
that the prettiest capital fight ever known
in the state is due to be pulled off at
Pierre this winter. There is a prepond-
erance Of sentiment. they say, for removal
and Mitchell is leading Huron and Red
neld.
A thorough campaign is being made in
the interests of Mitchell. The place IS
already the capital of Dawson county
which lies about midway between the
. Minnesota Iowa line on the east and tho
Missouri river on the west. Taking the
state at large Mitchell is pretty well
east and pretty well south, bearing re-
1ation not unlike Madison to the state OF
Wisconsin.v~It has north, south and west
extensions Of the Milwaukee road and a
line of the Omaha from Sioux Falls. 1t is
primarily a Milwaukee road town.
The Milwaukee railroad corpora ton has
entered the fight and is aiding Mitchell
in it's canvass. 1t is learned from indubit-
able sources that all the territory not con-
ceded to Pierre, Huron and Redfield has
been invaded by partizans Of Mitchell and
that it's campaign is the best organized
and most aggressive of all the candidates.
One influential South Dakotan here this
week asserts that Mitchell will be able to
resubmit the capital question irrespective
Of, what Pierre, Huron and Redfield do.
It has been thought Pierre would keep the
capital because Of the inability of the
removalists to unite on a town. The con-
stitutiOnal amendment must be specific
Shall the capital be removed, to such a
city? and not-Shal the capital be
moved to such and such cities? naming
them all and leaving the voter to make
his choice and thus settle the dispute. The
legislature determines the city to be voted
for. Hence the claim that Mitchell has
strength sufficient to resubnit without
help from Huron and Redheld is signih
cant and calculated to throw double
scare into the supporters of Pierre.
Bait for "The Hills"
The Milwaukee railroad company is, Of
course in position to be Of tremendous
benefit to Mitchell. Its line west from
that city passes through Plankinton, Kim
ball and Pukwana and terminates at
Chamberlain on the Missouri river. There
have been persistent reports and rumorS
that it was preparing to extend from
Chamberlain to the Black Hills and thence
eventually on through Wyoming and Mon
tana to the coast. In other words Mitch
ell through Chamberlain is about to offer
the same bait to the people Of the reser-
walton and the Hills that Pierre has been
dangling from the end of the North
Westerns line at the present capital.
Mitchells bait Is new and fresh and will
be tempting to the Hills appetite for sew
eral reasons.
This influential South Dakotan who Is
in position to know what the railroads
are doing and what they purpose to do to
some extent said:
Z "The Milwaukee company pledges itself
ITO extend from Chamberlain to Rapid City
or some other point in the Hills. 1t is
not ready to begin building at once and is
not hauling material to Chamberlain for
this purpose, as generally stated by the
press. But is ready is bind itself to build
,f,,n1I - l,oxra fl,~sx ,y~r1rx II
started I'M the course of two years. If the
capital question iscresubmitted next win
ter 1t cannot be voted upon until the next;
general election, not until 1904. The
company will have therefore, two years
in which to make good If the promises
1t makes to-day and will reiterate at
Pierre next winter are carried out, by the
beginning Of actual construction work on
the extension from Chamberlain, why,
then, nothing will stand between Mitchell
and the capital. The Hills will be for
Mitchell Just as the southeastern part
Of the state is day and just all the
northern part Of the state will be when
1T comes to take a calm view Of the
situation and decides where it's best in
terests lie.
= May not the Northwestern make a
show of extending in the meantime from
Pierre or Forest City, the town on the
river west Of Redheld? do you ask.
1t Will De only snow at pest. Inc
North Western already has line to the
Hills. 1t is not planning and will not
build another. There is no substance in
this dream of Pierre. The people refuse
to be fooled longer. The Milwaukee must
have road to the coast and I predict
1t will be built from Chamberlain. The
Northwestern is allied with the Union
Pacific and the Great Northern, Northern
Pacific and Burlington play their cards to-
gether. The Milwaukee alone Of the great
western roads is out in the cold. This
situation will not be tolerated much
longer. ....
Milwaukee Road Aggressive.
,s 4"The Milwaukee is showing more ag-
sgressiveness than any Of it's rivals. It
has been busy in South Dakota while the
others slunnbered.4 It is carrying the bulk
of the new immigration to the state. Its
new extension over the North Dakota line,
from Eureka to Linton, will be ready this
fall The 'Squaw Central into Charles
Mix county was a recent achievement
= It. is fast making of JIverts, it's terminus
on the Missouri west of Aberdeen and
north of Pierre, the greatest stock ship
'@.. TOO GREAT EXPENSE