The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1902-12-12
MITCHELL is GOOD
MitCheDl'S Location in State Sat1SfaC-
tory for the Future Capital Of
the State
EWO Retired Fireman Entertain De-
partmeDt at Oyster SGpDur
Last W6tk.
Degree Of Honor Gave Benefit Social
for the Assistance Of a Sick
Brother.
MITCHELL Is SATISFACTORY
Dell Rapids Editor Believes Mitchell
Better Located for Capital
nhan Others,

The Dell Rapids Tribune has an
interesting article on the capital re-
moval question and expresses a pre-
ference as between the towns that
aspire for it. Following is portion
of the article which appeared in the
Tribune Of last week:
At the coming session, however,
Pierre must face different PROPOSE
tion. Huron is not alone on the fight
for removal, but is supported by Red
field and Mitchell The three towns
are united in working for the remov-
al of the capital from Pierre; that
accomplished, then each will en-
deavor to secure it. Thus Pierre
hasn't only one town to fight, but a
strong combination that will come
pretty near bringing the removal
question to an issue at the coming
session. in which event the senti
ment everywhere expressed through
out the state is not favorable to
Plerre's success. 1t was mistake
| writer favored Sioux Falls as the
most accessible town in the state,
but as Sioux Falls was practically
out of the contest, which narrowed
down between Pierre and Huron, he
supported Pierre, believing that, it
being in the geographical center of
| the state and as accessible as Huron.
it would be better place for the
capital, especially if the Northwest
ern railroad was built through to the
Black Hills, as was then promised,
and the western portion of the state
was settled up like the eastern half.
but he is now convinced that the
capital should have been located at
some point nearer the center of the
population of the state. The country
west of Pierre has not been settled,
and being only grazing country,
Will probably never be settled to any
great extent. The Northwestern
railroad has not been extended to the
Black Hills, and there is no better
prospect that it will be than there
was fifteen years ago, and hence the
western half of the state is entirely
cut off from capital. Pierre itself is
merely poorly built village away at
the western side of the eastern half
of the state, bounded by grazing
lands, with nothing to build it up or
make it place of Importance, or to
induce other railroads to extend their
lines to that point. The people of
the whole state must travel by one
railroad and through a long stretch
OF grazing country to reach the cap
ital, and even such facilities as the
one road affords are not as good as
most OF the other towns of the state
have. The capital, it would.seem,
ought to be removed to some point
well within the populated district
| Nf tho Sfofn or1 if IL 10 f1 Io
at all it should be done before any
more expensive state buildings are
erected:
We do not believe that the capi tai
is worth much to any town. Its loss
would not seriously injure Pierre,
and the town that secured it would
not be greatly benefited thereby.
Hence, in considering capital re.
moval, the main questions involved
are, is Pierre the best place for the
capital? and if not, which town offers
the greatest accessibility and the best
accommodations for the transaction
Of the business of the state? We can.
not see wherein either Redfeld OF
Huron would be very much better
as location for the capital thar
Pierre, but if the capital could be
located at Mitchell, Madison, Sioux
Falls or even Yankton, anyone O.
which is more accessible to the mair
part Of the state than either Pierre
Huron or Redfield, we believe the
capital ought to be moved and located
permanently, so that state building!
may be erected in keeping with th,
growth and development of tn,
commonwealth.
| While it does not cut much 6gur,
to the average citizen where tn,
capital is located, because not te1
per cent of the people ever hav,
occasion to visit it, yet there i
general interest manifested in tn
| removal question and the sentimen
in favor Of removal seems to be over
whelming. AS the matter nov
Stands it looks as though the capita
will be removed from Pierre, and tina
of the towns named Mitchell stand
the best show of getting it. Mitchell
would be quite satisfactory to tn
whole southeastern portion Of th
Estate, and would be more accessibl
to the Black Hills than any of tn
other towns.