The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-04-03
Total production new wealth '02. Sis, 949,0 900
Immense Value of Live Stock,

Because of the wet season the corn
crop was damaged, and this accounts
for the comparatively small value of a
large output. But this loss in corn was
counterbalanced by the rise in the alu
of live stock, chiefly cattle. This was
1923. O0O, 900 in 1901 and S31, 209, 900 last
year.
The banks naturally showed the
growing prosperity Of the people of the
state. On September Is of each year
ali banks make a sworn report of their
finances. The deposits on that date
last year amounted to $780, 16, 341, an in
crease of $40, 1854, 535 over the aggregate
deposits of the year before.
There is more significance in this
statement than IN outsider would i'm
agine, as South Dakota people keep
large sums on deposit in Chicago, New
York, Minneapolis and Omaha; also,
excepting the Homestake Mining COM
pany, no large corporations have head
quarters in the state. This company,
however, keeps only enough funds in
the state to transact current business.
The more than $50. 900, 900 therefore, de-
posted in South Dakota banks repre-
sents the accounts of merchants, law
yers, doctors, farmers, cattlePnen and
laborers. BY far the largest share be-
longs to the farmer, as on the date Of
the bank reports merchants n cattle
lllS1l dIG ~" III IIlCil Dullh dCCOulllS. -....
Soil Rich and Fertile.
A strange thing about the develop
ment Of South Dakota is the seeming
change in the richness or fertility of
it's soil. The first settlements were on
the Missouri river, near the Iowa and
Nebraska borders, and it was doubted
then whether the country was good for
anything but for grazing cattle. Wheat
was raised with fair success, but corn
did not thrive well for a dozen years
or more. The soil seemed to grow mel
low and corn appeared to become &C
climated, for. where it was difficult
twenty years ago to get ten bushels to
the acre, fifty to eighty bushels are now
common. Land was sold then at an
average of about SIS an acre; 1t has a
ready sale now at from $50 to SIS. These
changes caused the population to crawl
northward and westward, and now the
corn belt includes all Of the state east
Of the Missouri river.
Artesian Water Supply BountifuI.
Artesian wells are doing much to
irrigate and enrich the soil and to keep
live stock in good condition. Not their
least value, too, lies in the fact thai
their flow has helped to form small
ponds and lakes all over the northwest
ern part of the. state. In n small sec
ton in Edmunds county last fall more
than thirty wells were sunk, each hav-
ing sufficient flow To supply 5000 head
of cattle. After all, the best posted
people now say that it is OF cattle and
hogs that the state must depend for it's
greatest wealth. They say farming
pays best only when live stock are
given close attention.
Mild winters and grass that cures into
nutritious hay give the cattle grazing
almost all winter, n generally they
come out with good flesh in the spring.
Cattlemen are constantly met with
who are worth from 100000 to three
times that sum, all made in the last
ten years. Some cattlemen simply buy
and fatten cattle by giving them good
grazing; the accumulated weight nets
large sums. One case in point is that
OF 500 steers which gained an average
of 1884 pounds each and netted a profit
of about 49, 600 on $4,000 invested all in
eleven weeks. Two young fellows did
this last year.
Fortunes Made Feeding Cattle.
Feeders who fatten cattle with corn
make fortunes. 1t costs more, however.
and preparing 1900 steers for market
may cost altogether about S140, 900, but
ii a fairly good sale is made they will
cell for from $3.50. 900 t Q $4,000. Fine
stock breeders with their herds Of
s~horthorns.4 Herefords and PolIed
Angus are scattered all over the state.
Registered yearling bulls sell to local
armer for Sf5 to 5000. and heller calves
from $40 to 500.