The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-12-03
LAND OF THE DAKOTAS
Rev. Waring Tells of Enteiprising
Town Of Woonsocket.

HU WOOQSOCkGL, -. H., NV. A|S"A
Herald - Certain here / am at this
interesting town, the count seat OF
Sanborn county, South Dakota, a
point on the c., M. and st. p. Ry., 165
miles west of north of Sioux City AND
via Des Moines 427 miles from Oska-
loosa. 1t is nice little town OF
about 1000 people, with the main
street well paved, with cement walks
and having four churches, good stores
and quite number Of well built
houses To add to its attractions, un-
der the lead of an enterprising citi-
zen they have excayated in a sort Of
a low place, near the heart of the
town, an artificial lake, of nearly ten
acres, the water supplied by an arte-
sian well 725 feet deep, that pours
out a constant stream of excellent
water, sufficient not only for the lake.
but for the use of the town, and with
force sufficient for the protection OF
the place from fire. A toboggan
slide nearly 40 feet high, on the mar
gin of the lake, gives opportunity for
much pastime. Just only think what
Oskaloosa missed by the failure Of
the big bore in the public square.
By the way, these wells, ranging
from 100 feet to 500 feet, many Of
them of an excellent quality Of soft
water, are common in this country,
and I am told that the effect of the
overflow of the wells has been to
start the water in the dry channels
of the creeks, and even in the James
river, which flows constantly through
out the year. At Washington Springs,
in Jerauld county, west of here, the
natural springs supply the city with
abundant water.
AS a rule you get a good idea OF
the general character of the country
in this section oft he state when you
have travelled your first twenty miles.
1t is an undulating plain. West of
this place about three miles is line
of swells, dignified by the name or
the Pony Hills; but the ponies are
short of stature. On one Of these
swells I found the home, four miles
south of here, of Mr.. Charles Cole
man, formerly of Lacey. He has a
half section of fine land, well stock
ed. He likes the country and is pros
pering. Four miles further l reached
place belonging to Mr.. G. B. Pick.
rell He has a flowing we'll of soft
/ water there, and the making or a
good farm. Mr.. P. is principal of the
schools in town, and is doing we'll
| These are all the Mahaskans l have
4 found hereabouts as yet. The Yves
sington Hills, nearly 20 miles west
make quite show on the line of the
/ horizon. >
The farmers here are depending
less now on the wheat crop, and turn
ing their attention more and more tt
;, corn hay and stock raising. Ant
the country is dotted all over witt
hay stacks and corn fields, as USED
to see it in Iowa in the SOS. Be
tween Sioux City and this place
found many more groves than l ex
pected to see, and in the southeas
part of the state quite a number o
thrifty orchards. Experiments hav,
been made that show that, unde
proper conditions and cultivation
and with suitable varieties, good frui
can be raised here, A gentleman toll
me Of an orchard about twelve mile
south, that produced a line crop o
apples this year. Another man cas-
of this had about $500 worth of fin
plums, and these I have had the or
, portunity to sample, and found then
as good as ours. While I am assure,
, that small fruits, grapes, currants
: gooseberries and the other common
berries, including Strawberries, cal
, be secured with little care, especial
, ly where protected by wind break
and irrigated from the artesians tina
: you find on nearly all the farms A
, to groves, passed a large one, o.
, an old timber claim, many of tn
/ trees over forty feet high.
There are many other things @
, which l have not space to speak now
but let me add a word about tn
schools. Their system in this stat
? is excellent, and they have a yer
, good class of school building
| throughout the country. There ar
, four normal schools in the state, a.
agricultural college, and state un
l versity, while the small college
I abound. South Dakota, with a large
| area than Iowa, is bound in the nea
: future to be one of the most prosper
: Gus and advanced in the galaxy c
the states II III yuo-;ro,