Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-11-02
SETTLERS FLOCK IN BY HUNlRFlS
development OF tn: Region Tributary to the c. Is
st. Extension in the Coded Sioux Lands

rfed meyer of Chamberlain and
George A. Sweeney and A F. Austin
OF brldgeWater, who recently made
an extended trip through the ceded
Sioux lands, between Chamberlain
and the Black Hills, in the region
a!ong and tributary to the extension
OF the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
railroad from the Missouri river To
1ne Black Hills and westward To the
racine coast, furnish many interest.
sng facts in reference to the progress
oelng made in the work of extending
1he railroad, the really wonderful de.
Velopment of that part of the state
as the result of the railroad extension
and as to present conditions in that
vast region.
Inc extension of the railroad will
cause the development of a TERRITORY
embracing many millions of acres
Whlch Tor years was occupied eyclu-
s1vely by cattlemen and sheen rails.
ers. The three men were on the road
over week, and during that time
drove distance of over three hun
bred miles. Points in the Bad Lands
were also visited. and while they
were in that wonderland of Western
South Dakota they discovered a lake
covering about ten acres of ground
which was not known to be in eX-
sstence
Mr.. Meyer has frequently visited
the Bad Lands, but even he was IN
aware OF the existence of the lake
Neither does the lake appear on any
of the recent maps of South Dakota.
The fact that the lake had been in
existence for perhaps generations,
and is not of recent formation, was
shown by the character of it's shores
and the growth of the timber which
surrounds it.
The homes Of many of the settlers
at various points in the coded lands
were visited by the three men, who
were astonished at the excellence of
the crops raised in that part of the
state this year. For years it had been
the opinion of many that crops could
not be raised in that region.
"The corn raised in that part of the
state" said Mr.. Austin, Especially
ON Little Buffalo creek and on Bad
river, is good hard corn, as fine as
was raised anywhere iQs the United
States this year
"The potatoes, beets, turnips, ruta-
Dagas, squashes, pumpkins and other
vegetables were unusually fine. All
the settlers had gardens and were
we'll repaid for the care given them.
Wheat and other crops were of the
bumper variety. III the products were
raised on sod"
The three men report that the
country west of the Missouri river
looks good Grass and water are
plentiful, and there is a steady in
hux of homeseekers to the vacant
government land in Lyman, Stanley
and other counties in the region
capped by the new railroad. The hay
crop was mammoth one. and for the
first time in the history Of that region
there will be surplus OF hay which
can be shipped to outside markets.
Returning from the interior OF the
coded lands Messrs. Meyer, Austin
and Sweeney say countless loads OF
lumber and other building material,
which were being hauled to various
localities to be used in the erection
of homes by the hundreds upon hun
dreds of settlers who have secured
homesteads in that part OF the state
since last spring.
Houses are going up in all dlrec-
tions on the prairie and along the
numerous watercourses which extend