The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-06-29
Settlers FLOCK|NC To SOUTHDAKOTA
Men the East and the Middle West Selling Their i9hprced
Lands 10 Invest in the Cheap Lands Of the Stale.

One hundred and two years ago the
state Of South Dakota was explored
by Lewis and Clark; fifty-five years
later the Indian title was extinguished
forever; two years before, on May 10,
1857, the first agricultural settlement
was made; in 1861, the year the war
broke out, It was made a territory;
eleven years later it saw it's first rail-
road; eighteen years after this Da-
kota was admitted as a state, and
great influx of settlers followed be-
tween 1880 and 1888, and to-day, 1906,
witnesses healthy, happy, prosper
GUS, growing state, divided from the
original into North and South Dakota.
At this time, however, I shall present
to you the beauty and prosperity of
that strong young child. South Da-
kota. of which our mother Union Is
proud
According to the census of 1905
South Dakota has population of 49,
1856, or about six to the square mile.
The population is for thy greater part
native-born Americans, men and
women, who settled in the original
Dakota in the trying days of long ago,
when the Indians roved the plains,
the buffalo fattened off It's healthy
grasses, and the Sioux made life un-
bearable. In this generation you see
the children Of that generation, men
and women, boys and girls, hardy,
honest, upright and willing to work
for their homes. Such is the descend
ant of the American pioneer.
Within the confines of the state OF
South Dakota there lies 10000 square
miles Of territory embraced in what
is known as the Black Hills, the en-
tire state is composed of farming and
grazing lands. These latter are di-
vided into three great territories-the
James river, the Sioux river and the
Missouri river districts, all of which
water fertile valleys-and with It's
long range of hills, rolling prairies
and abundant surface and artesian
wells, the land Of South Dakota, being
OF porous, clayey foundation, Is al
ways moist, thereby making the land
valuable and giving to the state its
wonderful crops.
The Climate and Rainfall.
One OF the most essential things
necessary for healthy, profitable crops
is rain and an invigorating, healthy
climate. South Dakota possesses all
Of these requisites. East Of the Mis-
souri, river there is an average rainfall
OF twenty-One inches, and Of this
amount about sixteen or seventeen
inches falls during the five growing
months OF the year. The summers
are warm, but not oppressive, and
though many have believed that the
winters Of South Dakota are severe,
they are not even as cold as those of
Illinois, as the records Of the weather
bureau show. The average tempera-
ture for 1905 was 423. and In winter
the live stock feeds upon the prairies.
With good soil. proper temperature
and abundant water, there must neces-
sarily follow an abundance OF vegeta-
tion. The native grasses of South Da-
kOta sh-pass those OF many states.
There are somewhere around 125 or 130
varieties Of grass, which grow from
eight inches to eight feet in height
This furnishes abundant grazing for
\,attle. and 1t was here on these prai-
+. s that the buffalo fattened and en-
joyed his winter forage in the historic
days OF colonization. With practically
no corn or wheat, the cattle of South
Dakota can fatten on these grasses
South Dakota does not claim to be
In the corn belt does not lay any claim
to being great corn state. either. yet
a glance at the reports Of the United
States department Of agriculture will
show that she ranks we'll up with the
best corn states in the country, and
that the quality and nutriment of this
corn are second to none. Last year
there were 51,6 0923 bushels of corn
harvested in South Dakota, this crop
being valued at $16,OOOOOO This is an
enormous crop, and shows the richness
and fertility of the soil Of South Da-
kota. and the crop is increasing an
nually.
A Comparison Of Crops.
In glancing over the crop reports OF
the United States department Of agri-
culture sat down one afternoon and
figured how the crops of other states
compared with those of South Dakota.
To my surprise, found that South Da-
kota had produced more corn than
eighteen other states combined, includ-
ing all Of the New England states, and
even those on the Pacific coast and
some Immediately west of South Da-
kota. Corn can be grown much more
cheaply In South Dakota than any 9TH
er state, and it is safe crop, for
South Dakota stands fourth ON tbs list,
with Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas lead
ing. As good corn can be grown on
South Dakota land selling for $40 and
SIS an acre as can be grown on lands
selling for SIS and 500 per acre In