The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-05-02

The assessors in the new counties
west of the Missouri River are finding
strenuous proposition ahead of them
this year. The counties cover such a
large territory and contain so many
new inhabitants that a lot Of work has
to be done. Stanley County, for ex-
ample, is about 100 miles long, and
nearly as wide. There has been not
less than 5000 new population added
to the county since last year. Hun
dreds Of claims have been proved up,
and must be placed on the tax list.
There are no civil township organiza-
lions in the county, and all the work
must go through the office OF the coun-
ty assessor. For this work the assess
or has selected ten deputies, scattered
we'll over the county, and all are at
work In their attempt to find just what
property in the county Is taxable.
Senator Hanley at Custer is In receipt
of telegram from Congressman Mar
tin, stating that the bill for the relief
Of settlers on the Black Hills forest re-
serve, and providing for the further
settlement of agricultural lands in
Custer County, has passed the house.
This bill originally was intended to
apply to all forest reserves throughout
the United States, but so much opposi-
ton sprang up that it became neces-
sary to confine the application of the
bill to this one reserve alone in order
to save both delay and possible defeat.
lie. I,
by the many ranchers in Custer Coun-
ty who for many years have been at
tempting to get title to the agricultural
land upon which they had settled and
had been cultivating with a view OF
| permanent settlement.
The rush Of settlers into the county
around Rapid City is increasing with
the warm spring days. The majority
of these people come from Iowa, Min
nesota, Nebraska, western South Da-
kota, Wisconsin and North Dakota
Many of them are renters in those
states and will file on their land and
then go back and harvest their crops
| on the old home before coming out to
make final settlement. The law all
| filing on his ground before he settles
upon it. Railroad trains, emigrant
wagons, riding horses, all bring in
their quota of Westward Hos" There
! is not a vacant house in Rapid City.
| Houses in process of erection are al
ready rented prior to their compile
| uon.
According to the report made at the
| meeting of the horticulturists, the
| Black Hills Is already one of the best
| fruit regions in the west, and needs
| only more cultivation to make it sec
| ond to none. A meeting was called to
discuss the question of fruit raising in
| this section and to organize a horti-
cultural society. This latter was done
and officers were elected. vast
| amount of fruit is shipped into the
Black Hills yearly. Over $15O,0O0 is
| paid out annually for imported fruits
The state insurance department has
| admitted to do business In this state
| the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany, of Philadelphia. The Fidelity
| and Casualty Company, of New York,
has withdrawn from the state, declin-
ing to put up the bond of $4,000 with
the state treasurer, which is now re-
| qufred Of such companies before they
are allowed to transact business in
South Dakota.
State Engineer Lea has been in
Pierre preparing to open his Office in
the state house, and has returned to
Belle Fourche for the purpose Of look
ing over the applications which have
been made to him for water rights un-
der the irrigation law. He expects to
return to Pierre ready for work in his
office as soon as he completes the
work waiting for him, and will be
back In about two weeks.
State Land Commissioners Bach and
his assistants. who went to the north
ern part of the state to make Offer
| ings of state lands, have returned to
| Pierre, having made sales in the coun-
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