The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-06
new TOWNS ARISE
AS IF BY MAGIC
GREAT RAILWAY BooMIN SOUTH
.S ;as. 5'.s IA. DAKOTA. @ s ..&
It's Men and Women Are optimists,
Prosperous, Happy and Contented-
Where Crops Are Certain and Land
Is Cheap.
Observation-Disclosures.

/
BY RT2vANDERHooF.# ~
OF the many thousands of new settlers |
who are%pouring into South Dakota these
days in search Of lands and new home, |
| q good proportion are going into the ter
| ritory west'of the Mississippi river This
| Is a section of the state which has hither-
to been more or less neglected by the |
| landseekers, not because, of any defects |
! Of either soil or climate, but simply be- |
cause 1t has lacked the railway facilities I
| that the eastern and central parts of the |
! state enjoyed, and the lands there have, |
| therefore, been principally given over to
cattle ranges, -. ->rsy,y x,,,s. g Il
| But this year a vast development Of the |
| railways OF the state Is taking place, and
South Dakota will lead every state in the
! Union in the number, Of miles Of new
road constructed. Over seven hundred
| miles Of new road are being built and a
. vast extent Of territory is thus being
| brought into direct contact with the mar
kets. As a consequence, the big ranges
are being cut up into smaller farms, and
towns are; springing up with mushroom
like rapidity. go .*' ~. s'@.5'
There is nothing Of the mushroom char
acter about these towns, however. They
Eare built to stay, and their builders are
possessed with a happy spirit OF con-
! fidence In their. future that augers well
for success. The track layers are not, yet
out of sight when a dozen or more build
tinSs are under way, and business ~ls~ln
NfuIl blast. 1t Is simply q repetition of
what has taken place in the eastern and
central portions Of the state, and which
has converted those sections into one of
the richest agricultural countries IN the
world. =" <"'.f "tt"A
Proud Of Their. State. ~,....
This spirit of optimism is peculiar to
South Dakota. found it on every hand
men and women are proud of their state.
and they have good reasons for their
pride. The editor Of one of their country
papers recently expressed this feeling as
For supreme happiness, for utmost
contentment, for plenty Of everything
that nature endows humanity with: look
the home Of the merriest. the home
of the most light-hearted. liberal and
enterprising people on earth. You need
only to look into the face Of the average
South Dakotan and you will know that
he hasn't anything to- worry about, The
deep .creases are. absent from his face;
countenance, and his hands instead Of
\ being in his pockets clutching the al
mighty dollar that makes more men mis-,
Fellowship to the strangely who is seek.
ing a home for. himself, 1x:,,. ..-.4. ~
A This is South ,Dakota!"
The picture IS not overdrawn. There
4 impression throughout the country that
South Dakota was principally noted for
waves IN anq has bean dts
4 sipated within the, past rev years and
I that is why the settlers are f1ocking into
/ the state. They have learned that South
nj 3S 1on1 nf inc how h va
7 learned that its soil Is Of the greatest
+ fertility, and that its climate Is of the
I most delightful character 1t is not far
enough north to experience the rigorous
winters of some states nor: Is 1t far
l enough south. to be blasted by the hot
Ewin ds tina ruin the crops tn some others
Z IT enjoys the happy medium, and there
Cattle tIt cannot roam ana pick up sufficient
/ forage. : : - s=@,
country and pay for jhistland out; Of his
first crop there issssgapdS rec sem forS con
l what other. thousandst ara gofngs5Sto do;
4 met one young Ffaefss whene I&Was In
Hand county who oT1s a 1ittle over =. 600
| from Iowa: and had Been there for eight
How Men Ger start. :" >s 81. u
| What was your reason .for slsayins
| stood tHat ths aatarrae was s,Yysery
n ThS 1e is mg agtts tFss Ta 1T his a pep
4 Iowa is high priced ana the. average
/ Of It unless BY j5nheritance Ny father
has big aaa ~ sGt he m aso to has de b
I thing for myself sand my father loaned
I me $500, to makes a, start on. " knew
South Dakota lana was as cheap hea and and cans Mn
\ first season I rented a half section and
/ put in wheat. My. crop averaged thirty!
( Ave bushels to the~acre: NY profits were
4 next year
\ '.There has not been year since thai
have not bought "A little more land
] we have all made money. The land here
4 seems to be inexhaustible. I have never
used and fertilizer. and, while do no
still have. planted every year my, orig
inal half section to wheat. and have neve
4 failed on crop"
4 I asked.
4 THE first piece I bought for Sc a,
acre. But land values have kept, o,
4 sln and some: Of my land stands M
L 'H"what are you asking for your farm?'
was my next query. -. -.
5ac ae r ssnE n for fsr
I at $500 an acre. Why should sell? i
don't know how could better myself
I am making money every year-mOr
than I really need. I have fine HOUSE
my children are healthy and happy, al
\ in the winter nay wife and generall
4 take a trip somewhere and rub u
4 against the the world.S Last winter W
1 took a trip to Europe. but I didn't Sc
any farmers zoVerr,t there who lived tn
4 life and made the money that we do her
in South Dakota. Next winter We hav
4 planned a.:trip to Cuba, .,, + ,. .-a~.,~2
This farmer is only one of a type tina
4 prevails throughout South Dakota. Th
. 4 state has a remarkably small percentag
4 Of the foreign element, the greater por
J \ ton of it's population consisting Of PEG
:: pie from the Eastern and central West
\ ern states He took me into his hous
~ to show It to me-. 1t was lighted
4 electricity, and his grounds and ifarr
. buildings were lighted by the sam
n agency; He grinds his feed for his cat
\ tie by electricity, runs his .churns by cleo
, \ tricity, and his wife on wash days run
I her washing machine by the same. powe
III Power from Artesan Wells. -
. eve don't believe in working ourselve
\ to DEATH" he remarked cheerfuly. "Yo
\ see, we are in the great artesian bel
\ and all this light and power is furntshe
from my artesian well: The water come
. \ up with such force that have harnesse
a. six horse power turbine to It. TIL
\ runs my dynamo and does all the oths
4 work. In ease of, fire 1t gives me pre
4 lection, as the natural force, OF the waite
!; q will carry it over my house and barn
\ All have to DO is to connect my hose.
This artesian belt is one Of the wor
: \ ders Of the state, In every town and cit