Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1906-08-16
MEXICO THURSDAY, AUGUST


cold and severe weather than does
this state. One is able to work oui
almost every day during the win
ter.
| We have good roads FOR almost 365
| days In the year.
i The rain which has averaged TWEEN
ty-one inches for ten years comes most
| ly In the spring and summer.
| Summer here Is very pleasant. II
gets quite warm some days, but every
night cool refreshing breeze starts
about sundown. A blanket is always
comfortable on the bed at night, with
possibly the exception Of a week or two
from the first of July.
Fruit. While South Dakota can
not compare with the Gland OF the big
red apple" for production OF fruit, still
good fruit can be, and is grown here.
One apple orchard In Turner Co., pro-
duced In one crop 24,0c0 bu., of apples.
The land and climate IRE well adapted
to raising apples, pears, plums and
cherries. wish the farmers would
pay more attention to fruit culture.
This state is now throgned with
home seekers, spectators. Land val
ues are advancing rapidly. Trains
are crowded with men from the east
and middle western states who are
here for the purpose on buying land
and starting new homes.
Many are pushing out along the
routes of the new railroads, but others
are willing to stop In the older settled
districts, where as much corn and
other crops can be grown per acre on
Sl5 land as they raised on their s75
land In the east.
1t may not be good form from one
who Is a native Of "Imperial No." to
brag upon an adopted state. But fig.
ures won't lie, and facts are stubborn
things, so here goes, South Dakota has
the lowest death rate Of any state In
the Union, or any where on earth
where records are kept. South Dako-
tas death rate is eight to one thous-
and inhabitants. Rhode Island is Is
and the District Of Columbia 20.
This state has no bonded debt and
state taxes are limited by the consti-
tion to two mills on the dollar.
South Dakota has for nine successive
years produced more new wealth per
capita than any other state, fact
well worthy of consideration.
There is being cons tructed this year
more than 1900 miles OF new rail roads
while other surveys are being made
One line Of over 300 miles will be com.
pleted and trains running within nine
months from the day on which the
company organized.
There are more than 5000 artesian
wells, which furnish an abundance
Of water. Some Of them issue from
the ground under high pressure and
afford cheap power for many pur-
poses.
An inch and quarter well will
water one section of land, and cost
from 800 to $1,000. Surface wells are
obtained at from 15 to so feet. The
Black Hills last year produced, In
mineral wealth over ten million dol
lars. The richest 100 mile square on
earth.
The Government is expending two
million dollars upon the Belle Fourche
irrigation project which will refarm
over 10000 acres of semi-arid rich land
and will be opened by the Government
for homestead.
l do not presume to tell you of Mo.
South Dakota is paradise, but If one
here is industrious, l think he comes
as near reaping the reward of bis ef-
forts as any place / ever saw. The pio-
neer days are over and the men and
women who had the faith and cour-
age to stick IL out, have learned the
heart secrets of Mother state and she
has given to them the blessings Of |
great happiness and prosperity. She
has taught them the trick Of the soil. |
Inch by inch she has yielded to them
for fruitful agriculture until all her
domains blossoms with rich
harvesters, or nourishing pastures
where uncounted herds fatten on the
ucious grasses, and where once the
Buffalo and the antelope painted for
water, there gushes from her bosum
Of never failing fountains
'eeding streams and beautiful lakes
lbout which are groves to shade and
comfort to the land.
In other words the past years of ex-
,erience and occupation have taught
ihe South Dakotan how to avail him
elf Of the natural conditions and to
.dapt his methods to the best ends
Ind in this age where material results ,
re the measure of all values, South
Dakota passes the extreme test for
he yields to her people more per cap
ia wealth than any other state in the
nion. II
n