The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-01
SPHINX, PRIDE OF
JIM RIVER VALLEY
HOW THIS COUNTY ADDS TO THE
NATIONS WEALTH,
Leads the State in Per Capita Value
of It's Products-Its Wonderful Arte-
sian System and How the Farmers
Harness It.
BY HERBERT vANDERHooF.

The state of South Dakota has many
rich and beautiful counties within its
wide expanse of territory, but if it has
richer or more beautiful one than Sphinx
have yet to see it. Sphinx claims the
proud title of the Banner county of the
Jim river valley" and backs up it's claim
with whole lot of figures that tell the
story Of its wonderful prosperity.
But, aside from the story of its agricul-
tural richness and the fertility Of it's
soil, the county itself is a delight to the
eye, especially when viewed with the
green and fowery garb with which spring
decorates its vast prairies Far as the
eye can reach. over roads and fields as
level as billiard table, mile after mile
of cultivated fields are visible The only
break in the distant horizon is the occa-
sional house and barns of the farmer. an
occasional clump# of trees, or the sky
line of some town in the distance, the
latter being softened and etherealized in
the bright sunshine and clear air. Almost
through the center Of this county flows the
winding and picturesque James river.
In many places the scenery along this
stream will compare favorably with the
famed Wissahickon of Pennsylvania, and
even if it is not available for commerce
it furnishes an ideal boating and fishing
resort. .,... -...-.
But the man who is going to South Da-
kota these days is not looking SO much
for the picturesque in nature as he is for
fertility, and for this Sphinx county is the
greatest in the state. Wheat is, of course,
the greatest of it's crops, but it is not
as great a crop now as it has been in
former days. Not that the land has in
any way lost it's productiveness, but SIM
ply that the farmers Of Sphinx, as in many
other sections Of the state, have discov-
cred that there Is more money to be
made in diversified farming and that
there is a greater degree Of independence
for them in this fact. They are going
in for oats, speltz, corn barley, pota-
toes and dairying; they are becoming a
great horse, cattle and hog raising peo-
pie; they are also going in for poultry
raising, while for small fruits, such as
Strawberries raspberries, etc., the yield
is something astonishing.
Range of Land Values.
AS land values go in South Dakota,
values in Sphinx county range pretty we'll
up, but that is because most Of the land
there is improved and it's owners are sat
ished with it. Some land can be bought
as low as $40 an acre, but fair average
of prices would be at anywhere from $35
to $45 an acre. But this land is a black
loan of alluvial and vegetable formation
which is anywhere from four to five feet
deep, and which is underlaid by clay
subsoil Of several feet in depth, which has
an infinite capa city for storing up water
and releasing it to the growing crops when
they most require it..
They never put any fertilizer on their
land in Sphinx county, except such as may
accumulate in the farmers parns and hog
pens and has to be disposed of. In the
production of wheat Sout hDakota has led
the country for average, for the past nine
years, according to the figures compiled
by the United Statesl a gricultural bureau.
Here again Sphinx county has shown its
merit by leading the state for the same
period. Here are a few figures that tell
a wonderful story = Of themselves, and
which, account for the wealth that exists
in the county. The figures relate to the
shipments Of the principal products for
1905 and are offcial: