The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-05-24
BOOM IN SOUTH DAKOTA LANDS
Many Purchases Are Being Of Country fa
Returned Fortunes 10 Those Who Located There.

toric fact, just the same, that so far
as civilized settlement is concerned the
country now known as South Dakota
Is less than forty years old. 1t was
not until after the admission Of the
territory, In 1861. and really not till
the close of the Civil war, in 1865. that
a few venturesome spirits made homes
here. In 18S0-83 there was a big rush
of h~omesteaders, al which time the
real civilization process began, this be-
ing in time advanced by the creation
of a new state in 1889.
State Free From Debt.
There are something like SOC, 900
happy, prosperous people living in
South Dakota. Some idea of their
financial independence may be had in
the assessed valuation Of property for
taxing purposes. which Is placed at
s219,647,674, or about one-ffth Of h
real value. South Dakota has no bond
ed indebtedness. and as the state gov
eminent Is economically administered
the rate OF taxation is very low. The
limit fixed by the state constitution Is
2 mills on the dollar. Perhaps one OF
the most significant features in a
monetary way may be seen in the bank
deposits. which amount to $35, 000, 900.
every dollar of which belongs to what
we love to call "the common people,
the deposits Of farmers, ranchmen.
tradesmen and manufacturers. IL
there is any ground for complaint 1t
may be possibly found in the fact that
the people are so prosperous they don't
have to borrow money, and as a con-
sequence the banks have to go outside
the state if they wish to make loans. =,
Just think of 1.-THE value Of real
and personal property in the state Is
81. 40 per head for all inhabitants-
men. women and children. Keep this
in mind in making plans for a change.
Land Values Advance Fast.
AS a matter of course, land values
are advancing fast. 1t could not well
be otherwise in a country so favored.
Still. in the large majority of instances
prices are reasonable when one stops
to consider the conditions. If a new
conner seeks improved lands, with mod
tII DulIuIlSS. IDhNCnlChI W ioli"
churches, schools and stores, he must
expect to pay more than for farms at
a distance and on which the improve
ments are yet to be made. People are
beginning to understand that it is diff
cult to find more inviting for
investment than the purchase OF a
good sized farm in a country where
A. zofI L. ,toh tha climate foynrahla
and a diversity Of crops o~btainable. 1t
was not long ago that South Dakota
was looked upon as being exclusively
a wheat raising region. Wheat Is still
the leading product, but the farmers
have found it easy and profitable to
turn their attention to other crops.
One could write Unfortunately on this
subject. but It would not make the
facts any palmer. That it is a favored
land is apparent to everyone who sees
1.-THE evidences meet you whichever
way you turn. Men who came here
virtually penniless a few years ago are
now wealthy. They have made fortunes
out of the soil-some of them by farm
ing, others by buying and selling land.
the tendency Of prices being always
upward. And to-day the opportunities
are Just as numerous and fully as
promising as they were five years ago
1t might. perhaps. be allowable to say
even more so, as the physical as we'll
as the financial condition of the state
has improved wonderfully. and with
the result Of making the same lands
-.,,al a++,anf;ya -IIarhart Vow
derhoof, in Minneapolis Journal.