Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-07-26
Midland Taking on a Big Lot
Of Growth and Good
Improvement.
Hayes and the Whole Range
Country Experiencing
a Benefit.

is now undergoing settlement seldom
seen in the the history of any part of
the west. In company with G. l..
Holmes, of Sioux Falls, the publisher
OF the Free Press started out from Fort
Pierre a week ago last Friday for a
ride that would cover about 200 miles
Of travel. A similar trip was made by
the Free Press man during the first
week in May of this year. The former
trip was mentioned at the time and re-
ceiyed very generous reception, being
copied in many papers, especially in the
Black Hills and throughout the eastern
part of the state.
Our travel took us to Midland via
Hayes, a distance OF over sixty miles.
AT the former place everything is on
the boom order. Merchants and me-
chanics are rushing into Midland, an
ticipating the coming of TIC North
Western railroad, and are putting up
all kinds of buildings and temporary
structures in which to transact bust
IT,
ness. Midland is very busy place.
All kinds of trades are becoming repre-.
sented as fast as places can be found to
transact the business. Lumber is being
freighted to the coming city by teams
from Pierre and Murdo, the new town
at the end of the Milwaukee's extern.
sion in Lyman county, as fast as posi-
BILE, and converted into buildings of
fragile construction, but capable of
housing any kind of business from
barber shop to a department store.
These buildings are scattered around
the edges of the plated townsite, and
waiting the day next September or
October when the auction sale of lots
will take place by the railroad company,
and when the business men can buy
lots and move their buildings thereon,
with a good foundation for them to
stand on. Meanwhile the railroad grad
ing crews, the settlers, and the ranch.
men are focking to Midland and keep.
ing the business moving right along.
The place has the appearance of
typical western town which is about
ready to throw off its swaddling clothes,
but thepresiding genius, the uncrowned
king, the unelected mayor but recog-
nized authority, the man who has held
down the townsite for the past seven
teen years and has never lost faith in
the future of Midland, is still on hand
and regulating things with the same
fairness and the same spirit of accord
that has always been displayed by a
typical man of the west, who has arisen
to any emergency that has confronted
him. We refer to Hon. J. G. Russell,
ex-member of the Legislature owner Of
the land up aud down the river valley
for three miles, the first settler of Mid
land, besides being the only merchant
there since the place was known, the
publisher of the Star and many other
items Of distinction. Midland is good
place togo to, to get a good start in life.
1t stands the best show of being the
best city between the river and the
Black Hills, and will eventuate in the
years to come into good county seat,
when the broad townships OF Stanley
county have been divided into several
counties.
Returning from Midland by way Of
Hayes, this lively interior point was
found to be thronged as usual with
big rush OF settlers and homesteaders.
Hayes is SO situated that practically
all of the main travelled trails in the
range country between the Cheyenne
and Bad rivers converge at that point.
settlers and land lockers by the hun.
dreds, aud even thousands, who have
taken an interest in the development of
Stanley county, first go out to Hayes
over the old Deadwood trail, a distance
of forty miles. Then they branch off
to Midland, Ottumwa, Grindstone
Pedro, ropbar, Manila, Hardingrove,
Leslie, and other new but busy places
on the map.
Will Hopkins has long been the mer-
chant, owner of the roadhouse and all
timer business at Hayes. Other lines Of
business are now tlocking to his town,
and under the pressure he has had laid
out the past week a part of his land as
d townsite, and will sell lots to those.
who want to reap part of the trade
that comes to Hayes every. day in the
year.
70 show the extent to which the PEG
pie have settled in that neighborhood a
dance was held in a large hall at H ayes
saturday night, attended by as nice a
lass Of people as ever got together ii,
The state, to- the number of forty or
fifty. Frank Sutherland, an old favor
tie in our Pierre orchestra, when it was
at its best, furnished a partgof tbs
music. He is holding a claim down
between Hayes and Midland.
The country west OF the river il
booming with business and develop.
ment and looks good TO everybody.