The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-25
HAND COUNTY
FORG|NG To FR0NT
AN INSTANCE OF HOW WEALTH
f. PILES UP IN STATE.
Wonderful Artesian Water Power and
How It Is Utilized in Cities and on
Farms-Figures to Show How Farm
ing Pays. IT,. .as<
nv LERRERT VANDERHOOE.

the state a large proportion are going into
this exceedingly rich and fertile section
of the state.
Hand county is about the center of the
state, counting from north to south, and
is about 100 miles from the cen.er, CONT
ing from east to west. 1t is co>aty
where anything that is grown in South
crops of wheat; it is an excellent corn
all small grains there is none better. but
it is -eminently as stock raising
country that Hand excels. Its native
grasses are Q fthe most nutritious char
acter, the climate is so mild that cattle
can forage all winter long and keep In
good condition, and dairying is begin
| ming to occupy the attention of the farm
ers and is developing into vast busl-
ness.
It seems a little singular that county
| possessing the natural advantages that !
Hand possesses should not have acquired
a greater population, but the trend OF ,
immigration seems to have been farther
westward. AS a consequence the tide of |
immigration has passed Hand by In the
lands could be procured, or where home |
stead could be acquired for nothing.
| These opportunities have almost gone by,
however, and now the class Of settlers
largely, that. of men with money, VINO
are willing to pay a fair price for land
provided that it is good land
To this class of men Hand county ap-
cation and its railway facilities put it in
immediate and close touch with the great
neapolis. With a population Of about
$500 its production Of wealth is some
what amazing. Last year, for instance,
Hand county produced 7oo.O 900 bushels OF
spring wheat, 10000 bushels of macaron1
wheat, 100000 bushels Of corn, 10000
bushels of oats. 100000 bushels Of bar
ley, 100000 bushels OF spelt, $4,000 bush
els Of flax, 10000 bushels of potatoes, 300,--
900 dozens Of eggs and 100000 pounds of
butter. The actual value of the products
produced in Hand county in 1905 was
4 $4,000, 900.
Literally Rolling In Wealth.
It is little wonder after considering
in Wealth. 1t has not a dollar Of in
debtedness, and besides has about $435,-
4 900 in cash in it's treasury. 1t has not
4 got a pauper within it's limits, and has
4 not even got poorhouse. The figures I
i have given above relate purely to agrl-
I cultural products but Hand county also
raises and d. ships hips gres qndnt y Of
4 exact figures, and. therefore, have not
Y included them in the total
q The county seat Of Hand county Is the
city Of Miller, a charming and busting 5lI
Il is the center Of the trade Of the county,
q and the merchants of the city conduct
+ farmers for miles around. There are
II three banks in the city and these carry
= deposits of about 100000. One Of the
best indications of how wealth accumu-
lates in South Dakota can be found In the
! First National Bank Of Miller. This bank
4 has capital of, SIS, 900 and began bust
y ness In 1901. Itssstarteds with deposits OF
It's depos tse were 81 ssS And
Y while this bank was growing the others
q did not stand still, although their rate
of growth was not as great as that OF
Hand county is in the great artesiar
belt Of South Dakota, and man who
has never visited the state and does MOI
ciate its blessing. The city of Miller
for instance, gets all its water suppl!
from artesian wells. The city is piped
and on every block there is a. hyora ant
- the latter will flow to the topmost storle:
u simply from the natural pressure Fir
engines are unknown and unneeded II
case of a fire the local company simpl,
turns out and attaches a hose to tn
nearest plug. The force with which thi
n. water comes from the hydrant will carr:
stream over the top Of the ta TALES build tnaa
W the pipes at a temperature of about I
degrees and in winter never freezes.
e. has to the taste slight suggestion G
sadness, but not enough to render 1t un
&C palata BILE, Cattle take to It with aviditS
~ probably because of this taste.
!. With county forty-two miles lon
10 and thirty miles wide and only $500 POP
es, plenty Of land to be occupied and wher
,st there is plenty Of unoccupied land price
af. as rule are cheap. Hand county in th1
49, respect is no exception to the rule. Som
al Of the finest land that lies in the stat
nd can be bought there at prices rang1n
from s12 an acre, up. Plenty Of the me
few few years have paid the entire cost
y their land from the first seasons Gre
DC and have had a comfortable surplus LET
The soil is a black loan, ranging fro
tn, nd On ri(
w that fertilization is never thought Q
h Now that the farmers have gotten ava
EG from the idea that wheat is the on
w crop, and are going in for diversifie
es, agriculture, they are prospecting as ney
III before. 1t does not make any different
49, to them whether wheat turns out we'll
m crops they grow, they are Independent
10, 10, few miles from Miller, who has lived
40 1 the county twenty-five years. He we
ign today he owns 1000 acres of land and
A.. one of the wealthy men Of the count
~ I asked him about the agricultural po
tnties # OF o fne cf tbe neWcomer
40 well" was his reply, Il don't kno
&c any other section of the state that, cffe
man as !, much IL as Hand & county ,,tt
~ on my farm last year. had 400 acr
a in wheat and marketed 10000 bushels,
HE an average Of twenty-five bushels to t
y /
red yielded me 1000 bushels, and this fe
q a sold 200 steers at the farm for $40
~ and had seventy steers left, as we'll
- about 100 hogs. I also have a lot
ure; stock cattle on the farm and 100 head
q g. horses and colts.
% II run my farm with the assistance
three men, except in harvest time, VIII
/ have to get a little additional he
nA One man on my farm, with no help b
wv his six horses and a twelve foot bind
=, cut and bound 200 acres of wheat,
p 5000 bushels Another man, with thu
1G horses and a corn binder. cut and bou
100 acres Of corn. or $500 bushels
3bN REWRITING again to the subject of
~ artesian wells with which the cour
"A abounds, these are being utilized by
NC farmers as a source of power. A SIN
turbine engine is hitched on to
81 n pipe from which the water flows and t
~ gives a force that is surprising. On {
farm that I visited the owner had a t.
bine attached to his artesian flow, a
very this well, with a flow Of 240 gallons
san minute was giving him five horsepow
wv This was sufficient for him to grind
E N corn and spelt; 1t also ran the churn
% % his wife; on wash days it ran wash
ma chine for her and thus relieved
ing of much of the drudgery that is genera
n O. | the lot Of the farmers wife. The sa
man is now preparing to put In Iii
e. n dynamo and will have his house, ba
WG and grounds illuminated by electric
ol,o and in the winter time will have his no
Cav heated by the same agency. He ha.
pond of eigth acres on his farm, sol
IER created by this artesian well. and .
:. . stocked it with pickerel and perch VIII
Lc->a1 i, J,%F 1fes SJiS1