The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-13
GEI TING RICH in
SOUTH DAKOTA.
OPPORTUNITIES EXIST
AWAIT CRASHING.
Richest Land on the Earth and Climate
that Is Equable and Mild Soil that
Will Grow Anything There Awaits,
Mankind.
BY HERnERr vANpERHooF.


number OF travellers who got off at what
was an insignificant wayside station. IT.
was type Of the station that one would
ordinarily expect in a new country. and
about as primitive in construction as can
well be imagined. Its rough boards were
as yet unadorned by paint, and its sta
ton agent walked about with the non
chalant air that among the railway men
betokens the possession of authority.
With the desire for conversation with
which the normal man is afflicted, APP
preached this autocrat Of the station af-
ter the rush had flowed away on their
several courses.
Been pretty well rushed on this trip?',
suggested as a possible opening for fur
Their conversation.
"Oh nothing to speak Of" he. rejoined,
briskly. about sixty three on that trip,
but, lawsy, sixty-three isn't anything.
Why, stranger, have had as many as
200 come in on one train, and all bound
on the same mission
"And that is?'' I suggested. &
why, land" he responded. 1.-THE cheap
lands that we have about us by the thou
sands and thousands of acres
What do you know about these lands q,
inquired.
Guess there isn't anybody around here
that knows anything more about them,
was his rejoinder. why, look here,
stranger, came to this country FIVE years
ago. There wasn't a railway within
twelve miles of me- But had made up
my mind that there was nothing in rail-
reading for me- had been with the
Pennsylvania railroad for eight years and
guess I would have been with it for
twenty more before I would have made
any more money in the way of salary.
/ spurred On by Wife. #
$50 one day the wife says to me (we'd
Ito better our condition): why don't
you go out to South Dakota and buy some
of those lands where we can have a home
Of our OWN and quit paying rentf
II thought the matter over, and the
more I thought Of it the better liked
the idea. Maybe the fact that had three
children at this time, and that found it
little difficult to make ends meet, had
something to do with my determination
'sWell, then, I thought it was up to me
to do something. I had three children at
that time, and hoped to have some more
How about the more?'' asked as ]
looked at the swarm around his house.
There they are" he responded, with a
glance of pride. But let me tell you
that every one of that brood Of young
sters is going to be independent wher
they arrive at maturity. If I should die
tomorrow they are equipped with the rea
sinews Of life and that Is property
~ came out here to South Dakota with
out the slightest knowledge of farming
except such as could be obtained from 9
back garden, and want to tell you II
my case that it was pretty small gar.
den. -. To-. q. @@s ~ - -
/ But here found that could buy lane
for a few dollars an acre that would pa,
for it's cost and more, with one seasons
crops. I took my wife's advice and in
vested our little money in these cheaI
| lands. Today, on an Investment Of abou
5000, reckon that am worth fully
$4,000, and all this in five years.
"Of course, I got IN when South Dakota
lands were selling for song. But let m.
tell you that South Dakota lands are still
selling for a song, even compared witt
the price paid for mine. The man VIII,
buys South Dakota land today Is bound
| to become rich in spite Of himself. The
people are coming in here by the thou
sands. Values are steadily increasing
The lands bought five years ago at SIS,
an acre I can sell readily at SIS an acre.
| What do you grow on your land ~
| = = ] !, ! first came am here here grew onll
crop, as everybody knows, and needed
PROFITS NY than Sys7 sna eseR Ba a
since then have gone in for diversifet
| farming:
Bqt here Re We nartg ro snd anything sn tia
| We can grow with greater abundanc'
You must also take into consideration
mate in South Dakota. We are, in tn
first place.. just far enough south to es
cape the bleak winters of the. north,. am
escape the torridity Of. the south. Tn
result is that we are the ideal state 70
farming Our rich lands-a and there Is no
seoom we
belt Is located, that is not available Il
every man. and at the smallest price 70
which such land can be procured in tn
Buy Land, and More Land.
'.Let me tell you, brother, the sta
ltion agent was waxing earnest, and b,
this time had me by the lapels Of my coat
for fear that was going to Quit him.
Il 1
lily man or not, but for heavens sake bu,
a few hundreds Of acres Of these ASoutl
Dakota lands before the price begins t
go up Because they are going up, with
out doubt, and the man who gets In nov
IS going, inside Of five years to quintupl
> his money
have quoted my casual friend simpl
Il to show the spirit that is dominant Il
South. Dakota today He Is not an iso
I Hated instance. He Is an exact reproduc
ton Of the spirit that Is dominant through
| the state. You get the same tone every
where. It is the same in the cities as Il
i the towns. I'VE have the goods: Tha
i lions amounts to, and although it Is nee
essaIy to use the vernacular of the da.
III to express it, that seems to state the mat
ter entirely and concisely.
III South Dakota, has just begun to wax
i up. It's progress has been retarded 70
1 strictions, dealing with the Indian res
/ ervations, and partly because Of the fac
i / that the railways were averse to extend
i f. ing their lines until the former matter
! were adjusted. But now the former OBJ
stacle has been wiped out Of the way b
i Dakota is destined to be the scene of tn
greatest railway activity on the America
i continent.
Activity Of the Railways.
/ Nobody ever accused a railway corpor
i alton Of altruism. And yet sometimes
would seem that they should be so &C
! cused. Here In South Dakota they ar
: (which the traffic in sight could not pa
: In one year the cost Of laying the rail
Z But the railway managers are men VIII
have studied the country. They hay