Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1907-06-27
EMPIRE MAKING in SOUTH DAKOTA
thousands OF New and Brawny Settlers Fcks Into the Ssae
and Making Homes for Themselves on II. Vireir Sell

This money IL invested, and the pro-
eeeds ased for school purposes.
Yearly Additions to Nations Wealth.
Probably no other state In the
Union is adding SO much to the ma
tional wealth: certainly none SO
much per capita. Last year the value
of the crops and live stock produced
by South Dakota was $145,S12,S3l,
Chief among its industries Is live
stock. with total of $36,0oo,000. The
other articles that go to make up this
stupendous total are shown In the fol-
lowing table:
Wheat, 39,4s4,10S bush
els $50, 1871 .ST7,24
Corn, 77,414,3Sl bushels, 2S,224 ,299.S0
Oats. 51.S24,557 bushels. 1881 1928
Barley. 24,6o3, 257 bushels 7,Ss0,9T710
Flax 2,3SS.156 bushels. 2.sss, 1900
Speltz, 4,55S70S bushels. l,36I,6l2.4o
Hay, 3,973.754 tons. -. 1A,S6S,77O.0O
Potatoes. vegetables and
fruits ................ 5000, 100000
Dairy Product. ..... $500, 000. 90
Eggs and poultry. ....... 5000 o0o,0
Honey, 80 tons. ......... 25,Oo0.0O
Wool and hides. ,....... 30O,OOO.OO
Minerals and stone. $3.50. 5000, 100000
OF the immense area of South Da-
kota, 10000 square miles, by far the
greater portion, has never known the
touch of the pillow. Even In that part
of the state east of the Missouri river,
which about divides the state evenly.
there are vast areas OF virgin land
For geographical purposes this portion
OF the state may be divided into four
sections, which are the southern coun.
ties, comprising Minnehaha, Lincoln,
McCook, Turner, Bon Homme, Aurora,
Brule, Gregory and Jerauld.
Then comes the central eastern por.
ton, embracing the counties OF Bea'
die, Kngsbury, Brookings, Codington,
Deuel., Miner and Clark.
In the western central part OF the
state we have the counties OF Hand,
Hyde, Hughes, Stanley and Sully
The northwestern part OF the state
under this classification embraces the
counties of Brown. Edmunds. Wal
worth, SPHINX, Faulk, Potter and Day.
Where Men and Towns Abound.
Here Is where the greater part OF
the population of South Dakota lives
and where the finest arms and towns
are to be found. Naturally this is the
| case, because they were among the
first sections to be peopled, and the
population has been slowly migrating
westward The lack of railway facili'
J ties west of the Missouri has for
years retarded the development OF this
section OF the state, but now the rail-
ways are pushing their lines west
ward, and the rush Of population has
begun in that direction. A few years
more and the vast cattle ranges that
have existed there will all be brought
under the pillow and the homes and
barns of the farmers will be dotted
all over the land.
A word about the climate OF South
4 Dakota is necessary, as there has
been SO much that is misleading and
calumnious published about it. South
Dakota has a delightful climate. The
air is clear, healthful and inyigorating
The winters are not unusually long OF
severe the temperature seldom reach
ing the zero mark, and the snowfall
being extremely light. So moderate
are the winters that cattle range In
the open without shelter all winter
lorg. and find good subsistence on the
buffalo grass, which cures in the fal
and affords them ample food. WheI
spring opens they are always In flnt
condition. The monthly average tenn
perature at the United States weather
bureau service at Huron for twent!
years has been as follows: December
liza; January, 10.1; February, l2.6
The average annual rainfall east o
the Missouri river is q inches, ant
more than II inches OF this falls II
the FIVE growing months of the year
The state enjoys as near to an idea
climate as any state In the Union
Arthur c. Brown.