The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1907-04-19

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|l44s!|s.|ss!!iNiIK5E.
In sAs great homestead mossmass
between fsse and 1855. the prairiss %
the aertharn part OF the territory now
Included In south Dakota. was %
great that the center OF population
which had been practically stationary
/ In the southeastern part of tho state
for years. when the 1855 census was
taken had moved about fifty miles to-
ward the north and west. Since that
time the center has fingered about the
northwest corner of Miner county.
When the next census is taken In 1910
| the movement west from that location
lie likely TO be as radical as was that
| to the north quarter of century
before. Especially will this be so II
| the great Belle Fourche irrigation
project IL far enough along before that
date to allow filings under the irriga-
ton act. That tract alone will bring
thousands of people to the state. That.
coupled with the homestead move
ment west of the river, will be sur
prise even to that part of the state
along the eastern line, as we'll as 10
the country farther east. That move
ment is even greater this spring than
| 1t has been for the past two years
Perhaps the most unique park in
/ N haen
Laid out at a point a short distance
northeast Of the Yankton agency. It
consists OF twenty acres. and was do
mated to the Indians of this reserva-
ton by the government for park pur-
poses. The Yankton tribe Of Sioux
Indians is composed of eight different
branches or bands, and each OF them
has been assigned q portion OF the
park, which has been surveyed into
eight equal parts. Through the park
is large central avenue, running the
entire length of the park. Steps FOR
the characterization of the grounds al
/ ready have been taken. A large mon.
ument which recently was ordered
will occupy place in the park as q
memorial to the ancient chiefs OF the
Yankton Sioux Tribe. Competition De-
tween the eight different bands to
have their particular section OF the
park surpass in beauty the other sec
tons will be very strong, and largely
because of this the park Is certain TO
become one of the most beautiful IN
the state.
While the figures OF the filings on
homestead lands in the Rapid City Of
fee for last year are not at hand.
they. in connection with the figures
from Pierre and Chamberlain. would
probably show that 100000 acres of
the government domain were fled up
on for the year 1906. The figures of
Pierre and Chamberlain show 1,102.-
12e acres taken, covered by 6. $50 FL
ings, of which 3.613 were In the
Chamberlain office and 2,926 In the
Pierre office. This area has all been
taken in the western half of the state,
which will show a heavy increase OF
population by such settlement. The
figures for the Pierre office show not
quite so many filings for the first
quarter this year as for the same pc
riod last year, but the January filings
were held down by the severe weather.
which prevented the homesteaders
coming. The first quarter of 1906
showed 62S filings, and those for the
first quarter Of 1907 only reached 4s7.
Besides these few declaratory state
ments have taken more Of the land ost
! OF the filing list.
Since the ice has melted in the
various lakes which are scattered
, throughout South Dakota 1t has been
, discovered that thousands upon thou
| sands of fish in the smaller lakes OF
} the s(kte were killed by the excessive
: cold the latter part of January and
fore part of February. The smaller
| bodies of water, 1t appears from recent
developments. froze clear to the bot
tom, thus putting an end to the live.
| of the Ash. AS an illustration, persons
who recently have visited Grow lake
small body Of water in Aurora coun
: | ty, report that vast quantities Of deat
fish now are to be seen along tn
: shores There are said to be actual!
carloads of the dead fish along tn
: banks. A curious feature In this par
ticular case is that until the ice melt
ed and the dead fish were discovere,
1t was not known that there were an.
!. fish at all In the lake.
. The business of the Pierre postoffic
1 has grown nearly $4,000 the past year
4 bringing the receipts up to $4,000
y With the same rate Of increase of tn
past few months holding for the res
of the year the total for the next yea
viii be close to $4,000, and with a
the business ahead, in sight for Pierr
. the increase Is more likely TO be great
er than less.
: The state land department is send
e Ing out lists of the lands east OF tn
E river which will be offered this yea
< TO secure capitol building funds. The
; are located in the counties OF Hyde
Mcpherson. Edmunds. Faux, Pettel
Hand and sulIy The appraisal boar
will be out In a short time fixing mir
imum prices on the tracts, which wi