Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1908-02-01
LETTER FROM e. j. LEHMAN
Interesting Description of the South
Dakota Frontier

Inc editor this week TeC01Vou dA
interesting letter from E. J. Lehman,
who is we'll known in this county,
q part of which we publish as of inte-
rest to Mr.. Lehman's many friends
here:-
; Cottonwood, S. Dak., Jan. 27, 1908.
When I left Morris, which was
about seven months ago, I promised
to write you soon, but you know how
easy it is to put things off "until some
other time" When my wife and
children arrived here on Sept. z. 1907,
only two days after the first passen-
ger train crossed this paririe from
Pierre to Rapid City, was sick with
typhoid fever and was ooliged to stay
in bed for nine weeks. ALI the room we
had to live in was a shanty 14x16 and
tent; just imagine, the entire family
including nurse, which, by the way,
weighed about $50 pounds, in one
room. However, I am again on
my feet altho it will take me
good many morths yet to get as
strong as before taken sick. We
have now nice little home SO that
my wife and children are more salts
fed to stay.
Our town "Cottonwood" is located
ON the Northwestern Railway ninety
miles west of Pierre, on Cottonwood
Creek. We have a nice townate, the
best on this line, and a splendid coun-
try around it. Cottonwood Greek is a
harmless looking stream but after a
rain in the Black Hills, beeomes very
dangerous and sweeps everything be-
fore it in it's path. On the South side
OF this creek many springs can be
found and the water can be gotten
anywhere at a depth from four to
twenty feet which in many ca ses is
soft while on the North side of the
creek it is hard to find water and
most of it cannot be used for drinking
or household purposes. The Railroad
Company has several artesian wells
along its line this side of Pierre, the
water is hot almost to point of boil
ing and is used for washing clothes
and dishes. This town is not fort
unate enough to have such well.
Since August 15, 1907, the date
Cotton Townsite was surveyed
prior to that time we had our build
ings on the section ine-it has grown
very rapidly and has now in all
twenty eight business buildings.
The land around Cottonwood is roll
ing with small portion of it rough.
= Homestead land is all taken but re.
linuuishments can be bought at prices.
from $4,000 to $5oo.Oo a quarter sec-
tson. A good portion of the land 10
held by people from cities, who live
on it for eight months, prove up and
sell it for good price. To let land be
taken up by that class is wrong, they
are simply speculating. Were these
people compelled to stay on the land
for Ave years, they would not be
here but instead we would have
good ambitious farmers anxious to
provide home. Decided land sells
from 100000 to $2500.00 quarter
section according to location. The
soil is chocolate loan rather on the
hard order, it is a great soil to hold
moisture no matter how hot and dry
the weather sufficient moisture will al
ways be found within six inches of
the surface. 1t is warmer here in the
summer time then in Minnesota but
the nights are nice and cool. The
country is well adopted for hogs and
cattle, corn does far better here than
in Minnesota, alfalfa also does we'll
here. So far this winter all stock has
been out doors and have to rustic for
it's living yet are in fine condition. The
grass cures itself on the stem hence
. retains its nourishment.
This town is about fifteen miles
North of the ''Bad Lands" It is a
curiosity to see this formation of hills
and mountains with deep gulches in
between and all this surrounded by a |
high wall at some places over thou
sand feet high. It has only two en-
frances one known as "Cedar Pass"
the other as "Big Foot Pass" the
later named after the man that took
our hired girl to the dance, where he |
proposed to her and drove right on to
Characterization ninety miles
from hereto get married. Big Foot
was the man that discovered the pass
and the first one that ever crossed it
on his pony. He used to be cowboy
the most darling rider in This part Of
tie country. This wall around the
Bad Lands is very dangerous to stock, ,
i'm stormy weather the stock win
travel with the storm, get on top of
the wall and then fall down in these
a~a.> rs,,lohoo iv this manner thOu.