Philip weekly review. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 1907-1912, 1908-07-24
Evolution Of The West


Five years ago land firm at Pierre
got "hunch" and began to exploit
the lands on the west side of the
M issouri river as something that was
worth while. Thirteen years before
that time, in the dead of the winter,
a portion of the great Sioux reserva-
tion had been declared ofen for settle
ment, and in those thirteen years the
number of filings did not reach the
thousand mark. The land firm got
some land-hungry people into Stanley
county, in the territory tributary to
Hayes, and a few of them made
proof, while most of them never
showed the desire to waste fifty cents
an acre in committing on the land.
Since that time thousands have
visited Stanley county, many of them
have filed, and some have declared at
first sight that the land was not
worth having if it was given to
them. A goodly percentage of the
filings have not been carried through
to proof day, too, and in number of
cases quarter sections have changed
hands, through REIMBURSEMENT or
contest, six, eight or ten times.
Since the commencement of work
on the railroads across the reserva-
tion two years ago, the thrush of
homeseekers has been heavy, until
now it has passed fioodtide, and in
stead Of coming in to homestead,
most of the landseekers are purchas-
ing decided lands outright.
Five years ago the country was
sparsely settled with the cattle men
and sheep growers, their stock graz
Ing over the unfenced prairies and
growing fat and slick on the luxur-
liant grasses. Today the stock king is
of the past, and settlers, living in
houses or in huts, are herding small
punches of milch cows, and raising
as many acres as they can forage
crops and garden truck.
Five years ago the homeseeker, driv-
ing across the river westward out of Ft.
Pierre, was Hospitality entertained at
the road ranches along the trail. AS
the demand for land became stronger
he kept working, under the guidance
of the locator, further and further
west. At times he, like the rancher
driving into the county seat after
supplies, would be on the road two,
three and sometimes four weeks.
Now the land buyer comes out on
the Black Hills Express, a landman
hustles him out and possibly enables
him to conclude deal for a fertile
piece of dirt by making payment
down, and gets him back to town in
time to take the daylight train for
home, half day after he grasps the
hand of the dealer.
Five years ago the sheepman was
hauling his wool in to Pierre, and the
cattle man was preparing for the fall
roundup. Today the settlers are
taking their cans of cream to the
nearest railroad point and taking out
mowers and rakes for haying purposes,
or purchasing binders and other
harvesting machinery and making
preparations to garner the seasons
crop.
Is it worth while? We believe it
Is. In five years the country has
changed from astraight stock country
into one peopled with hustling com
munities, abounding with schools and
churches, dotted here and there with
thriving villages and towns and
crossed by two great railway systems.
Western South Dakota is perfect
paradise for stock raising and divers
flied farming, and is certainly destin-
ed to become one of the thrifty dis
tricts of the northwest.