The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-08-21
Evolution OF tho West.

EvOlut1On OF tho West.
Five years ago a land firm a,
Pierre got a "hunch" and began tc
exploit the lands on the west side
of the Missouri river as somethins
that was worth while. Thirteen
years before that time, in the dead
of winter. portion Of the great
Sioux reservation had been declared
open for settlement, and in those
thirteen years the number of filings
did not reach the hundred mark
The land firm got some land hungry
people in Stanley county, in the ter.
ritory 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 commut.
ing on the land.
Since that time thousands have
visited Stanley county, many of them
have fled, 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 tc
proof day, too, and IN number oil
cases quarter sections have changed
hands through REIMBURSEMENT o,
contest, six, eight or ten times.
Since the commencement of work
on the railroads across the reserva.
ton two years ago, the thrush OF
homeseekers has been heavy until
1t has passed floodtide, and instead OIL
coming in to homestead, most Of the
landseekers are purchasing decided
lands outright.
Five years ago the country was
sparsely settled with the cattlemer
and sheep growers, their stock graz
ing over the unfenced prairies and
growing fat and slick on luxuriant
grasses. Today the stock king is oil
the past, and settlers, living il
houses or in huts. are herding small
punches of milch cows, and raising
as many acres as they can of forage
crops and garden truck.
Five years ago the homeseeker
'HA AVAu5 dSlOoo LAC llNCl WSSIWdIu
out of Fort Pierre, was Hospitality
entertained at the road ranches
along the trail. AS the demand for
land became stronger he kept work.
ing, under the guidance of the To-
Gator, 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 con.
clude deal for 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 to Pierre, and the
cattleman was preparing for the fall
roundup. To-Day the settlers are
taking their cans Of cream to the
nearest railroad point and taking out
mowers and rakes for haying pur-
poses, or purchasing binders and
other harvesting machinery and
making preparations to garner the
seasons crops.
Is it worth while? We believe
it is. In five years the country has
changed from a straight stock coun.
try into one peopled with hustling
communities Astounding with schools
and churches. dotted here and ther
with thriving villages and towns and
crossed by two great railway sys-
tens. Western South Dakota is a
perfect paradise for stock raising
and diversified farming, and is GER
tainly destined to become one OF
the great and thrifty districts OF the
northwest.-Philip Review.
The Edmunds county board Of
county commissioners have contract.
ed with the cement construction com
pany for the building Of sidewalk
along the east and north sides oil
the court house square. When this
w VI 40 SOuIplCLCO 3LuS 81 udIS Will DE
surrounded with walk. This i'm
provement will be appreciated by all
who are interested in the town.
The City of Ipswich is using q
gasoline engine and a road-making
machine this week. The road has
been graded from this city half a
mile west, and is doing the work in
a most satisfactory manner. 1t is
estimated the filling for this hall
mile did not cost three cents yard
1t Is big Improvement over the old
scraper, as no gouges or unsightly
places are left. Road making is
coming into prominence in this sec.
ton Of the country, and the more
prominent 1t becomes, the better
Capital Journal.