The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-11-04
PROSPERITY OF
SOUTH DAKOTA
STATEMENT OF THE RICHES OF
THE STATE.
A STEADY GAIN IS SHOWN
MOST OF OUR WEALTH COMES
OUT OF THE GROUND.

In compliance with a request from
the Hearst Publishing company Gov
ernor Vessey and Director of Insti.
tutes Chamberlain prepared an article
on the wealth and resources of South
Dakota. which appeared in the eight
or ten big Hearst publications. The
figures. which are taken from the
government year books, show a wond-
erful prosperity, greater perhaps than
even the citizens Of South Dakota real
ize. We reproduce the article in part:
In this age when the mad race for
wealth so largely engages the atten.
tion Of the American people; when
such large proportion of our people
for the past half century have been
focking to the cities; when the free
lands Of Uncle Sam have been almost
entirely occupied; when labor is high
priced, and the necessaries OF life
equally expensive; when so many of
our people are looking for a place in
which to make homes, the question OF
where to locate to the best advantage
from the standpoints of accumulation
of property, healthful climate, relig-
ious organizations. educational facili-
ties, and conveniences OF transporta,
tion have become important questions.
South Dakota occupies unique posi-
tion in the column of states, from each
and all these standpoints.
For the past eleven years the peo-
pie of South Dakota have each year
without an exception produced more
wealth per capita than the people of
any other state in the Union. Some
idea of her rapid development along
these lines, and of the uniform in
crease In products may be gained
from the following figures, all taken
from the government reports except
as to the crop of 1909 which is esti-
mated according to the best of our
judgment from observation of condi-
tions all over the state. South Da-
kota produced bushels of corn as fol.
lows:
In 1900, 32,41S,000 bu. worth $9,404 900
In 1908, 41,61S,000 14.5GG0G0
In 1906, 62,S12,0OO 1929, 900
In 1908, 57,077,0O0 2S,S3S,O0
This year the state has by far the
best corn crop it has ever grown and
the yield will reach close to 10000, 900
bushels. The acreage is larger, the
stand better, and the yield per acre
will be greater than ever before in our
history.
or wheat, the state produced:
In 1900. 2O,149,OO bu. worth $11 $50, 900
In 1903, 47,232.0OO 29.296, 900
In 1906, 41,955,0OO 25,592, 900
In 1908, 1882 900 34,933, 900
The crop of wheat this year will ag-
gregate somewhat larger than that Of
last year, we should say in the neigh
borhood of 100000 bushels worth
about $3S,OOO,O0O.
OF oats we produced: .s -
In 1900. 1858. 900 bu. worth s 3,02s. 900
In 1903, 5O,426,0Q0 16,045, 900
In 1906, 46.410,000 1868, 900
In 1908, 31,395,OOO 12,S72,0Oo
1907 and 1908 were not good seasons
for oats in this state. Extreme hot
weather during the period when the
crop was filling cut the yield severely.
The crop of 1909 will, we should say,
amount to in the neighborhood OF 40
00O, 900 bushels. Hot weather this year
affected the oats somewhat detriment-
ally, but not as seriously as during
the past two years.
OF barley we produced:
IN 1900, 1,543.00O bu. worth 5 77S,O00
In 1903, 10,6O6,0OO " :" $4,000
In 1906, 22,910,000 1881, 900
In 1908, 24,562,O g" " 11,55S, 900
The barley yield of 1909 will not be
quite as high as in 1908 owing to sew
eral reasons, principally excessive
moisture at the critical period of the
life Of the plant.
OF potatoes we produced:
In 1900, 100000 bu worth $1,451,O 900
In 1903, 2,S36,O00 1,5SS,000
In 1906, 3,542,O00 " 1,239,OO0
In 1908, 4,O5O,00O " " 100000
The potato crop of 1909 will be
somewhat larger than of 1908.
There Is particularly good oppor-
tunity in this state for the extensive
cultivation and growing of potatoes.
Every year the state is secured by
buyers from the southern markets for
potatoes for southern seed Farmers
growing distinct varieties of potatoes
in this state can sell them for q high
er price per bushel for southern seed
purposes than can the farmers of the