The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-06-04
? ubli.hed Weekly at Rapid City SD.
IN. Union Publishing Company.
Subscription. $3.50 a year.

Subscription. $3.50 q year.
The secretary of the Interior has
announced decision reversing the
commissioner OF public lands and
the former policy of the government
in regard to homestead entries that
is of vital interest and good news to
thousands of South Dakota settlers
who have been compelled to absent
themselves part of their time from
their claims. The case decided is
that of Plat, of Mitchell, against
Clarence E. Moon, over Lyman
county homestead. Plat contested
Moons entry, alleging failure to COM
ply with the law and abandonment.
The evidence showed Moon had no
other home except his claim; that
he was there at least once or twice
each week, and had five acres brok-
en-. Chamberlain land officers de-
cided for the contestant and the COM
missioner of public lands sustained
the decision, holding the entry for
cancellation. The secretary of the
interior now reverses the commits
sioner and dismisses the contest,
holding the claimant had demon
strated good faith, and that the con-
test having been fled within four
teen months after the entry and
within eight months after the time
1o;, IN
residence, there was sufficient COM
pliance with the law to hold the en-
try, but the secretary of the inter-
Tor says he does not necessarily de-
eide by this that the claimant has
made sufficient compliance to allow
final proof.
Recent practical experiments at
Creighton university, Omaha, Neb.,
have been conducted to test the food
value OF alfalfa for human beings.
A number of students consented to
try diet of this cattle forage and
with most astonishing results, for
they grew fat on it. The tender
leaves and the upper portion of the
plant are ground into kind of
meal, which is used as any flour
would be used. being cooked into
various pleasing forms of bread,
mullins. cakes, puddings and SO on.
Iowa's best eight counties last
year produced crops worth s29,7S3,-
015 and South Dakota's best eight
counties produced crops worth s31,-
324,310. says the Argus-Leadeer.
Thus eight South Dakota counties
beat eight eight Iowa counties by
crop production of s1,541,295. We
do not speak of this at all in
boasting way, because South Dakota
has long since passed the point
where boasting is necessary, but we
mention the fact just to keep the
record straight. There was time
when land in Iowa sold for $40 an
acre more than land across the line
in South Dakota, only a few miles
distant. But that time has gone by,
and no investor any longer asks any
discount because of the South Ba-
kota name.
Nord Alexis is visiting friends at
Peru, Ind. The pert paragrapher
has taken advantage of the fact to
become facetious over the difference
between the deposed president of
Hayti and Castro, the deposed presi-
dent Of Venezuela, who found diff
Guilty in securing permission to land
on any shore, especially in the west
ern hemisphere. The difference is.
largely one Of temperament, and of
age. Nord Alexis, being somewhere
between 80 and 100 years old, is
content to live on the proceeds of
the spoils Of office acquired during
his long reign In Hayti. Castro,
younger and still ambitious, is not
content with his pickings of $780,.
100000 or SO, but would like to re-
gain his old-time power and pres
tige. II the people of Peru. Ind,
could be assured that Castro would
merely spend his money, and not
try to be elected alderman or some
thing; they might welcome him, too,
to their village.
Fillicia Fallas. well known pio-
neer and frontiersman, died at st.
Mary's hospital, Pierre, on Thursday,
after long illness. 1t is uncertain
when Mr.. Fallas came to Dakota,
but he has been mentioned as one OF
the civilian employees with General
Harney's army, that marched from
Fort Kearneg. Neb,. to old Fort
Pierre In 1856. a number OF civili-
ans were with the expedition. and all
remained in Dakota. Kearney did
not stop at Pierre, but built Fort
Randall the following year. and Fall
las = said g have settled about that
time In the country opposite RAN
dali and engaged in nay and wood
contracts for the fort. Subsequent
" the country in which Fallas set
tied was erected into Charles Mix
county. Later Mr.. Fallas represent
ed that county In the territorial leg
islature. II iss claimed that he has
been living In Brule county Of late
years and until HIS recent fatal M
ness He was q Cana dian French