The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-04-29
Why the Settlers Will Stay.

Many old timers i'll western South
Dakota look upon the new settlers as
like class of those who settled be-
tween the James and the Missouri
rivers in the early eighties. In this
the old timer is mistaken.
When the great rush of settlers
came to South Dakota in 1880 to 1885
there was not an artesian well in the
state or then territory. At that time
settlers in the southeastern counties
had to haul their water in most cases
for stock and household uses. Then
the wells were dug so to 100 feet and
and no water obtained, while today
on the same land flowing wells exist
by the hundred. The new settler did
not know then that even money could
get water. Even in 1893, only seven
teen years ago, a map was prepared
signed by the state geologist and the
secretary of state showing the arte-
sian basin extending only to the Hand
county line. Now the settlers OF
Stanley, LYMAN Butte and Lawrence
counties know they can get water
anywhere. When the first settlers
came the whole country was new.
The soil was like a shingle roof. 1t
carried the water to the ravines and
thence to the large streams and out
of the country. At that time all the
country from the Minnesota line west
was new. Now the new country only
covers portion Of the state. Ever
that country is not as new as the east
side of the river was when first set
tied. Every post hole and every string
of barb wire is a conservator Of
moisture. 1t may seem strange tt
consider barb wire as moisture
saver, but if you stop to think there
are millions of cubic feet of shadow
cast by these little wires. Every post
hole allows water to go down easily
Every foot Of soil turned, whether by
the settlers or the railroads, cause!
water to stay where it formerly raj
away. The new settler knows he Cal
| live from few COWS by patroniZint
the creamery. The first settler cas-
| of the Missouri river had no creamer,
to patronize, and it was fully tiftee1
years after the general settlement O
the state that the creamery became ;
factor in the state. Now the cream
cry precedes full settlement. Thel
the home-builder had to experiment
with all kinds of seed. Now the be
ginner gets seed that is proven t,
start with The conditions are S,
vastly different now to what the,
were twenty-five years ago that ther
can be no reasonable comparison
| All this means that the commercial
man, the banker and the loan agen
has different state of things to dea
with to what the first tradesman had
The railroad extensions will not b
SO far distant now as they were then
The country is now being subdued b.
the power plow, now each engine pul
ling from eight to ten plows, wher
former settlers depended largely Of
OK teams. The new settlers can sta
and will stay. Some will go away, it il
true, but more will take their places
They know they can get water, an
every indication, judging from tn
past history Of South Dakota, is tina
drainage will be called for in the ne,
country before irrigation is. In ls9
the members of the legislature wer
working for and succeeded in gettin
ditch biIls passed. Where settler
twenty-five years ago could not ge
water in dug wells today there
water in their cellars. These thing
have come under the observation c
thousands. In the new country ther
is no vast plain to the west of ther
unsettled. They reach the mountai
section and ere Ion the whole countr
will he a teeminp land of neonle Th