The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-09-22
OVER TIE STATE
STATE HISTORIAN AND STATS
TICiAN ROBINSON NOTES
MUCH OF INTEREST
DANE HAS A BIG DOMAIN
Peter Aggergard a Danish immigrant
Operating in Clay Turner and
Tankton Counties Owns
2A4SO Broad Acres

Doane Robinson writing to the ST
Paul Pioneer Press says:
There is an increased spread of
winter wheat and it is a tremendo IS
crop. / learned of one field which
turned fifty-two bushels per acre and
another large one which averaged for
ty-siX bushels on eighty acres. VIM
ter wheat promises to tecome a STAPLE
crop IN all of the southeast counties.
The local millers purchase all they
can get Of it and mix t with spring
ahHaa, the combination making a
high class product. Hay is a b-tter
crop than reports had indicated. In
all of the region visited there is an
abundance of hay for home consump-
ton, but not the usual amoant for
export.
| did not see an apple or a plum in
all that region, which has in recent
years been a satisfactory fruit coun-
try, producing very large quantities
for shipment. The freeze at the mid
die of April last destroyed all of the
fruit.
| passed through the domain of
Peter Aggergard, a Danish farmer,
operating in Clay, Turner and Yank-
ton counties. Aggergard is an immi-
grant who came to Dakota without
means and without education, but
with natural business gifts and great
industry and thrift. He compelled
prosperity to come his way and con-
stantly invested his gains in lands
surrounding his homestead until he
is now the owner of 1913 quarter sec
tons, having an average value OF $50
per acre.
I visited the state asylum for the
insane and was shown over the
premises by superintendent Mead.
There are now S51 inmates am
though four large fireproof buildings
have been erected in the past ten
years little progress has been made in
reducing the demand upon the old
fire trap known as The Front" 1t
Is the superintendent hope to place
the entire plant tireproof.
DR.. Mead has made more than local
fame by his use of reinforced con-
crete. He has three immense build
ings in which the complete structure
save the roof is concrete, and he has
after considerable experimentation
succeeded in getting a concrete roof
ing which is absolutely water tight.
This he is now placing upon the
barracks" a very large structure In
process of erection for the accoImod-
alton Of chronic and disturbed men.
This roof is nodded in place, i'm
mense slabs with protected expan-
sion intervals which seems to be a
perfect success and with it only &C.,
ment, sand and steel for reinforce
ment enter into the construction of
the building.
The care and real comfort provid-
ed for the patients of the institution
make it notable among like institu-
tions and that these conditions have
a real therapeutic value is amply de-
monstrated by the "cUre rate" Drop
ping in Unexpectedly at the dinner
hour, | was served a regular meal at
the patients table, where every ap-
pointment was equal to those of a
first class hotel and the wholesome
meal was served in the most appetiz-
ing way. The patients highly appre-
ciate their surroundings and except
in cases of total dementia they degort
themselves as ladies and gentlemen
do in such surroundings. The rela-
yves Oh lnIldIS Will eTlNt SdllSldS-
ton from the knowledge that at the
asylum every patient is afforded ev-
cry comfort and every liberty COM
patible with his condition.
Recently this column in engmerat-
ing the states educational nstitu-
lions omitted to mention the new
Catholic college established at Cham
berlain under the patronage of Bish-
op O'Gorman. Last year the bishop
purchased from the government the
plants of the chamberlain Indian
school, and established Columbus coll
lege in it. Almost at nee a fire de-
stroyed the main building, but it has
ben rebuilt and the college has just
opened its second year.
| have come upon a Dakota boom"
pamphlet put out under territor al au-
thority in 1884, containing a table OF
figures which suggest some enlight-
ening comparisons pertaining to the
development of the region in twenty
five years:
1884 1oOq