The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-27
SOUTH DAKOTA
now PROSPEROUS

Willard Dillman iR Minnetonka Rec
ord: A visit to the fertile plains Of
South Dakota at this time of the year
is most pleasing experience. The
country, though it has been settled for
over quarter of century, still re-
tains a hint of that pristine strength
and virility that characterizes the new
country. Farm after farm exposes its
fertile acres to the gaze as one whirls
past. There is every evidence OF album
dant prosperity The grain crops are
so promising that thoughts of hard
times are impossible. The houses are
homes of comfort and content; the
barns are ample; the horses and colts
In the pastures have prosperous air
about them; the herds of well-fed cat
tie that roam the thousand hills speak
eloquently Of the good fortune of their
owners.
they been for the past dozen years that
1t is to be doubted If a case OF the blues
could be discovered within the boun-
daries of the state. South Dakota was
settled by a judicious mixture of the
people from the countries of northern
Europe and Immigrants from the east
and middle states. The result, after a
quarter of century of amalgamation,
is one that would do Jacob Riis good to
behold. And the results of the mar
riages of these mixed races would be
enough to cause Roosevelt to die happy
Such fiocks of beautiful, rosy checked
children! They are as thick as roses
in a fallow field in June, and yet there
is not one too many.
The modern mark of prosperity-the
automobiles everywhere in evidence.
They are by no means restricted to the
towns either. Farmers have them so
commonly that it is startling at first.
One farmer has three sons, and there
are three automobiles and two motor
cycles in the family. Two touring cars
on a farm have become so common as
to cause no comment.
A thirty mile ride down through the
hills and out upon the plain between
the hours of IL and IL on clear, windy
night is not the least memorable ex-
perience that one can have. 1.-THE hori-
zon is so widely extended that it is
as if the whole world lay exposed. The
roads are like the lines upon a check
erboard; you are always travelling to-
ward one of the four cardinal points of
the compass. The whole panorama Of
the heavens is spread above you. You
turn north for few miles and behold
yourself aiming directly for the glow
ing north star. The comet is retreat
ing with spectacular elaboration in the
west. The Great Bear is as plain as
-. L. I'M
auto glides down an incline, dips into
a gulch, clatters over wooden bridge,
darts along a narrow grade and is
away upon a five-mile stretch of road
that is as smooth as Hennepin avenue.
The openness of the country, the ex-
tent and largeness of everything, the
exaggerated freedom that everybody
seems to feel, the apparently hap-haz-
ard racing of the big car through the
darkness. all combine to produce an IL
fusion that is most pleasing.
South Dakota used to be drouth-
stricken country, but there has been
no hint Of drouth here for the last doz-
en- years and will robably never be
again, owing to the numerous groves
and the cultivated state of the country.
One is astonished, after an absence OF
several years, to see dredges at work
here and there, forming canals and
draining large areas Of valuable land
that have been covered with water for
the last few years. OF course you al
ready know that South Dakota is and
has been for several years the richest
per capita in the union.
Perhaps you want to lock up?" I
have this moment remarked to the
newspaper man, in whose office I am
pounding out this letter. Gle has just
put on his coat and hat, and 1t is IL
o'clock.
Lock up!" says he. Il never lock
this office. Stay as long as you like"
This attitude is characteristic OF the
state of South Dakota.
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