The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-04-08
oElLE 4 n
Some Of the lrri9abls Land b OPENED
For Homessead Entry

irrigation project. South Dakota. IL
announced In q public notice issued by
the secretary Of the interior. This
makes immediately available tor
homestead entry one hundred ans
,hifty~two choice forty and eighsy-
acre farms.
These farms are open 10 entry nm
der the general provisions OF the
homestead Law and the r~ciamat' nn
act. After visiting the land the net
tier Ii required 10 make his homes eat
entry Al the local land once nj Rapid
City. or before the Unis ! Ssases Com
missioner nj Belle Fourcae. Tae house-
stead entry must he accom- ran "a by
an application for wafer right. There
In no lottery. In addition to tire nom
inal entry fee the settler must pay
In advance one tenth of the binding
charge. or three dollars Per acre os
~lrrisahie land. A charge In also made
Of 40 cents per acre per annuna for op-
GRAFTON and maintenance. The LII la
Payment for forty-acrs farm viii -
about tit2. and for an s~ixhtv-aer@
farm. S2Ts. This In one al tire lowess
priced water rights In the West. AMI
IL Ia expected that every farm uuig
will be taken up b~fnr. May lsf.
The irrigahIs lands are ioeafsd i'm
Butte ard Meade 60 ugiss. north aud
northeast OF the nfsex Hslis. one NJ
the richest gold mining camps in the
West.
The average elevation Of the lands
under the Belle Fourehe pro &C. IL
a,kc0 feet above SEA level The eiI-
mate II heaithful and invtwor ating. A.
In other parts Of the arid reg on. the
i sensible temperature does rot vary
greatly. owing 20 the dryn.ss nf the
atmosphere. The soil In clay tcam and
sandy loan. exceedingly fertile and
free from alkaii. Fruits suca as
apples, cherries, plNms and small
fruits. do well, especially on III. high
err portions Of the project near the
bluffs. and potatoes prodtice ahunds mt
Iy on the south sid. OF the river
where the soil In more sandy SUGAR
heets raised I'm the valley. II Ia claim
ed. contain a. much "a those
raised In any other section OF the
country. and are profitable as a specials
crop. The pulp IN nourishing and
cheap as q winter feed for stock. Prep
arations are being made for bgildinx
q beet sugar factory In he district.
The vast open country sarro nd Nc
the valley affords ~pasturage for I'm
mense herds. making that seetinn a
of the largest cattle ranges IN the
United States. As many as 500 car
loads Of cattle have been shipped from
Belle Foureh~ In a year. Large fiocks
OF sheep also feed IN the ranges and
one and one-hatf million pounds OF
wool are shipped annually from this
region. With the irrigation OF the
valley and the production of abrn-
dant crops of small grain and alfalfa.
a new and important Industry will be
developed In the winter feeding and
fattening of stock.
All the fruits and vegetables that
car be raised In the valley can be sold
to the mining camps Of the Black Hills
~here employment n given 10 .
sands Of men MIX. eggs. butter. poui-
try and garden truck all bring high
prices and there Ii a growing n on
slant demand for these products.
/ sturgis. whitewood. Belle rourche and
other towns have direct connection
over the Chicago X Northwestern rail
road with Omaha. Minneapolis. So.
Paul, Chicago and other large cities.
8 j nFSG htA EEA9 - 49, ~ y
plus products. sending In return ma
chinery, household supplies and other
manufactured articles not yet rrodgc-
ed Ia the valley. A new railroad Is
being built the entire length OF the
project. so that the transportation
facilities will be excellent.
From an engineering standpoint the
Belle Fourche project Is n OF the
- -tA 49, .~A
ment has yet undertaken. It's princf-
of the largest OF Its kind In the world.
This wonderful dixie which closes the
low est depression In the rim Of q nat
ural basin. Ii 500 feet long. 20 feet
wide on top. and lis feet high In the
highest place. The inside lace OF this
structure. which has . slope Of : to !.
will be protected from wave and les
action by two feet OF screened grave
blocks each 4 by s feet and 3 inches
thick. The cubical contents OF this
dixie will be ~. TOO 900 cubic feet. or
OF Cheops.
The reservoir created by this dam
will cover about nine thousand acres.
and will be the largest lake In the
state. II will receive water through
an inlet canal 81 miles long. 40 feet
wide ON the bottom. and capab'e Of
carrying the entire now OF the Belle
Tpurche river.
The Belle Fourche offers o~pportuni-
ties In every line Of business. The
valley 10 practically = virgin neld. The
mercantile pursuits are not over
crowded. Manufacturing 10 yet to Be
developed. and the professional man
has = great opportunity.
The reclamation OF 100. 900 acres OF
land included In this project with .
family on every forty or eighty acre
tract. will necessitate the establish
ment Of several new towns and viii
add greatly to those now In existence.
Around the new government town.
site, and also the new railroad town
site. there are already several sores.