The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-04-08
BELLE FOURChE LANDS
Some of the Irrigable Land is Opene'
For Homestead Entry

llc secretary OF the Interior. MS
makes Immediately arai'a Re o"
homestead entry one hundred and
thirty-two choice forty and eighty
acre farms.
These farms are open TO entry un-
der the general provisions Of the
homestead law and the reclamat on
act. After visiting the land the set-
tier is required 10 make his homes cal
entry al the local land office at Rapid
City. or before the United Sta es Com
missioner nj Belle F'ourche. The hon e.
stead entry must be acCompan ed by
an application for water rigAt. There
is no lottery. In adj, on to the nom
inal entry fee the settler must pay
in advance one tenth Of the building
charge. or three dollars per acre o.
irrigable land. A charge Is also made
of 40 cents per acre per annum TO- on
Grafton and maintenance tn" ri ia
payment for torty-acre farm vii b.
about s142. and for an eighty-acre
farm. s279. This is one of tie lowest
priced water rights in the Wes'. and
It is expected that every farm uni
will be taken up before May Isl.
The irrigable lands are located in
Butte and Meade counties. north and
northeast OF the Black Hills. one of
the richest gold mining camps in the
West.
The average elevation of the lands
under the Relle Fourchs pro ect i
$500 feet above sea level The eli
mate is healthful and inNigorating. As
in other parts of the arid reg n the
sensible temperature does not vary
greatly. owing to The drvness Of tn"
atmosphere. The soil is clay cam and
sandy loan. exceedingly fertil and
free from alkali. Fruits such "a.
app'es. cherries. plums and mai
fruits. do we'll. especially on the hi h
or portions Of The prOtect ar the
bluffs, and potatoes prcdrce abund Mt
" ON the south side Of the river
where the soil is more sandy Su ar
bcets raised in the valley, it is claim
ed. contain as mrch sugar a thOS"
raised in any other Sc ton OF tn
country. and are profitable a a sp ella
crop. The pulp is NOuriShiYg IN
cheap as a winter feed for stock. Ple>-
arations are being made for bail ing
a beet sugar factory in the district
The vast open country surro nd ne
the valley affords ~pasturage for im-
mense herds. making thar section i"
of the largest cattle ranges in the
United States. As many as 90 O car
loads of cattle have been shipped ro
Belle Fourche in a yea. a ge hcck,
of sheep also feed on the ranges and
one and one-half million pound q
wool are shipped annua ~ f ON thi
---s XIT..N ,Il tG.t.AtiAA Of thA
valley and the pred ction of ab n
Gant crops of small gain and alfal a.
a new and imrOrtant ind strv will b.
developed in the winter feeding and
fattening of stock.
All the traits and vegetables IN t
can be raised i'm TIE valley can Q sold
to the mining camps of the Black Hills
where employment j. eiyNn 10 thou
sands of men. Milt. eggs, butter. poul-
try and garden trick al bring high
prices and there is a growing and % Dr.
slant demand for these prOduc s
Sturgis. Whitewood. Pell" Fourcne and
other towns have direct come ton
over the Chicago & Northwestern rail
road with Omaha. Minneapolis. st
Paul. Chicago and Other largo cities.
Thes great markets take all the s r
plus products, sending in return ma
chinery. household supplies and other
manufactured articles not yet rod c
ed in 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 one of the
most interesting which the go ern-
ment has yet undertaken. Its prtnci-
pal structure is an earthen dam, one
of the largest of its kind in the world.
This wonderful dixie which closes the
lowest depression in the rim of a nat
ural basin. is $500 feet long, 20 feet
wide on top. and IL feet high in the
highest place. The inside face of this
structure. which has a slope OF . 10 |.
will he protected from wave and ic
action by two feet Of screened grave
on which will DO placed concrete
blocks each ( by 6 feet and 8 inrhe'
thick. The cuhical contents of thi
dixie will be i2.700.0 0o cubic feet, o.
about half that of the famous pyramid
of Cheops.
The reservoir created by this dam
will cover about nine thousand ares,
and will be the largest lake in the
state. It viii receive water through
an inlet canal 50 miles long. 20 Zee
wide on the bottom. and capab e o
carving the entire flow Of the Belle
Fourche river.
The Belle Fourche Offers oDpo'tuni-
ties in every line of business. The
valley is practically a virgin feld The
mercantile pursuits are MT over
crowded. Manufacturing is yet 10 bH
developed. and the rrofCs ional man
hes q great opportunity.
The reclamation Of 10 900 arcs O.
land included in this lro ect with a
family on every forty or eighty acre
tract. will necessitate the establish
ment of several new towns and Will
add greatly 10 those now In existence
Around the new government town
site. and also the new raj road town
site. there are already se0era s ores,
banks and hotels in temporary quar-
ters. ready 10 move into permanent
buildings as soon as the town lots are
on sale.
Lands which sold for s. Fer acre
-. ~ -,O;aot Ctorta1 y NOW