The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-03-11
WILL OPEN MORE A
Ono.Million-Fo Thousand
Acres For Settlers
Oy Doane RobinsOn)

10y l,oane ko0lnSon)
The Rosebud and Pine Ridge bills
which have passed the senat and
been ~faNorably reported IN the house
will open another area OF 1,40O. 600
acres to settlement. or about the
same as in the Cheyenne River AMI
Standing Rock ceded lands. The new
opening Will give settlers a fine OPP
portunity TO secure homes. The
lands lie along the south bank of
White River in Mellette and Washa-
baugh counties.
| have personally examined the
Rosebud lands in Mellette county.
but have not been in the Washa-
baugh region. Mellctte county has
about forty townships. 1t is bisect-
ed by Little White River and no less
Than ten parallel creeks put down
through it to the White River. These.
with their laterals, provide an IN
usual water and drainage system.
The valleys of these streams are
all deeply eroded, making the reg
ion close To them quite rough, but
~splendidly adapted TO stock raising
while back from the streams the
gently rolling prairie is finely adapt
ed to all sorts of crops. The soil Is
of the Laramie formation. a fine
sandy loan and very productive.
The native prairies are we'll grassed.
making fine pastures and an bund-
ance of hay. Not much of the soil
has been cultivated. but such patches
as the Indian farmers have broken
up bring excellent crops. In the
rough river hreak there are some
fruit trees and they yield SatiSfac-
torily; apples do especially well.
There is some good timber along
the streams. The White River is un-
ique. 1t drains a large area an1
flows over the white clay of the
White River formation which gives
the water the hue Of skinned milk
1t is "A rapid stream and carries a
good flow throughout the year The
Little White is bolsterous and pre-
tentious. 1t is wide and threatening
in appearance, very rapid and its
mild white flood pours noiselesSly
down a deep, beautiful wooded val
ley. The stream. however. is very
shallow and carries little water. | re-
cali approaching it for the first time
where ii was seventy yards wide and
SO threatening that | dared not Ven
uit III L Nui tuC s'iNiNNS a "'
indian for IA dollar to pilot me across.
The fellow pulled off his shoes and
waded over. The water did not at
the deepest reach his ankles. But
hat was during the drouth OF 1904
ordinarily it is slightly deeper. On
the whole the region is very attrac-
tive to the tourist and will no doubt
make desirable homes for "A large
population. The rainfall averages
1876 annually. IA inches Of which
comes in the growing months. The
altitude averages about 1000 feet
above sea level.
A feature of the region is the
buttes; flat topped hills rising abrupt
ly on the level prairie and occupying
from a half section to a section or
land. These buttes mark the former
level before erosion too place. They
are perhaps 300 feet high and a Stra-
Ia of sandstone has prevented them
from wearing down with the sur
rounding region not so protected.
The region is easily reached from
the extension Of the 81. Paul railroad
from Chamberlain west to Rapid cry
and ii is understood the Northwestern
will at once project the Bonesteel "X-
tension across Tririn county and into
the new lands.