Philip weekly review. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 1907-1912, 1910-04-14
Why Settlers will STAY

SOuCn DakOCa look upon the new
settlers as like class of those
who settled between the lanes
and the Missouri rivers in the
early eighties. In this the old
timer is mistaken.
When the great rush of settlers
came to Dakota in 1880 to 1885
there was not an artesian we'll in
the state or then territory. At
that time settlers in the south
eastern counties had to haul water
in most cases for stock and house
hold use. Then the wells were
dug SO and 100 feet and no water
obtained, while today on the same
land flowing wells exist by the
hundred. The new settler did
not know then that even money
could get water. Even in 1898,
only seventeen years ago, a map
was prepared signed by the state
geologist and the secretary of
state showing the srtesisn basin
extending only to Hand county
line. Now the new settlers of
Stanley, Lyman, Butte and Law
renee counties know they can get
water anywhere. When the first
settlers came the whole country
was new. The soil was like a
shingle roof. 1t carried.the water
to the ravines and thence to the
large streams and out Of thSssf rs
try. At that time all the country
from the Minnesota line west was
new. Now the new country only
covers a part of the state. Even
that country is not as new as the
east side of the river was when
first settled. Every post hole and
every string of barb wire is con-
servator of moisture. 1t may
seem strange to consider barb wire
as a moisture saver, but if you
stop to think there are millions OF
cubic feet of shadow cast by these
little wires. Every post hole
allows water to 90 down easily.
Every foot of soil turned, whether
by the settlers or the railroads,
causes water to stay where it for
merly ran away. The new settler
knows he can live from few COWS
by patronizing the creamery,
The first settlers east of the
Missouri river had no creamery tc
patronize, and it was fully fifteen
years after the general settlement
of the state that the creamery be,
came q factor in the state. Now
the creamery precedes full settle.
ment. Then the homo builder
had to experiment with all kinds
of seed. Now the beginner gets
seed that is proven to start with
The conditions are so vastly differ
ent now to what they were twenty
five years ago that there can be nc
reasonable comparison. All this
means that the commercial man
the banker and the loan agent has
a different state of things to dea
with to what the first tradesmar
had.
The railroad extensions will not
be so far distant now as they were
then. The country is now being
subdued by the power plow, now
each engine pulling from eight te
ten plows, where former settlers
depended largely on OK teams.
The new settlers can stay and will
stay. Some will 60 away, it is
true, but more will take their
place. They know they can ge,
water, and every indication, judg.
inc from the past history of South
Dakota, is that drainage will be
called for in the new country be-
fore irrigation is. In 1895 the
members OF the legislature were
working for and succeeded in get.
ting ditch bills passed. Where
settlers twenty-five years ago
could not get water in dug wells
today there is water in their
cellars. These things have come
under the observation Of thou.