The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-04-07
BELLE FOURCHE LANDS
Some Of the Irrigable Land is Opened
For Homestead Entry

- HANJ'NNr SS'A" IoANN -
announced in a public notice issued by
the secretary of the interior. This
makes Immediately available for
homestead entry one hundred and
thirty-two choice forty and eighty
acre farms.
These farms are open to entry I'M
der the general provisions of the
homestead law and the reclamation
act. After visiting the land the set
tier is required TO make his homestead
entry at the local land Office at Rapid
City, or before the United States Com
missioner at Belle Fourche. The home
stead entry must be accompanied by
an application for water right. There
Is no lottery. In addition to the nom
inal entry fee the settler must pay
in advance one tenth Of the building
charge, or three dollars per acre or
irrigable land. A charge is also made
of 40 cents per acre per annum for OPP
Grafton and maintenance The Initial
payment for fOTty-acTe farm will be
about $142, and for an eighty-acre
farm, 1919. This is one of the lowest
priced water rights in the West, and
it is expected that every farm unit
will be taken up before May list.
The ~irrigable lands are located in
Butte and Meade counties, north and
northeast of the Black Hills, n of
the richest gold mining camps in the
West.
The average elevation of the lands
under the Belle FourChe pro ect l.
$500 feet above sea level. The eli
mate is healthlul and invigorating. AS
in other parts of the arid reg on. the
sensible temperature does not vary
greatly, owing to the dryness of the
atmosphere. The soil is clay lCam and
sandy loan, exceedingly fertile and
free from alkali. Fruits such as
apples, cherries, plums and small
fruits, do well, especially on the hi2h-
err portions of the project near the
bluffs, and potatoes produce abundant
" on the south side of the river
where the soil is more sandy Sugar
beets raised in the valley, it is claim
ed, contain as much sugar as those
raised in any other section Of the
country, and are profitable as a special
crop. The pulp is n~Ourishing and
cheap as a winter feed for stock. Prep
arations are being made for building
a beet sugar factory in the distr ct.
The vast open country sUrro nd ng
the valley affords pasturage for i'm
mense herds, making that section one
of the largest cattle ranges in the
United States. As many as 500 car
loads of cattle have been shipped 70
Belle Fourche in a year. Large flCcks
of sheep also feed on the ranges and
one and one-half million pounds O
wool are shipped annua ly fl ION this
region. With the irrigation of the
valley and the production of alb n
dant crops of small grain and alfalfa,
a new and important ind stry will b.
developed in the winter feeding and
fattening of stock.
All the fruits and vegetables th't
can be raised in the valley can lie sold
to the mining camps of the Black Hills
where employment is given to thou
sands of men. Milk, eggs, butter, pOul-
try and garden truck all bring high
prices and there is a growing and or
slant demand for these produces.
Sturgis, Whitewood, Belle Fourche and
other towns have direct come ton
over the Chicago & Northwestern rail-
road with Omaha, Minneapolis, st.
Paul, Chicago and other large cities.
These great markets take all the S r.
plus products, sending in return ma
chinery, household supplies and other
manufactured articles not yet produc-
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 n of the
most interesting which the govern
ment has yet undertaken. It's princi-
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 rs feet high in the
highest place. The inside face of this
structure, which has a slope of 2 to l,
will he protected from wave and Ice
action by two feet of screened grave
on which will be placed concrete
blocks each 4 by 6 feet and s inches
thick. The cubical contents of this
dixie will be AZ. ZOO. 900 cubic feet. or
about half that of the famous pyramid
Of Cheops.
The reservoir created by this dam
will cover about nine thousand acres,
and will be the largest lake in the
state. It will receive water through
an inlet canal g miles long. 20 feet
wide on the bottom, and capable OF
carrying the entire flow of the Belle
Fourche river.
The Belle Fourche offers opportuni-
ties in every line of business. The
valley is practically a virgin field The
mercantile pursuits are net over
crowded. Manufacturing is yet to be
developed, and the professiona man
has a great opportunity.
The reclamation of 0 1000 acres OF
land included in this project with a
family on every forty or eighty acre
tract, will necessitate the establish
ment of several new towns and will
add greatly to those now in existence.
Around the new government town
site, and also the new railroad town
site, there are already several S Ores,
banks and hotels In temporary quar-
ters, ready to move into permanent
buildings as soon as the town lots are
on sale.
Lands which sold for s. per acre
before the project started are now
valued at $50 per acre, and are in good