The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-01-05
YEAR
DID FOR US
SOUTH DAKOTA DID NOT BREAK
RECORDS BUT
LEADS ALL OTHER STATES
IN PER CAPITA PRODUCTION DUR.
ING YEAR JUST CLOSED.


following summary of the material
progress of South Dakota during 1910:
South Dakota's regular program of
making each years prosperity record
a little better than that of it's prede-
cessOr was not followed this year. The
year just closing was a good n but
not the best ever according TO the
statistics offered by Doane Robinson
in his Tenth Annual Review of the
Progress of South Dakota 1t vas
the weather man who applied the
brake. The first check was received
in the middle of April, when "A mild
April blizzard came along in the wake
of a long spell of summer weather.
The April freeze-up ruined the fruit
crop, and set back other crops. Fol
lowing this bad start came "A growing
season with a very unusual deficiency
of moisture. The drought was not
general, but was relieved in many To-
C~alities by local showers. Up to har-
vest time there was much apprehen.
sion as to the outcome, but the har
yesting brought welcome assurance
that on the whole the agricultural out
put of the state had not suffered Sc
verely.
The fruit crop was, of course, prac-
tically a total loss. Potatoes were a
very short crop ana in some portions
Of the state were quite a failure,
Dairy products were smaller than for
several years, but better prices made
up the deficiency and increased the
reyenue from this source The G
yield was bigger than ever before
and brought more cash. Hay was one
third below the average volume, but
better prices kept up the value. The
wheat crop yielded 1880, 600 bush
els, a falling off of only 5000, 900
bushels from last year. The corn
yield for the year was 76,471 900
bushels. The yield of oats was A.
$4,000 bushels. The value of prod
ucts of the soil, including mineral and
stone, for the year, foots up to a grand
total of $751; ,1SS,0OO, compared with
1902 900 last year, a decrease of
$21,l74,000. The decrease is mainly
in the items of wheat, corn and oats.
potatoes and fruit, and is accounted
for partly by decreased yields and
partly by the lower prices for cereals.
A decrease in the production of gold
was due to the prolonged lockout at
the Homestake mine early in the year
Notwithstanding the ~unfavorable con
ditions the per capita production of
wealth from the soil is in excess Of
1920, again making South Dakota's
boast of standing first among all states
in the per capita production of fruits
of the soil.
"The condition of the state finances
has not changed much during the
year. On November II, 1910, the state
debt amounted to S1,073,575, a de-
crease of $S,767 from the figures re-
ported on November ~, 1909. How
ever, the am INT Of capitol building
warrants outstanding was increased
1897, 900 during the year, and now
stands at $29S,S36. AS this obligation
will be eventually paid from the pro-
@-ol- &c ,,LI.o 1o~I rn1A. t ~Anl1ty
should not figure as part of the state
debt.
Financially, 1910 has been a good
year for the citizens of South Da-
kota. The people have lived in com
fort and met current obligations
promptly, although buying has been
more conservative than for several
years. Much land purchased a few
years ago on deferred payments has
been paid for out Of accumulated saw
ings. The September statements
showed the aggregate deposit in ma
tional and state banks to be sS7,7S3,-
967,7S, compared with s7S,S30, 10000
in September, 1909, a modest gain for
the year of 1888, S66. 70. The as
sessed valuation of property in South
Dakota for 1910 was 1897, 702, 2S9, CON-
pared with a total of 1921, 07O,669 for
the proceeding year, an increase Of
S16.631,626. The assessment is made
on the basis OF one-fourth of actual
value.
"The most important federal legis-
lation applying to South Dakota dur.
ing 1910 was the opening to settle
ment Of the Rosebud and Pine Ridge
reservations in Mellette and Washa-
baugh counties. This land Is now be-
ing appraised and will lbe opened to
settlement on proclamation OF the
| president next gear. Federal appro-