Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-05-25
COUNTY SEAT FIGHT
MELLETTE TO LOCATE A
CAPITAL THURSDAY.
THREE TOWNS IN CONTEST.
Wood, White River and One Yet
Unnamed Seek the Honors-
Efforts to Have Latter Kept
Ont of the Race Are I'm
successful.

fights in the history of the state and
northwest is in progress in the new
county of Mellette, which was formed
from ceded portion of the Rosebud
Indian reservation and which lies along
the South Dakota-Nebraska border.
One of the unique features of the
contest is the participation in it by a
number of Sioux warriors, whose allot-
tenents of land are in the ceded portion
of the county, and who therefore feel
that they should have a say as to
where the county seat of the new coun-
ty should be located.
By proclamation of Gov. Wesley a
special election will be held in Mellette
county on Thursday of this week for
the purpose of organizing the new
county by the election of full set of
county officers and the selection of a
+ temporary county seat. The officials
4 elected and the county seat chosen will
hold until new officers and new county
seat are selected at the general election
in November of next year.
The aspiring town which wins out as
the result of the present hot fight for
temporary county seat will have pres
\ tige which it is believed will go far to
have it selected as the permanent coun-
\ ty seat at the election in November,
1912, and therefore the partisans of the
present candidates for county seat
honors are leaving no stone unturned to
have their favorite win out at the cleo
ton during the coming week.
The aspiring towns are the new
towns of Wood and White River, and a
third town, whichwas established only
a few days ago at point only one and
one-half miles from White River.
Sfrenuous efforts are being made to
have the third town, which as yet has
not been named, keep out of the county
seat fight. The third town is being
promoted by j. H. Butler and William
Tackett, of Gregory, and M. l.. Parish,
of Fairfax.
h A few days ago the three promoters
went to the site of the new town for
4 the purpose of seeing how it was grow
ing. They had no sooner arrived on
the site than they found themselves in
the hands of force of Indian police
men. The Indiaa police explained to
them that it was feared they had been
exposed to some contagious disease,
and that if permitted to remain at the
\ site of the new town they might spread
infection over the Rosebud reservation.
Notwithstanding the strong protests
of the three promoters they were
placed in quarantine. 1t is freely
charged that their predicament is due
to the activity of the residents of the
rival town of White River, who. it is
alleged, by this desperate expedient
hope to ''kill off, the new town and
intimidate the promoters to such an
extent that they will abandon efforts
to build up town and thus leave White
River without rival in that part of
the county.
The three captives were released af-
ter being kept in confinement for a
couple of days, but naturally the incl
dent has aroused the bitter resentment
of the partisans of the new town.
Wood, Notwithstanding that it has
-bsan in existence only a few weeks,
aIready is taking on the appearance of
town, having hotel, newspaper,
general store and implement house and
a number of residences.
Both White River and Wood are
splendidly located on fine sites and
their hackers are boosters to the limit.
One ofthe most prominent of the can
didates for office in the new county is
Maj. Charles P. Jordan, noted from
tiersunan and cousin of Gen. George A
Custer, who has resided at Rosebud
agency since the 7Os. and who is can
didate for county treasurer of the new
county of Meliette.
Some of the Sioux warriors whose
allotments of Land are situated within
the boundaries of the new county also
are candidates for election to county
Offices. Among them is Reuben Quick
Bear, who is a candidate for county
commissioner. Sioux Falls correspon-
dent in Sioux City Journal.