Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-01-27
Martin L. Hotter
Writes US from Coal
Springs, S. D.
Coal Springs, S. d.
Ian % lQll


Jan. 20, l91l.
EDITOR LEADER: 1t is now nine
months since l left the Sioux Valley
and settled down on the plains Of the
Northumberland divide in Perkins Co.,
and the letter l promised the LEADER
has been postponed because l have
been too busy to write.
Accompanied by Lars Knudson,
homeseeker, and Ingvald Renli,
blacksmith, 1 landed in Lennon
last April and Immediately repaired
to my little homestead near Coal
Springs. Mr.. Renli went into black
smithing here and has since removed
BOLTON, while Mr.. Knudson is now
snugly located on a homestead near
Chance in this county. My own claim
/ secured as a REIMBURSEMENT from
former Cantonite, lost his life in a
coal mine accident here. Cantonites
having claims adjoining are: Charley
Hanson, Rena Knudson, Mabel Mon
son, Bertha Reierson, Elisa Nelson
and Otto and Cora.Holter.
The climate is ideal and colds and
La Grippe are almost unknown atflic-
tions here. The water as a rule is
soft and sweet and obtainable in
shallow wells along our dry water
courses.
With Bro. Wells of North Dakota
we are longing for the temperance
of the prairie dog, as two months OF
hot winds cooked our oatmeal in
embryo last summer, while the raw
material for Johnny cake and hominy
is scarce at 81. 90 per bushel. Beef is
also scarce, as the rancher has been
forced to retire and the homesteader
has not yet stocked up with cattle.
With fuel we are abundantly blessed
for coal is plentiful in this territory
as Uncle Sam has recently discovered.
His decree restricting settlers to a
surface right created great consterna-
tion among the homesteaders, who
loudly clamored for a clear title to
lllSii lliuuCl GlCdouIC' AllOlNo w
the conservation movement, the coal
deposits of the Dakotas shall never
fall prey to the coal barons.
The Milwaukee railway system Is
pushing two lines Westward; the
Cheyenne branch now having reached
the town of Faith in north eastern
Meade county, while the Moreau line
is resting at Isabel, thirty miles east
on the Cheyenne reservation. The
survey of the latter line passes my
humble home about one mile south.
Being located Just outside the
Standing Rock and Cheyenne reserva-
tions it is interesting to watch the
process of settlement On those tracts
The Noble Red Man has chosen his
allotments with ample provision for
squaw and pappooses, and his white
balance.
This country, like all others, has its
advantage and disad% vantages. The
soil is very productive but lies in the
otIll-dIlu OClC "llClC oloSh IuIolbs
and dairying will be the only safe
occupation.
The summer of 1909 was blessed
with copious rains while 1910 gave US
hot air. Should 1911 give us a crop
and a railroad, land values would soar
and northwestern South Dakota be-
come a prominent factor in our pro-
gressive young state.
Before closing l must tell you Of a
holiday visit with the Arrowhead
"Nation" In response to an invita-
tion and accompanied by Richard
and Bertha Reierson and my sister,
Laura, l "hit the pike" one day and
after a thirty mile drive arrived
among the Arrowheads. W. found
them, not an Indian tribe of the Up
per Missouri Valley, but a group Of
peaked hills surrounded by scenery
more grand than beautiful. We hur-
ried on to see the Nations whom
you may have imagined a remnant
of the allied tribes known in history
as the Five Nations. On arriving,
who should they be but our dear
Grand Valley and Riverside friends,
Carrie Hanson and Carrie Brynjulson
Highland vas represented in the
person Of Boye Olson and Richard
Brynjulson came out to stable the
bronchos and his brother Toilet soon
arrived from town. Sunday night
found us all gathered around q beauti-
full Christmas tree at the home of
Carrie Brynjulson where we we're
feasted and laden with presents aud
entertained at games till the wee
hours OF morn. Lincoln county people
present besides those already menti-
oned were Theo Kettleson and Sven
Rikansrud with his charming Brook
ings county bride, Geno Lorenson
and family we're expected but did
not come. Perhaps next Christmas
shall find US all gathered in good old
Lincoln. Yet, who can fathom the
future and reveal the hidden path of
destiny? On Tuesday we visited
Faith, then daily expecting the rail-
road, and Friday found US homeward
bound, a week of Christmas jollii1ca-
tion having slipped away and sweet