Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-07-21
GRASSHOPPERS VS.. DROUTH.

GRASSHOPPERS VS.. DROUTH.
During the ravages Of the grass.
hoppers in the 7Os, the people Of the
several counties in what is now the
southeast corner of the state, lost all
their crops for three years in success
sion and faced conditions unknown to
the farmer since that time. The peo,
pie had little or no money and the
few banks in the country were loan
ing eastern money at Is per cent. up,
and few had anything on which they
could borrow money. most OF the peo'
pie being homesteaders getting a
start, and the loss of their crops took
everything. The settlers had nc
hogs, caUtle or sheep to speak of, and
when they lost their wheat, oats, bar.
ley and corn they lost all, but the
men and women who made up the
pioneer population of the seven coun-
ties representing the settled portion
of the territory in 1876, were of a
class who knew how to face pioneer
conditions and meet adversity with
stout hearts and untlinching purpose
and they faced conditions unknown
before or since.
Settlers in the drouth stricken re-
gion west of the river this year are
face to face with misfortune and
many may be compelled to seek aid
from more fortunate relatives and
friends east of the river, but in their
misfortune they can find help at home
which the grasshopper suffers could
not find because many were from
Europe.
The grasshopper ravages in Lincoln
county were as complete as in the
other counties, yet our people held
on, struggled on with light hearts full
of hope in the future. Yet some
were compelled to abandon homes
teads and others would have gone
away could they havs sold improve
ments on their homesteads, but no
one had money to buy and the chief
aim of all was to provide for daily
needs. The government finally fur
nished the settlers one year with a
supply of bacon, flour, clothing, shoes,
etc, which was distributed In this
county by lieutenant of the 17th u.
S. Infantry, and Farmer" Pelton, of
pioneer memory, went east to Ohio
and secured supplies which he for
warded to Canton for distribution,
and SO the struggle went on until the
hoppers left.
Well do we remember the cheerful
spirit of the pioneers in those days of
severe atfiictiGn. Dancing parties
were numerous and ball playing gen
erai when not catching hoppers in
hopper dozers," long tin or sheet
iron pan on wheels filled with kero-
sene oil, and as the Industrious settler
showed his big pan ahead the hoppers
would jump up and fall into the oil
and die, and tons and tons of hoppers
were thus killed, but it was like
catching rain drop in a down pour,
opiii iIoPC dhtt ohiblUiotI llClo Ullc pcO-
pie steadfast In purpose and every
pioneer who stayed on his homestead
and fought hunger and hoppers can
be classed among the wealthiest
farmers in the state today.
John Stephenson, today one of the
rich farmers over in Delaware town
ship, in talking with the editor not
long ago about hoppers said: "When
the hoppers got our crops we had
little or nothing to do but play ball,
and we played ball about every day
for we found it a good way to forget
our troubles. We had plenty of good
water and as the game went on we
would drink water and keep our belts
tight and thus we fooled our stomachs
until we could play ball all day on
water and go TO bed at night feeling
as contented as the happiest pioneers
on earth, but we managed to get
something besides water and thus we
fought the battle to victory"