The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1913-01-10


mist came through the wagon cover
for some time. We had passed one
schoolhouse after we crossed the river.
Wednesday we found our bedding
wet around the edges, as we slept in
the wagon and the cover was short
enough TO let the rain run down on
then turned west and came to an old
ranch with a fine house on it, also
large parns and two wells with wind
mills, one of which they used to irri-
gate their garden. Tney had nice
orchard and had lived there nineteen
years. The grain around there was
poor. There was telephone line
from Smithyille on through past this
place.
Soon we came to a tract of land,
where for miles we did not see a
house, bat there were herds of range
horses. They said this was state land.
1t was covered with short buffalo
grass. We watered the horses at
noon from ponds. This land ID high
and quite level and we had 4 good
smooth road for some miles.
About sixteen miles from Elm
! Springs P. O. we came to q large
white house, thst seemed to be q
ranch. We had seen few houses be.
fore that. From the ranch we went
southwest about three miles through
gumbo. 1t was good thing for us
that it was dry or we never could
have got through. We got on the
wrong road here and went mile out
of our way and came back and went
into the hills which are all gumbo. 1t
began to rain and we drove some dis,
Lance to find grass for the horses and
camped near ranch. We did not
see school house in all the days
drive.
Thursday was a cold and cloudy
morning. We wound around ON the
hills and down in a creek bed trying
to follow wagon track which was
quite plain in moet places as the wag-
on had passed over the ground in a
wet time and there were large rolls of
gumbo all along the way. Mr..
Clarke finally got discouraged think
ing he could not get oat of the place
without going back. 80 he left me
with the horses and went on ahead to
inquire the wav. After what seemed
t) me hours of waiting, with the
clouds aud mist rolling oyer me in
that dark valley, / grew desperate
and started on, driving up hill and
down, across creeks and washouts
and finally met Mr.. Clarke coming
back. asked him how the folks in
Montana were, for it seemed to me
that he had been gone long enough
to find out. After drying short
distance we came to what used to be
Herford Post Office, but deserted
then. There was a man and boy
there making hay and they directed
us out across Alkali or Warreh creek
which showed the white of the alkai
wherever the water had been and ther
dried, and on up very steep hill
We were then upon a leyel divide be
tween Alkali creek and Belle Fourcht
river,
The roads were very rough for ;
| tata or II
very fast. We stopped at place
where there was good water and TO
the first time filed our gallon ca,
with some of the water. 'rhe younl
couple who lived there said they alst
had a good sIring. The corn, wheat
oats and gardens were very good, bu
the barley was very poor. Houses
were small and we only past two
schoolhouces. They were having
school near Alkali post office. There
were ponds and dams all along tht
road hut they all shows The presence
of alkali.
When we camped for dinner we
bought some bread of a blacksmith's
wife, which was dark colored and
sour; we could not eat it and when
threw it to the dog. she would not eat
it either. The blacksmith's wife told
US that 10 bushels of small grain to
acre was considered failure there.
She also said we were % miles from
SLurgis. At night we camped lust
southeast Of Bear Butte, in the shelter
( of an abandoned house, which was a
large one; there was also very large
barn and numerous sheds. A strong
wind was blowing and some rain fell.
Friday mornipg felt induitrious
enough to make buttonholes in q
gingham dress while Mr.. Clarke
hitched up the horses and as we drove
along. We soon came to a place
where we watered the horses at a
spring. The water in the creeks
still showed alkai. Before we reach