The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1914-11-13

| saying. NOW JllaJ Ulle elecJlOM is
over, that the homesteader is about
through with his fall work. That
the days are growing shorter and the
evenings longer, it is time to give
some thought to Improving our con-
dition outlhere in this frontier coun-
try. How can we improve our con-
dition? What is our greatest need
| to insure our future prosperity and
advancement? There could be but
one answer to this question. We
need a railroad. We need better and
cheaper transportation facilities.
| Ever since this county was opened
up to settlement we have been look
ing forward to the time when the
Chicago & North Western railway
company would extend it's line west
ward from Winner into Mellette coun
ty Every year there have been ru-
mors that this extension would sure
ly be made during the current year,
but the year would pass and still we
would be without railroad. The
chances are 100 TO that no ruch ru-
mors will be started within the next
year with any foundation of fact.
For the reason that the great Euro
pean war that Is now on, has destroy
ed the market for railway securities,
and it will keep the railroad compan-
les Of this country more than busy
negotiating loans to meet their ma
turing obligations and to get enough
money to make the necessary repairs
on the lines already built and in oper
alton, without any thought of build
ing any new extensions. This is a
fact patent, and we might just as
well recognize it and not look for any
move on the part of the Northwestern
this year or next looking toward the
extension of their line from Winner
westward. We do not believe it is a
good thing for this country to build
up false hopes on this extension mat
ter. 1t is much better to meet the
facts face to face. But the fact still
remains that we need that railroad.
Under existing conditions there is
no inducement for tiller of the soil
to come out here in Mellette county
and try to develop this country agri-
culturally, Notwithstanding that we
have virgin soil, and with proper till
age, il will yield sbundant haryests
year after year, because the cost of
freighting the harvests TO the nearest
railroad markets is SO great that it
eats up all profits that might result
from the years labor. We pay an
overland freight charge Of 40c per
hundred weight on everything we
consume. Take the item OF fuel for
instance. 1t costs as much to bring
ton Of coal from Winner to Wood
as the coal retails for at Winner.
This is a heavy burden for the pio-
neer to carry 1t is fact patent
that this country will never settle
with permanent settlers, settlers who
will develop our great natural resour-
ces until we do get adequate railroad
facilities. Forinstance if we had had
adequate railroad facilities here this
year, Wood would probably have been
one of the greatest hay markets in
state, as it is thousands of tons of
the best hay i'm the world was left
standing, there is no stock to eat it,
and the result is that it Isl shameful
waste. Other communities are in
need of this hay and would willingly
have paid good round price for 1t,
but owing to the great distance we
are from the railroad, this capital,
this wealth, is absolutely wasted.
Had we railroad we could probably
also have shipped several car loads of
potatoes, perhaps one of ofonions, wheat
beans, and during the summer season
we conld have loaded several cars Of
as fine cantelopeS and Watermelons as
| you ever set your teeth in. Then
there are the shipments of cattle,
horses, and hogs Of which there would
have been several car loads, and this
year we could also have loaded few
cars of corn. Then there is the cream
and poulty industry that is hardly
yet begun. This is natural dairy
and poultry country, but it will not
be fully developed. until we have ad-
equate railroad facilities. These are
things that it behoves every resident
of this new virgin country to give
serious thought.
We do not want 30 be rated as a
dreamer nor as visionary person,
but in thinking over the situation
we have evolved plan that we be-
lieye is practicable, sound, and will
help us out Of our predicamens -Snd