The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-04-18
LARGE ACREAGE OPEN
TOTAL OF 1872 ACRES IN
SOUTH DAKOTA SUBJECT
TO HOMESTEAD.

Element In South Dakota. Most OF this
acreage is, Of course, west OF the Mis-
souri, river, but there are about 5000
acres still covered by the homestead
law which lie east of the river. All of
this is included in the Pierre land dis
trict. 1t is described as rough and
hilly or low and wet.
Residents of Hayti who have re-
turned from Lake Norden, which for
some years has been one of the finest
bodies OF water in that part Of the
state, report that the high waters Of
through the outlet of the lake and
that If something Is not done to stop
this there will be a deep channel
which will perhaps. entirely drain the
lake and ruin it. Those who wish to
see the lake preserved will strive to
prevent further cutting of the chan.
mel by constructing the spillway from
the lake in a proper manner. If this
is done, it is said, the cutting Of the
channel would stop and the lake be
preserved.
School lands to the extent Of 5000
acres were offered for sale at Winner
by E. knight, commissioner of South
Dakota school and public lands. The
land, all located in Trip county, was
sold in tracts OF 40 to $40 acres. The
lands had been appraised at SIS to
$3.50 per acre and the prices at which
they sold were in excess Of the ap-
praisement. One piece near Winner
brought $1S5 per acre and another
SIS to 500 per acre. The land is UNI
improved and In most instances is
without fences. Neighboring farmers
were the purchasers in most instances.
Senator Sterling has returned from
Washington and will spend several
weeks in the state. He, will make a
number Of speeches on the question
OF a league Of nations. He is opposed
to certain features of the original GOV.
enant. He has been making an init
mate study Of the Monroe Doctrine
and what it means. He said the sen
ate would In all probability discuss
h peace treaty in open sessions in
stead Of secret ones. He has received
resolutions Of the legislature against
grain gambling and will present them
to the enate when 1t meets.
On April z, about $50 tracts Of In
dian inheritance land will be sold on
Roaahud raSorvatiop Ithaca colas -
made by sealed bids and on terms of
either cash on date of sale, or one.
fourth cash and the balance in three
annual payments at seven per cent.
The terms being according to the ex.
pressed desire of the bidder. The
tracts range from 80 to 800 acres in
size, and at prices from S. an acre up
to $50 an acre. Among the many
names Of present owners are, Fsmale
Bear Sits Up, Bell Pail, FANNIE Blue
Legs, Red Pipe Dog Trail, Joseph
Doggy Track, Kills Him Alive, and Rat
Ting Iron, with many others which
sound peculiar to the white man, but
which are every day names among
the reds.
South Dakota farmers have increas.
ed their crop acreage by 3,618, 228 in
the last 10 years, it is disclosed in
statistics just announced by the de.
partment OF agriculture at Washing.
ton, and had approximately 95, 900
farms in 1918. With the same num-
Der OF farms in 1918, North Dakota
increased her acreage during the past
10 years by only 2,410, 244, although
her total acreage both in 1909 and
1918 was larger than that in South
Dakota.
Arrangements have been completed
for the operation Of two ferry boats
at Pierre the coming summer. This
the best crossing facilities for
automobile traffic Of any place in the
state. With the train transfer service
at regular hours through the day and
the ferry service operating independ.
emily, the tourist will not need to wait
long at any time to get across the
Missouri when he reaches either
Pierre or Fort Pierre.
A civics club has been formed
among the women Of Hot Springs,
which has as its object the study OF
government, as we'll as Of local mat.
ters which will fit them to take an
intelligent part in the exercise OF the
franchise. At the last meeting of the
club a discussion was held of the pro.
posed establishment Of a community
center, which is to be submitted to
the voters at the April election.
1t is announced that the American
Mica Products company, Of New York,
has purchased two mica claims To-
Gated nea Oreville. 1t is stated that
the company will equip and open a
mica splitting factory at Custer. Near.
ly the entire output Of the mica mines
of the Black Hills. all of which are
situated in the vicinity of Custer, is
said to have been contracted for in
the eastern markets.