The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-29
OIL EXClTEM ENTkGAIW
AMPLE MONEY HAS BEEN SUB
SCRiBED FOR THE WORK
AT FAITH.

The Bixby and Faith districts, north.
east CT the Black Hills, are scenes Of
the latest oil excitement in western
South Dakota. An expert from the
Edgemont oil fields, who has lust Wis.
tied the oil prospects in the vicinity
OF Bixby expresses the belief that the
dome which has attracted attention is
a good II and that the prospect for
oil Is excellent. At Faith, which is
only a short distance from the new
field, there is a great deal of excite.
ment and ample money has been sub.
scribad to exploit the supposed oil
fields and definitely determine whether
Or not oil can be found in paying
quantities. Portable rigs, with a capac-
ity OF drilling 5000 feet into the bow.
els OF the earth, if necessary, will be
taken TO he scene Of the new oil
excitement for the purpose of develop
ing the fields by the drilling of wells.
The forthcoming report Of the state
fire marshal will show figures of fire
losses for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1918, and June 80, 1919, with the
comparative summary. For the first
fiscal year there were fifteen elevator
fires with a loss Of $190,258.39 and 579
miscellaneous fires with a loss of ST.
403,Z5O.46. For the second year there
were five elevator fires with a loss Of
1850, and AT miscellaneous fires
with a loss of STAT 1851. This re-
duction Of practically SO per cent in
fire loss is attributed to a large extent
to the fire prevention campaign which
Is carried on every day by the depart,
ment.
\ number Of state departments are
finding it hard to secure and hold EN-.
ployecs under the salary restrictions
placed by the legislature. Pay is so
much higher in many lines Of private
employment that the private employer
gets the men. One Of the latest is the
head Of the engineering department al
the state agricultural college stepping
out to take the position Of county high
way engineer as a better paying job.
In fact counties generally are paying
more than the state highway depart.
ment can pay for like work.
Federal agents state that special
men are to placed in the field with
autos and every effort made to en-.
force the game laws. 1t has been re.
ported from certain sections Of this
state that birds have already been
slaughtered. The open season for prai.
RE chickens begins September 16 and
continues until the close Of October Is
The duck season opens on the same
day and remains open until Deem
Der /.
The supreme court has sustained the
validity Of the suffrage amendment to
the constitution adopted at the last
general election and incidentally all
other amendments adopted at the cleo
ton. This ruling was in the Hutchin.
son county sheriff case where Kari
Schmidt was elected as sheriff, but
had never completed his citizenship
The decision acts as an custer SO far
as Schmidt acting as sheriff is con
cerned.
The residents of Garretson have
petitioned the county commissioners
to construct a modern road from the
corporate limits of the town to the
Minnesota line, there connecting with
state roads in Minnesota. An exten
sive road improvement program has
beer arranged in M~innehaha. county
and the petitioners ask that an add
ton of the two miles east from Gar
retson to be added to the original
The commissioners of Bonhomme
county will be petitioned to make an
appropriation for the erection OF a sol.
dier's memorial in honor of the Bon.
homme county young men who lost
their lives in the world war n those
who served their country during that
time. The exact form Of the memorial
has not beer determined upon, but that
it will be erected in Tyndall, which is
the county seat, is assured.
All former records for the total
amount of wool marketed in Belle
Fourche were broken during the wool
marketing season which has closed
Approximately 1000, 900 pounds OF
wool were handled by buyers during
the present season. One warehouse
alone handled 1900 900 pounds. The
wool was sold at an average price OF
from 571a cents to 5S cents per pound
Preparation Of the old One Hundred
and Forty-seventh field artillery regi
ment in South Dakota, as a part OF
this states share in the new national
guard, which the war department is or
ganizing, is forecast in dispatches re
ceived from Adjt. Gen. Morris, at Red
field.
No trace has yet been found of un
known yeggmen, who entered the post
office at Elkton, blew the safe and es
capped with 5000 in stamps and money
1t is believed they were provided with
q high powered automobile.
Miss Marie Toohey, a young woman
of Sioux Falls, has been selected tC