Year: 1878

It may seem to be harsh accusation
that an intelligent comm unity arc sleeping
upon their elements and allowing their
day Of action to pass without labor. But
it does seem to us that the people Of this
vicinity are not fnlly alive to their inter
est upon railroad matters. The days have
not yet come, nor will they during the life
Of the present generation, when railroad
corporations will build to towns Of infer
ior size unalded, and without assistance
that the citizens are able TO render.


The towns of Canton and Beloit, arc
neither ofthat prominence, present or pros
pective, that will ensure them the construc-
ton of the McGrcgor or Pembina cxtcn-
sions unless the citizens contribute to the
extent of their means, Notwithstanding
many think one or both will come any
way. What necesait.tes, or will oblige
these roads toi build to either point, in or
der to accomplish what they desire or to
reach their objective termini? 1t is easy
to take the map, draw your imaginary
lines from their present termlni to the
points judged to be their intention to reach
beyond. It is both easy and natural to
comment upon the approaches to the
Sioux for the McGregor road, dispute as
to the impractcabijty of School Section
and Nelson creeks, and as to the imprOb-
ability of the selection OF the Fairview
route. 1t is equally satisfactory to those
interested to imagine or conclude that this
road will leave both Canton and Belolt
and rua by Tom Sargents place, and those
who believe that Yankton is to be their
Missouri river point,can with equalsrcason
determine the inc to be whe n built down
the Rock via Eden, and thence southwest
erly to Yankton, each of these have their
advocates and believers and can ad vance
good reasons for thei r belief.


The Pembina, also, will soon be com
pcted (probably this falD to Eden, point
from which it with equal advantage to its
owners can go up the Rock and intersect
the St. Paul branch that will be built next
year to Doom and possibly to Rock Mills,
or up the Sioux TO Beloit and Canton, or
up the Pattec creek to Sioux Falls, or it
would become al important tributary to
the McGreyor should that come to Eden.


Any one OF these contemplated routes of
either road are liable to be designated by
the railroad compsn ies,at the present time
we have no assurance which one will be
adopted We have long since concluded,
that when the McGregor left the Rock at
least, the crossing Of the Sioux river will
be al such point as the most aid is given
1t is the history of all roads, and why will
this be an exception?


The Pembina has been talked about 50
iolIg that its creeping pace acrth"a"dd :e
barely noticed. The people have wanted
aud waited for this road and have at diff
fercnt times manifested tn cir good will by
pledging such contributions as their means
would admit of. and had united effort
been made at the proper time, last spring,
the road would have undoubtedly reached
both Beloit and Canton this fall. No
blame can be attached to the Company for
the inactivity Of those who were able to
render some assistance, and they can not
be expected to run to our doors until the
business would warrant il.


The local quarrels that have occurred
between these villages have produced in
jury to all three, as we'll as to the county
at large. Stranger have been turned from
locating at either point, on account Of the
feeling prevalent or that some manifested,
and of late when from the great tide of
migration into Dakota some men Of means
have been drawn hither by the beauty and
attractlveness of our locations, in addition
to this unfortunate condition of local af-
fairs, the uncertainty Of railroad being
built has caused them to look elsewhere.


This review of sffairs was occasioncd
by observing the great change the COM
pletion of the St. Paul road to Sioux Falls
has made in that place. Five weeks ago
there was only the bed of the road, ready
for the track, and now mammoth eleva-
tor, a neat freight and passenger depot, en-.
CINE house, turn table, three lumber yards,
hotel, and other buildings have been
erected, and every yard is daily thronged
with teams loading for the country, while
the streets are filled with teams, and the
sidewalks and business places thronged
with pedestrians and customers. While
there Monday, we counted twenty three
emigrant wagons passing through town,
bound for claims in the interior of the
county and country adjacent to the Falls
The merchants arc selling immense guam
titles of goods, buildings are being cree
ted upon every desirable business lot and
corner. The Cataract House register bears
the names Of daily arrivals of gentlemen
Of means, looking for Investments


But the most unattractive sight to us
was the presence of SO many Lincoln
county men there. disposing OF their pro.
duce and making their purchases. True
farmers have right and will patronIze
the market easiest Of access and where
they can obtain the most for their grain
and stock. The trade that ought to be
held here is turned to the Falls now, and
the diversion is daily on the increase, and
when once established and those intelli
gent business men of the Falls have gain