Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1902 — SOUTH DAKOTA LETTER. [ARTICLE]

SOUTH DAKOTA LETTER.

Desmet, Kingsbury, So., Dakota., July 21, 1902. Mr. Editor: —I now have tbe pleasure of writing to your paper, m which, I hope you may find space, to print a tew gathered facts in regard to the’ country of S. Dakota. I hope my Indiana people and also my friends of old Jasper and Newton counties may deem it a pleasure and of interest to read the facts that lam about to relate. I like Dakota. No doubt our people of Indiana have heard about the “Land of Sunshine.” We have it right here in S. D. This is the "Land of Sunshine” without a doubt. I have lived in Indiana for 25 years, and, not being contented, made up my mind to search for that “Land of Sunshine." We have the land here that is pleasing to the eye; we have the black clay soil and it runs from 4 to 5 feet deep, and land runs in value from S2O to 535 to the acre. Of course, bv going futher west you can purchase land down as low as $6 an acre, you can get the most of this land by going and fileing on it. It will cost sls to file, and the people say it is just as good land as we find around and about Desmet. The climate here is fine as silk, cool and dry. We can see here over the country 10 to 12 miles. The crops are fine at present, all small grain can’t be beat. If nothing happens between now and harvest the Dakota people will bt right in it this year. Their wheat will make from 25 to 30 bushels to the acre, and also oats, barley and flax is great. Qats grow to the height of 4 feet. Dakota can beat Indiana for oats and wheat, but you will no doubt not be surprised to hear that this country is not exactly suited for corn, although the corn crop here is good this year. We noticed in your paper that the corn crop in S. Dakota was badly damaged by the frost. Whoever made that report made a slight mistake, for the corn here was not damaged but very little, if any, the corn doing fine for the country. In some places it is waist high. People here are not crowded for room. All the farms lay out unprotected by fences. Fences here are at a premium and also the telephone system is at a high premium. Fancy pavements and fancy streets and gates are coming improvements of the country. All the farmers need to do is to turn out when they get ready to make hay and go to cutting anywhere they can find grass. Pastures are fine and plenty. The principal business around this place is the dairying. It is a moneymaking business. You see, by having cheap pasture land and plenty of it. the people make hats full of money at that alone. This country can stand lots of dry weather and also it can stand "right smart" of wet weather. We haven’t had any rain to speak of since the early part of June, until the 19th of this month, when we got quite a shower. I have friends and relatives out in this country and they are doing fine and have all got good crops. They will get no less than 50 cents for barley 65, cents for their wheat, oats 45 cents, corn 50 cents, and we get about the same for our cattle and hogs as you do in Indiana. This country has plenty of horses of the kind, but I must say they can’t compare with old Indiana for good horses. Of course you can find now and then a good horse. Most of them is what you call the get-up-and-run-away pony. Now, as I am about to close my letter, I wish to say again-to my old friends of Jasper and Newton counties, if they doubt my word I would be very glad to meet them in this “Land of Sunshine” and I can no doubt show them some interesting and good places that wish to make money and get ahead in the world We are begming to harvest here already. Harvesting and threshing lasts here for over three months, and tne pay is from $2 to S 3 per day tor laborers, and hands are scarce. Yours Respctfully, Walter Linton.