Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1889 — THE DAKOTAS. [ARTICLE]

THE DAKOTAS.

Both New Htates. Will Hare Fine Public Institutions. The division of Dakota into two States throws upon the constitutional - conventions of the Territory more work than falls to the lot of Montana and Washington. The dividing line is drawn by Congress, but there are records, public property and a Territorial debt to be divided, and this is left to the two conventions to do through a commission. The conventions of North and South Dakota are required to appoint not less than three members each to form this commission. Such division as this commission shall recommend of jecords, property and debt will be incorporated in each constitution to be voted upon by the people. Each State will in this way be obligated to" take care of its share of the debt. Fortunately the debt is not large, and there is no doubt the commission will be able to agree on the respective shares. As to the property, Dakota has been so long preparing for the split that it will not be disturbing element. But it will surprise many people to learn with what an array of public institutions the two

Dakotas will start in Statehood. Each of the Dakotas will have a State university. South Dakota’s seat of higher learning is at Vermillion. It has been in operation only sir years, and it has grounds, buildings and ap paratus which coat slso,Oik). It has a faculty of twenty professors, and the enrollment of students during the year just closing was over 400. The university of North Dakota is at Grand Forks. It is not so large, out has over 100 students and nine professors. The School of Mines is at Rapid City, and will naturally go to South Dakota. North Dakota has little use for a school of mines. This institution last year had forty-eight pupils at work in its laboratories. It iB located where it can do the most good—in the Black Hills country. In the fitness of things the Dakota Agricultural College ought to be North Dakota’s, btfriCwiU not. It is far below the dividing line—at Brookings. With its farm, halis, laboratory, library,shops and 250 students, the college will go to South Dakota. But each of the two new States wilj have a fine normal school property. South Dakota will have the normal at Madison, with its massive granite and pressed brick structure,four stories high, 84 feet front and 76 feet width, and twenty aeres of campus. North Dakota will get the Spearfish Normal, for which the Legislature, two years ago, appropriated $25,0C0 to increase the accommodations. The School for Dsaf Mutes at Sioux Falls, the Reform School at Plankinton and the Yankton Insane Asylum go to South Dakota by virtue of their locations. But there is a North Dakota Insane Asylum at Jamestown, with new wards and improvements. Each of the Dakotas will have a penitentiarv—North Dakota’s at Bismarck and South Dakota's at Sioux Falls. Of course, there is only one course to pursue in dividing these twelve institutiofls, and that is to let them go according to their locations north or south of the dividing line of the States. South Dakota seems to have rather the best of the bargain, but there are other things to be taken into consideration, such as of the acres of school lauds. Then there is the Territorial Capitol at Bismarck in North Dakota. South Dakota starts without any capitol, and only temporary arrangement for her Constitutional Convention to meet at Sioux Falla. The bonded debt, whieh the two Dakotas will have to divide, is oalv $1,098,000. Against that the assessment roll for 18S8 shows the ‘ assessed valuation of property, exclusive of 4300 miles of railroad, to be $161,42 ',974 30. Certainly here are a pair of new sisters which the Union of the States may be proud to welcome. Almost any Western Commonwealth, recollecting the methods by which it acquired railroads and public institutions, may feel a twihge of envy at the happy condition in which the Dakotas will enter upon Statehood with a debt which is only a bagatelle compared with what others are carrying.