History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 145

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198

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A LIST OF POSTOFFICES IN IS74

A list of the names of the postoffices established in Dakota Territory up to the close of the year A. D. 1874 will indicate quite clearly the progress of white settlement of Dakota up to that time. Such list is given herewith :

Armstrong County-Milltown. Ashmore County, now Dewey-Cheyenne Agency. Bon Homme County-Bon Homme, Choteau Creek, Clarno, Edwin- ton, Hawlyek, Marshton, Mineral Springs, Scotland, Springfield, Tabor, Wanari. Brookings County-Medary, Lake Village. Buffalo County-Crow Creek. Bur- bank County-Worthington. Burleigh County-Bismarck. Cass County- Fargo. Elm River, Haggart's, Norman, Trysil. Charles Mix County-Platte Creek, White Swan, Greenwood. Clay County-Alsen, Bloomingdale, Bluff Cen- ter, Burbank, Glenwood, Greenfield, Lincoln, Lodi, Meekling, Riverside, Saybrook, Vermillion. Cragin County-Dewey. Davison County-Firesteel. Grand Forks County-Frog Point, Goose River, Grand Forks. Hanson County-Rockport, Rosedale. Howard County-Fort Buford. Hutchinson County-Olivet, Max- well. Lake County-Madison, Wicklow. Lincoln County-Canton, Eden, Fair- view, Harrisburg, Maple Grove, Pleasant Home. McCook County-Rochester. Minnehaha County-Dell Rapids, Lake City, Pennington. Pleasant Valley, Re- publican, St. Olaf, Silver Creek, Sioux Falls, Skunk Lake, Split Rock. Valley Springs. Moody County-Brookfield, Marshall, Flandreau, Sealsville. Morton County-Fort Abraham Lincoln, Fort Rice. Pembina County-Pembina, Wal- halla. Ramsey County-Fort Totten. Richland County-Fort Abercrombie,

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Wahpeton. Stutsman County-Jamestown. Sully County-Fort Sully. Todd County-Fort Randall, Ponca Agency. Turner County-Centerville, Childs- town, Finlay, Lost Lake, Middletown, Ohio, Spring Valley, Swan Lake, Turner. Union County-Elk Point, Gothland, Jefferson, LeRoy, MeCook, Richland, Sioux Valley, Spink. Texas, Virginia. Yankton County-Lakeport, Marindahl, Nor- way, Oakdale, Odessa, Utica, Weston, Yankton, Ziskov, Gayville.

Postoffices also at Sisseton Agency, now Roberts County; Spotted Tail's Agency, Beaver Creek, Neb .; Red Cloud Agency, White Clay Creek, Dakota Territory.

DAKOTA'S FIRST DAILY NEWSPAPER

The Daily Press and Dakotian began its career at Yankton as a morning newspaper on Monday, April 26, 1875, under the ownership and management of W. S. Bowen & Co., the "Co." representing Mr. G. W. Kingsbury. It was the first daily paper to be published in the territory, designed as a permanent enterprise.

Dakota Territory was thinly populated. while Yankton was a town of about three thousand people. . As a business proposition, there was not such inducement as woukl justify the publishing of a daily paper at Yankton with the telegraphic news at a cost of $150 a month. But there was an early future that seemed to justify the project, in which the community of Yankton as well as the territory was vitally interested. This promising future was based on the early opening of the Black Hills country to white settlement. The United States Government was about to conclude a treaty with the Sioux Indians who held the title to the hills. and General Custer with his famous Seventh Cavalry had made an exploring and investigating visit there the year previous, and found the country rich in natural resources, including gold and pine forests. As the people of Dakota became apprised of this, they very properly assumed that there would be a large immigra- tion to Dakota in consequence, and visions of prosperity on a large scale haunted the minds of our pioneers. Word came from abroad of hundreds of organiza- tions forming for the purpose of going into the gold region, and as a rule they would come by way of the Missouri River route.

Yankton people and interests had been working to secure the lawful opening of the Hills country for over ten years, having information from the most reliable sources that gold was abundant in the region. Its early opening to settlement promised great benefit to commercial Yankton. It was the nearest railroad point to the Hills, and steamboats were then carrying passengers and freight to all points on the upper river including Fort Pierre where stage lines and freight trains would connect, and make the overland distance of 150 miles to Rapid City. in much less time than it could be made by any other route. The entire trip over- land from Yankton could also be made through a country abounding in wood, water and grass the entire distance. Yankton had been well advertised as an outfitting point and there was a substantial expectation that there would be a large immigration by the Yankton route.

This was the situation, and the business and growth that would come to Yank- ton as a result of the immigration to the gold fields was the chief factor in en- couraging the establishment of the Daily Press and Dakotian at that time, though considering the number of parties who were in a position to assist the enterprise. the home support was very liberal and cheerfully given.

Yankton, however, did not secure the advantage and benefits her location and facilities entitled her to, not however, through any lack of intelligent energy or foresight. The emigrants did not come in overwhelming numbers. The Hills had not been lawfully opened. The army guarded the reservation, and during 1875 arrested and turned back a large number that attempted to invade the In . 1 domain. Competition sprang up. The Union Pacific Railroad made Chevere. Wyo., an outhitting point, and a first class daily stage line was put of the route from Cheyenne to Custer City, while the intrepid enterprise af B nach

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was wholly turned in the direction of fostering their route which had the advan- tage being in great part north of the great Sioux reservation.

The Daily Press and Dakotian, however, managed to maintain itself, but was more a source of expense than profit. In October, 1875, it changed from a morning to an evening paper, making a saving in telegraphic tolls that was a material aid in bringing the receipts and expenditures nearer together. It again revived the morning issue in 1876, but returned to the evening class after a few months trial, and has continued to be an evening paper from that date.

GRASSHOPPER RAID DESTROYS THE CROPS

The Territory of Dakota was visited by myriads of grasshoppers, or more properly red-legged locusts in the summer of 1874, and a large proportion of the growing crops were destroyed. Immigration had been quite active during the two preceding years, and thousands of new homesteads had been taken and new farms opened, by very worthy, industrious people, who as a rule were dependent upon the products of their labor for the support of their families, and had not accumu- lated a sufficient surplus during their brief residence in the territory to tide them over the coming winter.

Dakota was not alone in this misfortune. The farmers of the neighboring states of Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota had suffered in an equal or greater pro- portion, so that during the winter following the distress became so general through the settled portions of the new Northwest as to resemble somewhat a national calamity.

The winter season of 1874-75 was unusually severe, and prolonged, with an unusual amount of stormy cold weather, and considerable snow, which added to the difficulties of the newcomers because of the prevailing scarcity of fuel on. the prairies, and found a very large number living in claim houses, without suffi- cient fuel and dependent largely upon the prairie hay to supply warmth for their households.

This growing destitute condition became known to the older settlers who had laid by a store of fuel and provisions for the winter, and a great deal of relief was afforded by them to their unfortunate neighbors, but as the season advanced it became apparent that the resources of this generous class would be insufficient to carry the burden through the winter, and they were driven to make the situa- tion public, and ask the authorities of the counties to come to the rescue. The response was immediate, and had the affliction been an ordinary one, no doubt the county aid would have proved sufficient to meet the emergency, but as tinie passed the ranks of those needing help were recruited rapidly, and the convic- tion was forced upon the officers in charge of county affairs, that they would be unable alone to stem the tide of destitution, which almost daily grew more acute and in a measure appalling.

RELIEF SOCIETIES FORMED

During the earlier season of the appeals for aid, every organized county in the territory had organized some form of relief societies, and had taken some account of the families and people needing help.

The "Dakota Southern Relief Association" had been organized at Elk Point early in the winter of 1874-75 and had been quite active in securing and dis- tributing supplies to the needy in all the counties during the winter. It was in charge of Rev. Geo. W. Freeman, of the Baptist Church. Full reports were made and published giving the receipts and disbursements of this association.

An organization was perfected at Vermillion, January 12, 1875. under the title of the Clay County Aid and Relief Society with M. D. Thompson as presi- dent and W. O. Devay, as secretary, with a full corps of vice presidents. "Its purpose was to canvass the whole of Clay County and put forth every effort

WHEELER .. BOWEN

Member of the firm of Bowen & Kingsbury, founders of the first daily newspaper in the Territory of Dakota at Yankton, in April. 1875.

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HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

to alleviate the suffering of our unfortunate poor." A committee was appointed and the following appeal authorized to be isstied :

Whereas, In the providence of God our people have been visited by that worst of plagues, the grasshoppers, and have lost everything they endeavored to raise, and in conse- quence are undergoing great want and suffering, and many, unless we procure and and relieve them, must starve ere they can procure another crop; and we find that our home supply is totally inadequate to relieve one-tenth the demand; we therefore ask in the name of humanity, of those who are able to give, to help us. We now need ful and clothing, and money to purchase many essential things; and shall need seed grain within a few weeks.

At a meeting in Lodi, same county, held about the same time, the speakers, H. H. Rudd, J. L. Fisher, Hon. James Curtis and Elder D. W. Chamberlain, toll the people assembled that from their own knowledge, gleaned from personal investigation, there were many people in the county who must have assistance now or starve. They must have food and clothing to carry them through the winter.

In all the counties sufferers were urged to make themselves known to the relief committees and their immediate wants would be provided for.

The citizens of Turner County formed a relief association, with G. W. Shelley, as president ; C. M. Peir, secretary, and J. 11. Shurtleff, treasurer. The association issued a stirring appeal, which in part recited that :

Territorial pride and moral heroism, as well as a want of concerted action among the people, has delayed our appeal until the obligations of a common humanity impels us to this action, for notwithstanding we possess an excellent soil and climate, and our people have not been wanting in their labors, we are now smitten with a common scourge, and great destitution prevails throughout the entire county. Many families are now burning hay that they need for their cattle, while quite a number haven't even bread, and nothing but the most urgent effort will save the people. We want partially worn clothing, bedding. boots and shoes of all sizes, stockings and stocking yarn, breadstuffs of all kinds, next for- getting that a little money will go a long way in obtaining fuel, medicines, and a little nour ishment for the sick.

Vale P. Thielman was appointed to take charge of supplies.

Minnehaha County organized the "Minnehaha County Aid Society," with Artemas Gale, president : E. A. Sherman, secretary ; and J. D. Cameron, treasurer. The association adopted a preamble and resolutions as follows:

Whereas, The ravages of locusts this last summer have caused a state of destitution in this county which should be met by deeds of charity and organized efforts for relief. therefore,

Resolved, That we organize a society, the object of which shall be to extend relief to the suffering throughout our county, and to provide, if possible, some method In which seed grain can be procured by those who are unable from their own means to plant or seed their land.

A vice president was named for each township in the county with authority to organize town associations.

A Firesteel, Davison County, a meeting of the settlers was held and the Davison County Relief Association was organized. A committee of five, con sisting of Luke W. Lowell, 1. Hair. R. P. Cady. M. Baker, and 11 C Greene was appointed to take general charge of measures for relief It was estimated that twenty families were suffering for food, fuel and clothing; and that seed grain for at least five hundred acres would have to be provided

A meeting of the citizens of Bon Homme County was held at the courthouse in Bon Homme, on January 26, 1875, for the purpose of ascertainin . the rum ber of families in said county, who were suffering because of the destru 1 9 of their crops in the season of 187; by grasshoppers & T Seymour " chairman, and George T. Rounds, secretary. The following named 1 -06 we're appointed to canvass the several townships in the county, Stel

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the number of persons who are destituite of the necessaries of life; and report the same to the chairman of the relief committee which is now organized at Yankton, on or before the 30th of the present month (January.)

The canvassers appointed were Joseph Zitka, for township 94. range 58. Joseph Stephonek, for township 95, range 58. Benton Fraley, for township 93, range 58. George T. Rounds, for township 92, range 58. John Stafford, for township 96, ranges 58, 59, and 60. C. A. Paddock, for township 94, range 59. This committee was instructed to ascertain, as nearly as possible, the amount of grain needed to seed the land of destitute farmers, and report the same to the chairmen of the meeting. The committee was also instructed to receive all donations and distribute them. Hon. Benton Fraley was elected chairman of the committee. By order of the meeting the committee was styled "The Bon Homme Relief Committee.'

The settlers in the western part of Bon Homme County assembled and drew up an appeal "for persons who had suffered from the ravages of locusts the past season, and are undergoing great want and suffering, it being mid-winter, and they being destittite of the necessaries of life, and our home supply being entirely inadequate to furnish the necessary relief." The appeal was addressed "to the friends of humanity in more favored localities." The appeal was signed by Luman N. Judd, chairman and register of the United States land office, Springfield : James E. Russell, A. M. Young. L. H. Mabie, E. W. Wall, committee.

Hanson County settlers held a mass meeting at Rosedale, and found after careful inquiry that there were thirty families in the county needing aid. This number meant more than 50 per cent of the population, that section being among the most recently settled portions of the territory. This county was relieved through the territorial society and also by the United States army committee.

The Legislature that met the same winter, January, 1875, enacted a law to "provide relief for the grasshopper sufferers" from the scourge of the year previous. The bill was introduced by Representative Harlan, of Clay County.

THE FIRST BOND BILL

The act was entitled :

An Act to provide assistance and seed grain to those settlers in the territory who are need- ing aid by reason of a failure of crops.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota :

Section 1. That there be and there is hereby appropriated out of the funds provided in this act. the sum of $25,000, or such sum as the act shall provide by the issue and nego- tiation of the bonds hereinafter mentioned, for the assistance and to provide seed grain for those settlers in this territory who are needy by reason of a failure of their crops in the last harvest, resulting from the grasshopper visitation or other calamity.

Sec. 2. To provide such fund there shall be immediately issued the bonds of this territory to the amount of $25,000, in denominations of $500, bearing date the first day of January, 1875, with interest payable semi-annually on the first days of January and July in each year. running for ten years, with interest at 8 per cent per annum, and principal and interest payable at the Fourth National Bank in the City of New York.

Sec. 3. Such bonds shall be executed for the territory, and under the seal thereof, by the governor, and shall be attested by the secretary, and shall be negotiated by the commis- sioners hereinafter appointed, at not less than ninety cents on the dollar, and the proceeds thereof deposited with the said Fourth National Bank of New York City, to be drawn upon the order and under the direction of the said commissioners for the purposes herein provided.

Sec. 4. Gov. John L. Pennington, Judge J. P. Kidder, M. D. Thompson, T. M. Sargent. and J. A. Potter, are hereby appointed commissioners for the purpose of distributing the funds herein provided, and they, or a majority of them, are authorized to purchase with such funds, from time to time, seed grain and other articles of necessity to the destitute settlers herein mentioned, and to distribute the same where most needed, according to the best evidence which shall come to their possession.

Sec. 5. Before making any distribution of such seed grain or other necessary articles, in any case. they shall require a statement under oath, or other satisfactory authentication from the applicant, of the existence of such necessity, and shall have power to make any and all needful rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this act, and for a faith- ful distribution of such necessary articles to the really destitute.

HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY

Sec. 6. Such commissioners shall, in making their distribution in any county, call to their assistance the county commissioners of such county, and it shall be the duty of the county commissioners to render such assistance as they shall be thereunto required by such commissioners herein appointed, and such commissioners may employ and pay any neces sary and proper assistance in and about the discharge of the duties herein imposed.

Sec. 7. Such distribution shall be made in time for the seeding in the spring of 1875. and if there should be any surplus of the funds herein provided remaining after making such distribution, such surplus shall be paid into the treasury of the territory to be usel as other funds of the territory are used.

Sec. S. Provided for the levy and collection of a sinking fund tax, sufficient to pay the interest on the bonds, and after five years an additional fund sufficient to pay said bond, at maturity.

Sec. 9. Authorized the territorial treasurer to pay the interest falling due on the bond. out of any moneys in the treasury in case there was not sufficient of the bond fund, to meet said interest payments promptly.

Sec. 10. Provided for the making of itemized reports by the commissioners, to be filed with the treasurer of the territory and by that officer submitted to the succeeding Legislature.

Sec. Ir, Authorized the governor to appoint other commissioners in case any or all those appointed in this act, failed to act.

Sec. 12. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage an l approval : Provided however, that the persons receiving aid under the provision of this act, when they are of age, competent to contract, shall execute and deliver to the said cu mmis- sioners their promissory note for the amount of the aid they may receive respectively, payable to the Territory of Dakota, dated January 1, 1875, and payable five years after date at the treasurer's office of said territory, which note shall be turned over to the said territorial treasurer with the report herein provided for, and shall be held and collected when due by such treasurer, and if not paid at maturity it shall be the duty of the district attorney of the proper counties to collect the same and pay the money into the treasury, and whatever moneys shall be received upon said notes shall be used exclusively for the redemption of the bonds herein provided. And provided further, that there shall be exempt from the process issued upon a judgment or in an action upon said notes, no more than three hundred dollars in value of real property, and $200 in value of personal property. And provided further, that no more than $50 in value of such necessaries and grain shall be distributed to any one family.

Governor Pennington vetoed the bill, in very emphatic and catistic terins, as will be seen by a perusal of his veto message, which follows:

Executive Office, Yankton, D. T., January 15. 1875.

To the Council of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota :

Gentlemen : I return herewith, without my approval, Council Bill No. 78, entitled ".An act to provide assistance and seed grain to those settlers in the territory, who are needing aid by reason of the failure of crops. It would be but a poor compliment to the majority of the Legislative Assembly to suppose that they were in earnest in the passage of this bill. or that they even suspected that the bonds provided for therein to be issued, would ever be put upon the market."

In the first place I do not think there is any warrant of law or precedent for the issue of territorial bonds; and in the second place, if the right to issue them was unquestioned, the recent attempt of the legislative Assembly of Dakota to pass a repuchating measure would prevent the possibility of their being negotiated at even ten per centum of the dollar.

(The governor had reference here to the bill passed by the same assemely making it unlawful for the authorities of Yankton County to levy any tax for the purpose of paying the interest on its railroad bonds, issued in 1872, and which the governor had already vetoed. )

I am satisfied there is some destitution in the territory, but not near so much is J fw panic-stricken members of the Legislative Assembly would induce the world to believe. But very few cases of destitution on account of the destruction of crops by grasshoppers have been made known to this office, and while satisfied that some destitution alves evet my sims parts of the territory, I believe that it could all have been provided for by system itie efforts . and I did hope the Legislative Assembly would have presented a practicable plan. This hope, however, seems not to have been well founded. The hungry ask for bread anty di offer them a stone. You propose to issue territorial fonds and as I concesse, without authority of law, in the sum of $25,000, to procure food and send for such as require them. with a proviso that they shall not be sold for less than go per cent on the de Har . an tri the face of the fact that there are not more than a half dozen stat > m th [ r bonds will sell at such a figure. No southern of western state bond. now on the same command go cents on the dollar. We have never heard of a bond, plen mi 1 good name of a territory, being put upon the market.

Even were the bond you propose a marketable commodity. it pocti 1

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signed up, and put upon the market and sold within less than sixty days, which would be too late to relieve such of your fellow citizens as are now suffering for food, and who must be provided with seed grain by the ist of March, or lose the chance of making a crop the present year. And besides, in your eagerness to put a 90 per cent territorial bond afloat, you forget to make any appropriation for the preparation or printing of the same, nor did you name any one whose duty it would be to have it done.

Confirmed in my own convictions, that the issue of such bonds would be of doubtful authority, I telegraphed to the secretary of the interior as to our right to issue, and as to his opinion of the policy of doing so even if we have the right, and received the following reply, dated Washington, January 12th :

"My judgment is against the expediency of issuing territorial bonds." C. DELANO, Secretary of Interior.

If in the opinion of the members of the Legislative Assembly, any considerable amount of destitution exists, and they earnestly desire to relieve it, I most respectfully submit that in my humble judgment it might be done :

First. By a direct appropriation from the territorial treasury of a few thousand dollars :

Second. By an act authorizing the county commissioners of the various counties to issue warrants to relieve the destitution in their own county, and assess and collect a direct tax to pay the same;

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 145

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198