History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 73

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

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It was estimated by A. E. Chamberlain, who conducted farmers' institutes over the state during the winter of 1906-07, that about 26,000 attended such gath- erings. Mr. Chamberlain was indefatigable in his efforts and covered all of the leading and practical subjects of husbandry. He permitted farmers to ask ques- tions and in this manner brought out what they wanted to know. It would be difficult to overestimate the good he accomplished.

About the year 1900 Scotty (James) Phillips bought the Fred Durkee buffalo herd-about 100-that had run wild on the Cheyenne ranges and increased them until by 1907 they numbered 160 full grown animals and 30 calves, all full blood. By this time they were valued at $500 each. From time to time he sold small herds to the park boards of the country, occasionally slaughtered one, and often exhibited them at fairs and other large gatherings.

In the fall of 1907 both the state fair and the corn palace show at Mitchell were highly successful with many new and attractive programs and features and a large attendance. In September anthrax appeared in Union, Turner and Lin- coln counties, but it was quarantined and finally suppressed; it had started at

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

Beresford. Later this year great damage was done to the live stock interests near Custer by the big grey or buffalo wolves which infested that region. State and private bounties to the amount of $40 per scalp failed for many months to check their depredations. Howard Wicker, an expert trapper, was employed, and succeeded in catching several of them. J. F. Smith, superintendent of the Forest Reserve, was appealed to, but could give no effective aid.

During the stock panic in the fall of 1907 the banks of South Dakota remained sound and unshaken. However, all or nearly all used the precaution of restrict- ing their loans and payments. This action was taken by the banks of several cities-Brookings, Sioux Falls and others-and was approved by meetings of the citizens. The bar association of Brookings endorsed this action of the local banking institutions.

The winter of 1907-08 was very favorable for the cattle on the ranges; lack of heavy snow left the grass free to be used all winter. At this time A. E. Cham- berlain held scores of farmers' institutes and was the direct means of spreading the latest and best information of the Agricultural College, the Experiment Sta- tions and the Department of Agriculture. He was doing more than any other person at this time to spread this information and put it into practice on farms. Gamble's bill for a Forestry Department of the Agricultural College was pend- ing in Congress about this date. Alfalfa had grown so in popular favor that by 1908 it had become almost a mania; it was the talk of country and town and even drove out customary observations on the weather at greetings and social gatherings. Nor was its popularity confined to talk; it was already being grown by thousands of farmers. Not alone was its feeding value considered, but its value and availabality as a soil renewer or fertilizer were duly admitted, appre- ciated and practiced. It had become very popular in the Black Hills region.

In 1908 the State Corn Growers' Association met at Sioux Falls; there was a large attendance and an excellent display. Boy corn growers made exhibits and were awarded prizes. The Food and Dairy Commission held an inter- esting session this year. There were eighty-four creameries and 538,661 cows in the state. The number of cows had increased, but the number of creameries was reduced by consolidation. Butte County had 25,722 milk cows and Stanley County, 18,877.

The growth of the banks in ten years was almost phenomenal and their growth revealed the march of prosperity in city and rural districts. The deposits are shown in this table :

STATE BANKS

1898

164

$ 5,467,000

1008

436

41,853,000

1898

$ 4,246,000

1908

28,253,000

ALL BANKS

1898

190

$ 9,713,000

1908

526

70,106,000

NATIONAL BANKS

The George H. Whiting Nursery Company of Yankton was capitalized for $100,000 in 1909 and was doing a large business. Mr. Whiting came to Dakota Territory in 1879 and the next year began the nursery business on a small scale fifty or sixty miles north of Sioux Falls. In 1883, as the firm of Dewey &

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

Whiting, they began operations in Kingsbury County and the following year at Esmond were ruined by a terrible hailstorm, but began again and prospered. In 1889 they helped to organize the State Horticultural Society, of which they became useful and prominent members. Mr. Whiting was its first president. They kept a general nursery and sent orchard and forest trees to all parts of the territory east of the Missouri and later shipped large quantities to the western half. The good they did cannot be told in words nor measured in benefits. In 1890 Mr. Whiting moved to Yankton and there his great work has been done.

In 1909 the short courses of the Agricultural College for farmers were (I) two weeks in agriculture; (2) two weeks in dairying; (3) three months in dairying; (4) three months in horticulture ; (5) five months in steam engineer- ing. The large attendance showed the popularity and importance of these sub- jects. The courses were a god-send to thousands of farmers who could get this practical information in no other way owing to the great expense, loss of time and unfamiliarity with books.

Secretary of Agriculture Wilson said this year that the period from 1898 to 1909 inclusive had "paid off mortgages, established banks, made better homes, helped to make the farmer a citizen of the world, provided him with the means for improving his soil and made his land more productive." During those eleven years the agriculture products had advanced from $4,417,000,000 in 1898 to $8,760,000,000 in 1909.

In 1908 the state common wheat crop was 2,468,210 acres and 32,686,421 bushels ; and its durum wheat crop was 162,384 acres and 3,081,359 bushels; in 1906 the bushels of durum wheat raised were 1,417,185 and the common wheat 37,967,090.

In 1909 Professor Chamberlain set September 10 as the day for gathering seed corn. Generally, it was ripe over most of the state by that time. He said that corn not ripe by that date should not be planted in South Dakota. Occa- sionally here corn was killed before September 10, though usually there were merely frosts that ripened the corn-checked and terminated growth. He said that the only safe way was to select only the best ears that were ripe by that time and so continued year after year. It was at this time that he urged again stronger than ever the establishment of farmers' institutes for women-domestic science, care of children, sanitation, social improvement, etc.

The year 1909 was excellent as a whole for the entire state. Belle Fourche shipped 2,558,000 pounds of wool and 1,600 carloads of cattle. The latter ship- ment was small owing to the passing of the ranges. This year saw great destruction of cattle and sheep by the big wolves of the foothills in the west. Hundreds if not thousands were destroyed by these pests.

The state fair of 1909 was the most successful in history. The total attend- ance closely estimated was in round numbers 44,000. All features and exhibits surpassed those of former years. Hanson County won first prize on county awards, and Clay County won first on horticulture. The live stock exhibit was excellent and the parades of splendid animals were notable daily events. Iowa and Minnesota were well represented. The large purses for trotting and pacing brought out the best horses in the country. The corn palace show at Mitchell was fully up to the usual high standard and the attendance was large.

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

This fall Governor Vessey at Chicago addressed the National Farm Land Congress on the subject, "The Call of the Farm." Government experts investi- gated the soil west of the Missouri River and their report issued in November held out the allurement that in time all would be cultivated with crops of one kind or another. James J. Hill in the World's Work published a series of articles on agriculture, that attracted general attention. One of his subjects was "What We Must Do to Be Fed." He maintained that the answer was the readjustment of agriculture and declared that the time would soon arrive when 110 man would be permitted to farm in slipshod and careless fashion.

The state had a very large foreign population, particularly German, Austrian. Swiss, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian and others. The Germans came largely from Russia where they were oppressed by the czar. By 1910 they and their children constituted a large fraction of the population. The state had Germans from Russia, Germany, Austria, Poland and Switzerland; Austrians from Au- stria ; Poles from Poland; Russians of Polish stock, of Slav stock and of Cos- sack stock; Swiss from Switzerland and Italy. Thus there was a weird and wonderful commingling of racial blood in this state.

By this time there were several farmers mutual insurance associations doing business in the state. The attorney general ruled that they must use the standard form of insurance policies.

In 1900 the state made 2,043,000 tons of wild hay alone; in 1910 the amount reached about 3,000,000 tons, of which little or no account- was kept and for which the state received no credit.

The army worm did considerable damage to the timothy fields this summer. Prof. C. Starring assisted in checking the insect. Gathering pine cones in the Black Hills was profitable. By this time the eastern and western parts of the state were nearer neighbors and were getting better acquainted than ever before. The railway extensions westward introduced the two sections to each other. In th fall Sioux Falls made preparations to open a real packing plant and to establish a "Packingtown." This goal has been the dream and aim of that city for thirty years. The high prices of cattle and hogs-in fact of all farm products- gave the state, which was already prosperous, such a flood of prosperity, as had never been dreamed of by the oldest and most exacting resident before this date. Farmers everywhere began to drive automobiles, issue checks on banks, buy new houses and farms and sheds, buy victrolas and player pianos, visit their old homes in the East and send their sons and daughters to college. On many farms silos could be seen lifting their pagoda-like roofs above barns and other buildings. Comfort in great glee said farewell to hardship.

The census of 1910 gave the state a population of 583,888, an increase of 182,318 over 1900. This entitled the state to an additional congressman. The corn crop was 76,471,000 bushels, wheat 35,360,000 bushels, oats 41,287,000 bushels, barley 18,593,800 bushels, speltz 3,500,000 bushels, flax seed 4,000,000 bushels, rye 600,000 bushels, potatoes, vegetables and fruits worth $3,000,000, hay 2,750,000 tons, dairy products worth $8,750,000, poultry and eggs worth $6,000,000, live stock worth $49,137,000, wool and hides worth $850,000; min- erals and stone worth $7,500,000. The decrease was due to the falling off in grains, fruit and potatoes. But there was a substantial gain in the bank deposits -individual $6,941,859. The automobile licenses numbered 4,962.

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

The state fair this year surpassed all others. The total receipts amounted to $24,687.30. On Thursday they amounted to $9,451.25. The departments of poultry, dairy, horticulture, agriculture, women, machinery and live stock were better than ever. Among the horses were Percherons, Clydesdales, Shires, Bel- gians, Coach, Morgan, ponies, mules and asses. Among the cattle were Short- horns, Herefords, Aberdeen Angus, Galloways, Red Polled and Holstein-Frie- sian. Among the hogs were Duroc Jerseys, Poland Chinas, Large Yorkshires, Hampshires, Chester Whites, Berkshires and Tamworth. Among the sheep were Shropshires and Oxford Downs. The poultry were represented by all varieties of chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, guineas, pheasants, pigeons. Rab- bits or hares were also shown. There was a larger attendance of interested farmers than ever before. The third day was woman suffrage day, there being a large attendance of all favoring that movement. At last the state fair was becoming a credit to the citizens. Other important events this year were the Mitchell Corn Palace, the Gas Belt Exposition at Pierre and the Corn and Grain Growers meeting at Mitchell.

The citizens themselves could not do otherwise than marvel at the evidences of prosperity everywhere apparent. A delightful change had come over the spirit of their dreams-the full blush of the rosy morning of prosperity with scarcely a cloud to be seen and tinted with silver lining. At last they could proudly lift their heads from tear-stained pillows and open their eyes and hearts to the cheering salutations of success, to the warm hand clasp of loftier ideals. But the way had been long, muddy, and sorrow stricken.

Early in 1911 Governor Vessey appointed the Good Roads Commission and directed that they convene at Aberdeen on October 26th. This year, also, the Good Roads League was organized largely by Prof. A. E. Chamberlain. The Farmers Grain Dealers Association met at Aberdeen in February and passed resolutions favoring reciprocity with Canada, but objected to several of the proposed provisions. At the annual meeting of the State Live Stock Association held at Mitchell there was a large attendance. The membership was 407. A sale of pure blood stock was conducted and it was noted that the animals were 20 per cent better than ever before. The Swine Breeders' Association held a meet- ing at the same time-was recognized as a branch of the other.

By the summer of 1911 it was recognized that South Dakota was no longer a range state-that the homesteads of the farmers had at last pushed much of the sage tract farther toward the Rocky Mountains. This year the Legislature passed a bill repealing the old range law. Cattle were decreasing. Though the number of cattle was fewer, their value was 101 per cent higher than in 1901. This year the Legislature provided for testing alfalfa in every county of the state. It was admitted that land that would grow good alfalfa was worth $100 per acre, and Professor Hanson declared that it was the intention to make it grow on every soil in the state. Great was the encouragement of this prospect.

This year in May the Morrell Packing plant at Sioux Falls opened formally for business, but had been thus occupied some time earlier. The good roads law was in operation July Ist. By July the crop prospects were poor, owing to the lack of rain. Early in the year the new woman's party organization in session at Pierre passed a resolution favoring better farming methods. A wave of scien- tific agricultural education swept the whole state as well as the whole country

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

at this time: it invaded all schools, homes and cities, and everywhere short courses gave practical up-to-date instruction in all branches of husbandry. There was a real loss to the state when in July Professor Chamberlain accepted the position of development commissioner for the Great Northern Railway. The heavy rains late in July and early in August did not wholly save the grain crops, but helped materially in other ways. It was announced that diamond or red willow made good fence posts.

All the fairs and shows were successful this year, though owing to poor crops they were not as elaborate in exhibits as in former years. Many corn con- tests were conducted not only among the men but among the boys. Such contests took place at Sioux Falls, Mitchell, Aberdeen, Yankton, Gregory, and elsewhere. At the National Dairy Show in Chicago in October, South Dakota Agricultural College was awarded the first prize in a stock judging contest with ten other agricultural colleges. Russell Jensen of this state won the first prize in the individual stock judging contest. He was one of the team of three to win third prize and a $400 scholarship. The corn palace at Mitchell was better than ever if possible, and many thousands of people enjoyed the attractions, the exhibits and the stirring vacation. The state fair broke all records for attend- ance, there being present on the best day, it was estimated, twenty-three thousand people. In the county exhibits, Brookings took first prize, Kingsbury second and Sanborn third. Cromwell Dixon, the boy aviator, sailed around and over the grounds.

An extremely thorough test with alfalfa was made this year in every county and on all the distinctive soils-alkali, gumbo, rolling dry, good ordinary, valley sandy, clay, mountain and hill slopes, etc. It was ascertained that it would grow well on all except the alkali and gumbo and would grow on them under ascer- tained and stated conditions.

The law passed by the Legislature in 1911, cutting out the provision of free range from every portion of the state, caused much protest from cattlemen in several of the Black Hills counties the following spring. They claimed it would be impossible for them to graze cattle on the Forest Reserve under such a law. This dissatisfaction took concrete form in a number of counties west of the river and petitions for its repeal were circulated with the hope of deferring the operations of the law until after November, 1912, when the referendum on the subject was to be voted upon. The herd law as passed did not contain the emer- gency clause and consequently went into effect July Ist. The effort then on the part of the citizens west of the river was aimed to secure the referendum and would require, it was realized, many thousands of signatures. The stockmen, particularly those in Pennington, Meade and Butte counties, felt confident they could secure the necessary signatures. Later Harding and other counties took up the measure equally as active. Stockmen of those counties claimed that as they were the heaviest taxpayers there, even if they were in the minority of the popu- lation, they were entitled to this consideration. They claimed the herd law would work a hardship on them because they would lose heavily if they were com- pelled to sell their stock in the summer, or hunt a new location. They therefore were endeavoring to secure in addition eighteen months to two years in case the herd law was continued on the statute books. They tried to secure the cattle option plan for the herd law, but, failing in this movement, they made an effort to refer the whole question.

EARLY TRANSPORTATION IN THE DAKOTAS

SOUTH DAKOTA CATTLE SCENE

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

The process of reforestation was extensively pursued by the Government in the Black Hills in 1910-II. Up to February, 1911, about three thousand acres had been re-seeded in the Black Hills. The work had been commenced in 1905 under Supervisor Seth Bullock, who in 1911 was United States marshal. Tracts which had been swept by fires or insects had been replanted and a thrifty growth of young timber covered the devastated tracts. Supervisor Kelleter in the spring of 19II re-seeded about five hundred acres in the vicinity of Dumont.

The Congress of 1910-II located a new agricultural experiment station in Fall River County and appropriated $10,000 for its development. This measure was secured largely through the efforts of Congressman Martin and was what the whole western region had been wanting for many years. It was planned to develop here all branches of semi-arid agriculture, or in short, dry farming. In fact it became known as the Dry Farming Experiment Station. Here it was planned to learn what crops were best adapted for the annual conditions exist- ing west of the Missouri River. The law proposed that the county should furnish a tract of 160 acres, the soil of which should be representative of the whole county and the entire region west of the Missouri River as far as possible. The selection was to be made by representatives of the Agricultural Department. In the spring of 1911, local committees canvassed all the available sites, and having listed a number of the most desirable tracts, the representatives of the Agricul- tural Department were asked to inspect the same, select the tract desired and commence the erection of buildings. This was done speedily so that in 1912 great advance was made in getting started.

At this time Prof. N. E. Hansen of the Agricultural College stated that inas- much as the late Legislature had made provision for a limited trial in every county of the state of the new varieties of alfalfa which he had recently brought from Russia and Siberia, as agricultural explorer for the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture in his last two trips to Siberia in 1906 and 1908, the seed had been widely scattered in small lots through many states from which some of the best new varieties of alfalfa had been started from a spoonful of seed, and that, while he had no seed to spare in 1911, he could furnish a few thousand one year old plants to be tested in the different counties of the state. A few plants had been sent out in 1910 from which a number of farmers had averaged one-half ounce of seed from each plant which had been set in good garden soil far enough apart to permit good cultivation. Professor Hansen said at this time that his present belief was (1) that a success could be made of alfalfa culture in every part of the state; (2) that the new varieties would be proof against winter killing; (3) that some of this alfalfa could be introduced as wild plants on stony, rolling lands too rough for cultivation. "Please remember that land upon which good alfalfa can be grown is worth $100 and more per acre." He had recently offered through the state press to send ten plants free to the first ten applicants in each county, providing they would describe the character of their soil, and would state whether they wished the plant for hay or pasture. Many applications for these plants were received.

The first hog killed in the Morrell Packing Plant at Sioux Falls was slaughtered early in May, 1911. Soon thereafter the plant received large num- bers of hogs and cattle for packing purposes. They started with 200 employes and gradually increased until they slaughtered from five hundred to eight hun-

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

dred hogs daily. The plant was large enough to accommodate 2,000 hogs a day after certain equipments had been added. The company before this had employed about fifty men in the old plant all of whom were retained for work in the larger establishment.

In the spring of 1911 the entire Black Hills region took extra precautions against loss of timber by fires. Preventive measures were taken everywhere and in this movement the railroads joined at a considerable expenditure. The com- pany ordered a number of motor cars and planned to have men with tools on one of these cars follow each train on the Black Hills division during dry weather, for the purposes of extinguishing fires started by the engine. One car was sent to Edgmont and had a speed capacity of forty miles per hour. The forest service likewise took precautions by saving time and checking fires as soon as they were started. Signal stations were established at conspicuous points throughout the region so as to secure help with the least possible delay. At this time the Bur- lington road made Edgton a feeding station for the accommodation of shippers, and erected there stock yards to accommodate an entire train load of cattle and later increased the capacity.

Early in January, 1912, it was very cold, the mercury dropping to 30° below zero at Sioux Falls and to 39° below, at Aberdeen. Other places also showed intense cold, though the intense period was short. It was about this time that Sulzberger & Sons announced their intentions to build a packing plant at Sioux Falls and open the same about February Ist, and to erect an abattoir to cost $1,000,000. Public meetings were held by the citizens to voice their delight at . the prospect, because it was realized that this was another giant stride in indus- trial advance.

At the South Dakota Corn Show held at Mitchell in January, 1912, Ernest Sorenson, aged thirteen years, took the grand sweepstakes prize for corn growing, showing the best ten ears. He secured the seed from Mrs. K. M. French, county superintendent, at Elk Point. She obtained it from John Thompson, who lived three miles from that city.

This year (1912) seed train specials were run over all the railroads of the state. They bore samples of all the leading seeds-good and bad, had trays to show how to test seed and were managed by expert grain growers and seed specialists.

At this time there were pending in Congress field demonstration bills, one of which provided for an appropriation of $3,000,000; this bill was favored by the State Bankers Association. At this time also Sears Roebuck & Co. of Chi- cago, donated $1,000,000 to the cause of agriculture ostensibly but to boost its trade with the farmer actually. The International Harvester Co. had recently appropriated a like amount for similar business reasons. About this time South Dakota sent representatives to the Northwest Development Congress at Seattle "to plan a campaign and suggest legislation that would assist the northwestern states to a more rapid development and would stem the tide of emigration from the United States to Canada."

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History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 73

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146