USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 80
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At the meeting of the State Board of Railroad Commissioners at Sioux Falls, 1905, questions of much importance were considered. The commissioners dis- cussed the application of a number of independent oil companies for a change in the freight rates of oil shipments of less than carload lots. At that time oil was rated as third class freight and the petition asked that it be changed to fourth class. At the same date the railroad commissioners of Iowa and Minne- sota were considering the same problem. At this meeting the commissioners
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received notice from the Chicago & Northwestern and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad companies that they had decided to grant the application which had been pending before the board for some time for the construction of a track connecting the lines of the two companies at Elrod. At this meeting the commissioners considered the complaint of the Aberdeen National Bank against the United States Express Company, which was recently filed with the board. The bank people asked for better service in the matter of shipping currency. The express company had refused to receive money for shipment except just prior to the departure of a train. As the Aberdeen bank supplied many smaller banks throughout the northern part of the state with currency, they asked that the express company be compelled to receive the money at any time during business hours.
The Legislature of 1905 devoted more attention to fish than to wild game. The law relating to large game was amended to allow only two deer in any one year to each hunter. Each hunter was required to procure a license in the county where he intended to hunt and to pay therefor $2.50. The old law allowed three deer to a hunter during the hunting season of November and December, but under the new law both time and the number of animals were reduced. November was set as the only time when deer could be killed. An- other amendment to the game law repealed the provision which protected beaver until January, 1911, and instead provided an open season from September Ist to May Ist in which beaver might be killed or trapped. The general game law in regard to chicken shooting was left unchanged, the license being $10 and the season extending from September Ist to January Ist. One of the fish laws passed provided for concurrent jurisdiction of the officers of South Dakota and the officers of Minnesota and Iowa to suppress illegal fishing in any of the boundary waters of the states; and allowed control of illegal fishermen who dodged from one state to another to escape the officers. Another fish law amended the old law by rating carp as an outlaw and removing from it all pro- tection. The provision of the old law which limited fishing to not more than two hooks was cut out, and the line fisher was allowed to cast as many hooks as he desired. Seining and netting were allowed after due notice had been filed with' the county auditor as to the time and place where such fishing was to be done. They were placed under the supervision of the fish warden or sheriff of the county, such officers to receive $3 per day for the time spent in inspecting such fishing. Under the old law all fish under six inches in length were returned to the water when taken out with a seine, and no fishing in that manner was allowed, except for the purpose of securing fish for propagation. Under the new law there were no provisions for placing them back in the water, and fishing under official supervision for any purpose was allowable with either seines or nets.
During its session at Aberdeen early in 1905, the State Board of Medical Examiners thoroughly investigated the affairs of the Kroeger Institute at Epiphany, and thereby made a number of startling discoveries. The institute was founded by Father Kroeger, who died in the fall of 1904. Under him the institute had prospered greatly until, in January, 1905, the entire property was estimated to be worth about $150,000 and its scope of business had been extended to many parts of the United States and even to portions of Europe. Patients flocked here from great distances to become cured of their afflictions. The diploma of Father Kroeger was found to be a small sized document, pen-written
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and purporting to be from a medical college that, as far as the board could learn, never had an existence. It bore no seal except that of the State Board of Health of South Dakota. It was dated at Cincinnati in 1871. The singular fact was that on this so-called diploma, Father Kroeger had succeeded in obtain- ing a license to practice in the state beginning January, 1896. It bore the signa- ture of the superintendent of the State Board of Health who was in office at that tinie and who alone was authorized to issue such licenses. The state board also learned of many peculiar if not startling methods which had been employed at the institute. The woman who was the partner of Father Kroeger in the business was present at this meeting of the board. She explained that it was Father Kroeger's wish to have the institute continued after his death along the same lines as it had been before. It was learned that the only diploma which she possessed was given to her by Father Kroeger, and the board at once deter- mined that this should not be recognized. She pleaded hard with the board for permission to continue the work of the institute and finally handed them a letter tendering the sum of $1,000 in cash for a license permitting her to manage the institute. Of course it was not accepted.
In 1905 the state bonded debt amounted to $237,000, but the sinking fund on hand aggregated $255,000. "The current revenues for ordinary expenses of the state continue in the wretched condition. which has characterized our affairs for several years. At this date there are outstanding $400,000 of emergency war- rants and $550,000 of registered warrants. The funds available from tax collec- tions during the ensuing quarter will reduce this floating indebtedness to about $400,000, which it will be necessary to carry until the Legislature makes some practical laws relating to state revenues. The vast resources of the state under any rational system of taxation should provide ample revenue for every require- ment:" Historical Collections, Volume III.
It was disclosed in January, 1905, that not one company had left the state owing to the existence and operation of the valued policy and anti-compact law of insurance. Corporations and business men took greater care concerning their policies of insurance. As a matter of fact insurance rates were decreased under the law during the years 1903-4.
The report of the State Horticultural Society in the summer of 1905, by Prof. N. E. Hansen, secretary, was elaborate, interesting and valuable. The first annual report of the reorganized horticultural society had been made in 1904. That date marked the beginning of the dissemination of knowledge throughout the state concerning available trees, fruits, shrubs, vegetables and flowers. The secretary declared that many thousands of dollars could be saved annually by a better knowledge of these varieties of trees and shrubs and the methods that should be adopted for their care and propagation. The members of the society received no salary and paid their own traveling expenses. The secretary believed that a small appropriation should be made for the general expenses of the society. At this date the society announced the twelve districts into which the state had been divided and the fruit and berries which were adapted to these particular localities.
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
District No. I. All that portion of the state west of the Missouri River except the Black Hills.
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District No. 2. Counties of Campbell, McPherson, Brown, Edmunds and Walworth.
District No. 3. Counties of Marshall, Roberts, Grant and Day.
District No. 4. Counties of Clark, Codington, Deuel and Hamlin.
District No. 5. Counties of Kingsbury, Brookings, Moody, Lake, Miner, Hanson and McCook.
District No. 6. Counties of Lincoln, Minnehaha, Turner and Hutchinson, and north part of counties in District No. 7.
District No. 7. Strip of country about fifteen miles wide, along the Missouri River, extending through the counties of Bon Homme, Yankton, Clay, and Union.
District No. 8. Counties of Brule, Aurora, Davison, Douglas and Charles Mix.
District No. 9. Counties of Sanborn, Jerauld and Buffalo.
District No. 10. Counties of Spink and Beadle.
District No. II. Counties of Potter, Faulk, Hand, Hyde, Hughes and Sully.
District No. 12. All the counties comprising the Black Hills.
APPLES
District No. I. For each part of this district, the varieties recommended for the district next east are recommended for trial under irrigation.
Districts Nos. 2, 3 and 4. For trial: Hibernal, Duchess, Charlamoff, Wealthy.
Districts Nos. 5 and 9. Of first degree of hardiness: Hibernal, Duchess, Charlamoff. Of second degree of hardiness: Wealthy, Tetofsky. For trial: Anisim, Patten Greening, Repka Malenka, Yellow Sweet.
District No. 6. Hibernal, Duchess, Charlamoff, Wealthy, Anisim, Patten Greening, Repka Malenka, Yellow Sweet, Longfield. For trial: Christmas, Cross, Northwestern Greening, Malinda, Plumb Cider.
District No. 7. Duchess, Charlamoff, Wealthy, Hibernal, Haas, Patten Green- ing, Longfield. Winter apples: Walbridge, Ben Davis, Iowa Blush, Malinda, Northwestern Greening. For trial,: Plumb Cider, Willow Twig, Sheriff, Price's Sweet.
District No. 8. Hibernal, Duchess, Charlamoff, Wealthy, Tetofsky, Anisim, Patten Greening, Repka Malenka, Yellow Sweet, Malinda, Northwestern Greening.
District Nos. 10 and II. For trial: Hibernal, Duchess, Charlamoff.
District No. 12. Duchess, Tetofsky, Wealthy, Ralls Genet, Price's Sweet, Patten Greening, Northwestern Greening.
CRABS AND HYBRIDS
For all districts: Martha, Virginia, Whitney, Sweet Russet. For trial: Lyman Prolific, Brier Sweet, Mary.
PLUMS
Districts Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 and II. On northern native plum roots: DeSoto, Wyant, Wolf, Forest Garden Odegard. For trial: Aitkin.
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Districts Nos. 6, 8, 9 and 12. On northern native plum roots: DeSoto, Wyant, Odegard, Hawkeye, Wolf, Forest Garden. For trial: Olson, Aitkin.
District No. 7. On northern native plum roots: DeSoto, Miner, Hawkeye, Wolf, Wyant, Odegard. For trial: Olson, Stoddard.
CHERRIES
Districts Nos. 6, 7, 8 and south tier of counties of District No. 5. Early Richmond, Wragg, English Morello, Ostheim.
NATIVE FRUITS
Promising for trial: Sand Cherry, Juneberry, Buffaloberry, Choke Cherry, Gooseberry. All selected plants.
RASPBERRIES
Districts Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12. With winter protection. Reds : Lou- don, Turner, Cuthbert. Black Caps: Older, Palmer, Nemaha. For trial: Columbian.
District No. 7. With winter protection. Reds: Loudon, Turner, Cuthbert. For trial: Miller, Philadelphia. Black Caps: Gregg, Older, Palmer, Nemaha, Kansas, Columbia.
BLACKBERRIES
District No. 7. With winter protection : Snyder.
CURRANTS
All districts. Red: Victoria, Red Dutch. White: White Grape.
GOOSEBERRIES
For all districts. Houghton. For trial: Champion, Pearl.
STRAWBERRIES
For all districts. Varieties with imperfect blossoms: Warfield, Crescent. With perfect blossoms: Bederwood. For trial-with perfect blossoms: Lovett, Woolverton, Brandywine.
GRAPES
Districts Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 12. Concord, Worden, Janesville.
Districts Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 and II. For trial: Janesville, Beta.
The office of food and dairy commissioner, June 30, 1905, was one of the most important departments of the state government. Previous to the creation
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of the law in 1901, the state was a "dumping ground" for large quantities of adulterated goods of every description, which had been brought from other states. After 1901, owing to the stringency of the law and the active exertion of the commissioner, all this had been notably changed.
During the year ending June 30, 1905, the work of the department embraced the examination of wholesale and retail grocery stocks; inspection of dairy, creamery and bottling works; analysis of 256 samples of products coming under the law and the distribution of bulletins concerning the same. Prof. James H. Shepard had charge of the chemical branch of this department. Owing to the advent of the new liquor law he had made numerous experiments to test the purity of liquors and had succeeded in his task beyond his expectations, although no provision to pay him had been made. During 1905 the department was en- gaged in inspecting creameries in the northern part of the state, particularly in Roberts, Grant, Marshall, Codington, Day and Brown counties. Generally they were found in excellent condition as regards cleanliness. A few sanitary im- provements were recommended. One hundred and three factories secured licenses. A number of creameries had been closed as factories and were now being operated as skimming or cream buying stations as factors of a centrally located plant. The loss in the number of factories was more than overcome by the number of additional creameries in the newer portions of the state. There seemed to be a decadence in the cooperative system and the reestablishment of the original methods.
The commissioner made a thorough and protracted investigation of the goods handled by all grocers of the state, to whom were mailed copies of the new law and the rulings of the department in order to familiarize them with their require- inents. The law and the rules applied both to retail and wholesale dealers of the state. Similar circulars were sent to butchers, dispensers of linseed oil, and other dealers reached by the law. The determination of the department at this time was to put an end to the work of the "poisoner for dividends." The com- missioner noted that the new law of South Dakota on the subject of pure food was attracting particular attention throughout the country and that many in- quiries relative to its provisions and the interpretation given by the department had reached the state office.
As a rule the wholesale liquor law pleased the wholesale liquor dealers, who promised compliance with it in every respect, because they believed it would drive out of business all low grade concerns and build up their own trade.
Another conspicuous feature of the new law was the friendly attitude of the retail trade of all kinds toward the commission. There was shown generally a disposition to consult the department relative to questions arising from the sale of food products and relative to merchants who were often willing to take a chance by substituting a cheap and inferior article for a pure one. By this time the worst adulterations had been driven from the state, but the department had yet to combat the ingenuity of the unscrupulous manufacturers who were still active and were partly successful in escaping the vigilance and the vengeance of the chemist and the inspector.
Professor Shepard analyzed during the year 256 different food products, among which were the following: Vinegar, soft drinks, catsup, baking powder, lemon extract, vanilla extract, canned goods, colors, sorghum, coffee and spices,
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honey, maple syrup, summer sausage, mincemeat, lard, cream, flour, beverages, intoxicating liquors, etc.
The State Board of Agriculture, on January 16, 1906, made a full report to the governor concerning the proceedings of the Twenty-first Annual State Fair held at Huron. The board stated that the Northwestern Railway Company had provided cattle chutes and switching grounds adjoining the fair property. The location was within a few minutes' walk of the center of the city, and the grounds contained ample space for many years. Previous to this date the Cen- tral South Dakota Fair Association had occupied a portion of the grounds. The Legislature provided the following appropriations at the session of 1905: Agri- cultural and horticultural hall, $5,000; cattle barn, $4,000; sheep and swine pens, $1,500; grand stand, $1,500; artesian well, $500; trees, $200; paint and repairs, $300 ; total, $13,000. The horticultural and agricultural hall was con- structed in the shape of a maltese cross, 125 feet each way, was surmounted with a cupola and was given a fine cement floor for a foundation. The cattle barn was 70 by 150 feet and had stalls for 250 head. The grand-stand appro- priation was seen to be wholly inadequate to accommodate the public, whereupon the old grand stand at Yankton was purchased, removed to Huron and arranged to seat 4,000 people. The appropriation for sheep and swine pens was likewise wholly inadequate, but the board was equal to the emergency and constructed pens large enough and sufficient in number to meet the requirements and placed over them a temporary roof. In order to secure a horse-barn, for which no appropriation had been made, the board tore down the old cattle-barn standing on the ground at Yankton, intending to use the lumber for the construction of a horse-barn 40 by 150 feet with fifty stalls; but as this was seen to be entirely insufficient, they were compelled to countermand the shipment thereof. The horse-sheds that had been used for trotting horses had no suitable roofing, but the board secured for temporary purposes the cheapest patent roofing obtainable. The grounds were only partly enclosed, so the board built additional fence, made suitable gates and erected a small ticket office. The old building known as Agricultural Hall was improved and transformed into a woman's building. Other old buildings standing were repaired and used for poultry, hogs, etc. The artesian well was dug, and a beautiful lake was formed on the ground with the surplus water and the water was piped to the different buildings.
At this first State Fair the people of South Dakota were well represented and were earnest and enthusiastic supporters both as exhibitors and visitors. Pre- vious to this time, with few exceptions, the State Fair had no general nor par- ticular attraction for the people; but now at last the citizens were proud of the effort made and of the fact that South Dakota at last had a State Fair that was worth seeing and patronizing.
The agricultural and horticultural exhibits were the finest ever made in the state and among the finest ever made in the Northwest. Splendid exhibits were made, particularly by the counties of Sanborn, Brookings, Hand, Hyde, Hughes, Sully, Faulk and Beadle. The exhibits were admired by endless throngs that swarmed the grounds every day. Among the exhibits in which everyone took pride were corn, wheat, oats, rye, speltz, pop-corn, broom-corn, fruits, etc. The exhibits of horses, cattle, sheep and poultry were excellent. The horticultural exhibit surpassed every other. The fruits came from the southern counties and
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were the pride of every person present. The dairy exhibit was likewise of the first quality. On the largest day the attendance was about ten thousand. At this time the State Board were F. H. Smith; C. C. Moulton, H. S. Fletcher, J. H. King and G. H. Whiting. This first State Fair was a conspicuous success.
For the biennial period ending July 1, 1906, ninety-seven banks organized and thirty banks liquidated. At the beginning of this biennial period there were, all told, 264 banks in the state. Of the number organized during this biennial period, 10 became national, 12 were changed from private to state banks and 8 discontinued the banking business. There was a net increase of 70 after de- ducting those that had nationalized and liquidated. On July 1, 1906, there were 200ยท state banks, 13 banking corporations organized under the old corporation act, and 31 private banks, making a total number of 344 banks under the supervision of the public examiner. No trust companies were organized under the new trust company law. The volume of banking business increased at a wonderful rate. The resources and liabilities advanced from $22,000,000 to over thirty-two million dollars. Four of the banks that liquidated did so with- out loss to depositors. One bank which had not reported to the department since June, 1904, was found to have an impaired bank capital and to have made an assessment of 100 per cent, which was avoided, the bank liquidating rather than raise that amount. The depositors were all satisfied however. The county treasurers, commissioner of school and public land, secretary of state, state treas- urer, and all the charitable, penal and educational institutions except the Aber- deen Normal, were examined and all were found regular. The department was required in 1906 to make 788 examinations each year, but it would have been found impossible to accomplish this result without additional help. The public examiner, F. L. Bramble, called for a deputy. He made several recommenda- tions among which were the following: That a bank could not open for busi- ness until the department had made an examination to ascertain if the capital stock had been paid in cash; to prohibit the loaning of money to the officers or directors of a bank without good collateral or a responsible endorser ; to require banks to incorporate before starting in business and to prohibit the use of the word "bank" until this law should be complied with; to make the law more stringent regarding the purchase of real estate by banking institutions; to give the department full power to take charge of the treasury in case of irregularities and to suspend the treasurer if necessary for the protection of the public fund.
The report of the Department of Insurance on June 30, 1907, emphasized the importance of its work in South Dakota. The total amount collected by the various insurance companies doing business in the state during the fiscal year reached the immense aggregate of $3,311,699.49. For losses during the year they paid out $1,512,031.50. Their expenses were $125,591.47. The commis- sioner dwelt upon the importance of certain remedial legislation bearing upon different lines of insurance, but concluded to defer making recommendations until the next session of the Legislature. He noted that the state had been de- frauded out of several thousand dollars that should be received under the law which levied a tax on the premium receipts of various companies, because of the methods pursued by those who wrote insurance throughout the state without authority under the law. The commissioner was in doubt as to his legal attitude and duties in regard to the 40 per cent insurance reserve demanded of all fire
VIEW OF THE CEMETERY AT SIOUX FALLS
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insurance companies that collected cash premiums in advance. He believed that the office was far more important and dealt with much more intricate proposi- tions than the public or even the legislators apprehended. He called attention to the fact that insurance was the second most important interest in the compli- cated commercial life of the state. He stated that railway trade occupied the first position. Both of these interests, if taken together, far overbalanced all other commercial interests.
The report of the Vital Statistics Division of the Department of History in 1907 showed that for the fiscal year of 1906 the six most important and fatal diseases were as follows: Heart failure and disease, pneumonia, tuberculosis, enteritis (intestinal diseases), cancer and typhoid fever. The deaths from each one of these diseases in 1906 were as follows: Heart trouble, 322; pneumonia, 295; tuberculosis, 270; enteritis, 126; cancer, 130; typhoid, 175. The deaths from the same diseases in 1907 were as follows: Heart trouble, 366; pneumonia, 396; tuberculosis, 266; enteritis, 237; cancer, 175; typhoid fever, 80. Although
small pox was epidemic in several sections of the state during both years, but few deaths resulted therefrom. There were 34 deaths from whooping cough, 23 from measles and 17 from scarlet fever. The deaths among the Indians of the reservations from various diseases were in some respects appalling. The death rate varied from 14.7 per thousand among the civilized Sisseton to 50.1 per thousand among the Brules at Rosebud. At the latter reservation the death rate was greatly increased by an epidemic of whooping cough among the chil- dren and adolescents. The following was the population of these reservations except Standing Rock, which was not given under the census of 1905. Crow Creek, 1,075; Cheyenne River, 2,633; Lower Brule, 512; Pine Ridge, 7,476, Rosebud, 5,141; Sisseton, 1,900; Yankton and Standing Rock not given. The death rate per thousand was as follows: Crow Creek, 26.1; Cheyenne River, 23.1; Lower Brule, 33.2; Pine Ridge, 37.2; Rosebud, 50.1; Sisseton, 14.7. In all of the seven reservations, Crow Creek, Cheyenne River, Lower Brule, Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Sisseton and Yankton, the number of deaths from tuberculosis was 194, pneumonia 75, enteritis 89, whooping-cough 82. There were in the Rosebud Reservation 54 deaths from whooping-cough. Total deaths among the Indians from all causes, 767.
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