History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 81

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

USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 81

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The report of the food and dairy commissioner in June, 1907, showed advancement in this department. The last Legislature, that of 1907, passed many amendments to the food and dairy law, particularly concerning drugs, stock foods and cream. An investigation by the commissioner showed that many forbidden preservatives such as benzoate of soda, boracic acid and sulphuric acid were being used with codfish, canned and dired meats, fruits, syrups, etc. However, many dealers were alive to the importance of better products, and there was a general improvement in the goods placed on the market. The dealers generally were aware of the importance of obeying the laws, and evading the publicity which the commission was effecting through the newspapers, circulars, and otherwise. Important improvements in soft bev- erages and in all dairy products were features of this year's work. All stock foods were thoroughly examined, many thrown out and others improved. Under the drugs act great advance was made. The coloring of food was thoroughly investigated. The chemist reported examinations of vinegars, pickles, coloring

576

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

matters, extracts, beverages, catsups, spices, dessert foods, jams, jellies and canned fruits, canned peas, beans and corn, fish, meat products, dairy products, sugars, syrups and candies. The chemistry department was under Prof. J. H. Shepard. The commissioners expressed the belief that there was no protection afforded by the drug and food laws more imperative and essential than the law controlling the sale of drugs and medicines. Next came the laws concerning the adulteration of foods of all kinds, and the use of the so-called preservatives of foods. One of the greatest frauds not controlled by law, was the sale of the so-called patent medicines. Intoxicating liquors were often found to be impure and even danger- ous. Imitation liquors of all kinds were manufactured and put on the market to make money, even at the expense of the health of the drinker. Milk and cream products of all kinds were likewise more or less adulterated, imitated and rendered unsafe. This condition of things caused the state commissioner to recommend far more stringent laws and to insist that such laws should be extended to embrace articles covered by other State Boards of Health and by the National Commission. The commission stated that, while the laws of the state were more strict in some respects than in other states and even more exacting than the national law, they were still vitally weak in several important particulars and should be revised and amended. He opposed any law that would allow by technical defects the spurious compounding of drugs to evade its pro- vision and the perversion of its intent or purpose, and thus thrust upon the public an inferior article by the mingling of products or the ingenious manipulation of labels used to mark the goods. We wanted everything stated in simple terms and then to have all provisions enforced. He recommended an amendment for the protection of local creameries ; for a thorough revision of the food law; for com- pounders of foods and beverages to label their goods correctly, and for the adoption of a general drug law which would in fact regulate and control the sale of drugs and medicines.

. During the year .ending June, 1908, several meetings of the State Board of Embalmers were held, and all measures necessary for carrying out the laws were considered. One meeting this year was held at Lead. It was the second held in that portion of the state since the establishment of the board. The meeting was well attended and ten undertakers were examined. Since the organization up to date 212 licenses had been issued. Reciprocal relations with several of the neighboring states had been established. The board seemed to be well pleased with the existing laws concerning embalming. Several important questions came before the board this year and were settled satisfactorily. The annual meeting of 1909 was held at Watertown.

For the year ending June 30, 1908, the commissioner of immigration reported that he had made satisfactory progress. The office was new, the duties were not clearly defined, and hard work had not made the task easy. What he lacked particularly, he announced, was satisfactory statistics upon which he could base his future operations. In North Dakota the law required the assessors to gather the same information now needed in South Dakota. It was somewhat different here. No one authority was required to report all the details necessary to be used as a basis for conclusions and efforts concerning immigration. It was like- wise hard to present indefinite statistics to people in the East who wanted definite information. However, he spent two months in preparation and then issued a

577

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

pamphlet descriptive of the resources of the state, showing in detail its products both mineral and agricultural with cuts of public buildings, etc. He also prepared an up to date map of the state, and at the same time called attention to a strip of land, approximating seven or eight townships, located between Tripp and Meyer counties which apparently had been left out of consideration and was not a part of any county. This tract was marked "No County" on his map.

The commissioner used the State Fair as a basis to advertise South Dakota as a profitable and desirable region in which to live. He sent out over twenty thousand pamphlets, and from all directions came letters from individuals and concerns asking for further information. Clearly many people wanted homes, but apparently were not willing to come here until they understood the conditions. So great was the demand for this pamphlet that the commissioner ordered another edition of 20,000, the office retaining 5,000 and the other 15,000 being sold to large real estate firms which used them for advertising purposes. The advertising which the state received from these pamphlets as well as the write-ups resulting therefrom in newspapers and magazines in the East, vastly increased the cor- respondence of the department and served to awaken great interest in the state among homeseekers.

The state oil inspector in June, 1908, reported that the oil generally was distributed over the state in one barrel lots and that all was duly inspected. He showed that it was difficult and expensive thus to inspect independent barrel lots, but the system was not objected to because it seemed necessary. Pennsylvania oil came in tanks and carload lots to Aberdeen, Watertown and Huron, but the majority of state merchants reported that they were handling Kansas oil which had been investigated several years before and was found to be as safe and valuable a product practically as the Pennsylvania oil. Merchants were required to clean their tanks often, and every precaution for safety was enjoined by the inspector.

In June, 1908, the state veterinarian reported that glanders and farcy were apparently becoming more prevalent each year. Thirty-eight counties reported glanders during the previous six months, and in thirty-one counties unmistakable symptoms existed. The disease was considered incurable, and consequently the animals afflicted were killed and destroyed or were thoroughly quarantined. Mange among horses, a contagious skin disease caused by a specific parasite, was prevalent, but responded to treatment which consisted in local applications for the destruction of the parasites. Dipping in lime and sulphur was the treatment recommended. In June, 1908, it was prevalent in Hughes and Sully counties, and this too in spite of the fact that health officers and county stock inspectors had been doing their utmost to stamp out the disease or check its ravages. Until a few years before 1908, anthrax was comparatively unknown here as an epidemic, but in 1906-07-08 it appeared and spread rapidly until stockmen became alarmed. In the counties of Clay, Yankton, Turner, Union, Pennington, Custer, Fall River and Butte, there were numerous outbreaks of this disease, principally among cattle. Early in 1908 a case was reported from Clay County where twenty animals died of this disease on one farm within a few days. Soon practically the whole county was infected and the loss was very great. Vaccine was used as a prevent- ive. This year, also, an outbreak of rabies was reported in Potter County. Among several dairy herds in the state symptoms of tuberculosis appeared, principally Vol. II-37

578

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

in Grant and Minnehaha counties. It was known to exist in other counties, but little had been done thus far for its eradication. During 1908 the state was remarkably free from hog cholera. However, one serious outbreak occurred in Brown County. At this time Thomas H. Hicks was state veterinary surgeon. His deputies and their location were as follows: Drs. G. E. Arnold, Britton; L. E. Barber, Tyndall; L. P. Brewster, Vermillion; S. D. Brunihall, Redfield ; J. P. Foster, Huron; J. A. Graham, Sioux Falls; R. G. Lawton, Watertown ; G. A. Lester, Deadwood; G. A. McDowell, Watertown; E. L. Moore, Brookings; S. M. Smith, Mitchell ; C. A. Tuttle, Canton ; E. J. Ellison, Aberdeen ; C. Allen, Watertown; C. Williams, Waubay; A. H. Byron, Bristol; C. E. Trotter, Beresford; J. Halverson, Yankton.

The legislative reference division of the department of history was created by the Legislature in 1907, the law becoming effective on the following July I. In this division a special library of state documents was assembled, and all books and documents were definitely located and indexed so as to be available at the call of the Legislature. Material relating to every topic that probably would be con- sidered by the Assembly was here collected and classified. Previous to the establishment of this division, the department of history had voluntarily collected and supplied this material, for which at each session there was daily and urgent demand. So convenient and valuable was this matter that the Legislature ordered the establishment of the division as aforesaid, and a special clerk was assigned to the department to assist in drafting bills and in collecting material for the imme- diate use of the session. There was made available the historic debates at the time the state constitution was adopted. All the statistics and information which had been collected by the State Historical Society were thus placed at the prompt convenience of the members. A special force was assigned to assemble the census material that likewise was valuable to the legislative sessions and to collectors of data concerning South Dakota. The state library was amplified and was made an auxiliary of the legislative division. It had been specialized along several lines. There were the South Dakota publications; the products of South Dakota writers; everything written concerning South Dakotans; and everything written exclusively about South Dakota. There were a total of about two thousand publications, all of which were thoroughly classified. An important feature was the collection of everything possible relating to the Sioux Indians, so that South Dakota had the most complete library relating to this nation of any in the country. Many of the books were rare and out of print and had been secured from book-shops and old libraries. The important features of the library were the museum, the gallery of portraiture, the record of deceased members; the provision for assistants, the rooms in the capitol, the state exchanges, and the bureau of information.

In 1908 the pharmacy laws of the state, though rigid, were not exactly to the suiting of the pharmaceutical association. At the meetings of this organization, numerous recommendations were offered. The laws did not grant any discre- tionary powers to the board of pharmacy which in a measure was thus powerless to act. In many states four years' practical experience was required before the applicant was granted a full registration. In Dakota the law required but three years practical experience. South Dakota in reality was one of the first states to advocate reciprocity in granting full registration. The association, in order to

579

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

comply with the laws, required a full four years' high school course, or its equivalent in any good academy or preparatory school as a condition precedent to secure registration. The preparatory course at the State Agricultural College contained a complete line of study for pharmaceutical work. In addition the course prescribed sufficient incidental education to place a pharmacist among the well informed classes of any community. The state board at this time did not apply too strong a technical test of educational qualifications, but merely asked that the studies should be in conformity with the aim of the national association. This demanded that all who commenced the study of pharmacy and its allied branches, should first equip themselves with a good education, in order that the standard of intelligence among pharmacists might compare favorably with that of other pursuits and professions. All pharmacists demanded this educational qualification. The state board asked the Legislature to require that all persons who applied for registration should have attained the age of twenty-one years, owing to the fact that unless they were that old they could not be held by law to a full and complete accountability as pharmacists. The board stated that the law which was passed by the last Legislature relating to drugs and medicines and which later was declared invalid by the Supreme Court, was detrimental to the druggists in many of its features and of no practical value to the public. The law was aimed to effect a reform under the pure food propaganda. The druggists of the state warmly endorsed pure food and drug legislation, but wanted such laws to follow natural lines. Such legislation was a great necessity to the pharmacists of South Dakota, and a law that was constitutional and valid and that would restrict and protect the business in this regard was requested and needed. The' board at this time asked that, inasmuch as the Black Hills was now connected by two lines of railroad with the eastern and central parts of the state, that region should be given membership on the State Board of Pharmacy. All provisions of the pharmacy law, it was announced, were at this time well enforced in the eastern part of the state. There were a few points west of the Missouri River, however, that now merited and demanded the earnest consideration of the board. The development had been so rapid and the growth of towns so fast that the board had been unable to meet all the conditions enjoined upon them. At this time there were very few infractions of the pharmacy laws throughout the state. The board was making earnest efforts to improve the drug traffic so that it would be safe to the public and abundantly efficient in time of need.

Connected with the Pharmaceutical Association were two auxiliary organiza- tions, one of the Commercial Travelers and the other of the Ladies Auriliary. Both were fully organized, had officers and met regularly for their mutual benefit. In 1908 R. T. Wincott was president of the Commercial Travelers Auxiliary. The officers of the Ladies Auxiliary in 1908 were as follows: President, Mrs. WV. F. Michel; vice president, Mrs. S. E. Seallin ; secretary, Mrs. O. H. Collins. At the annual meeting of the Ladies Auxiliary in August, 1908, there was a large attendance and an interesting program. Among the exercises were the following : The History and Advancement of our Auxiliary, by Mrs. E. M. Jones. After the reading of this paper, Mrs. Jones was elected historian of the auxiliary. A paper entitled "What can be done by our members to promote growth and stimulate interest in our auxiliary?" was read by Mrs. O. H. Collins. The records showed that the Ladies Auxiliary was organized in 1902. At the request of a

580

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

number of ladies and through the influence of the pharmaceutical association, the object was to promote acquaintance among the wives, sisters and daughters of members and to advance their social interests. The committee appointed to effect the organization were, Mr. I. A. Keith, Mrs. E. C. Bent, Mrs. D. F. Jones, Mrs. F. C. Smith, and Mrs. W. A. Ney. The organization was formed at Flan- dreau, on which occasion Mr. Keith served as chairman. There were twelve charter members and the first officers elected were as follows: Mrs. W. A. Simpson, president ; Mrs. D. F. Jones, vice president ; Mrs. W. A. Nye, secretary, and Mrs. E. C. Bent, treasurer. Soon after this event the treasurer's office was abolished, because the pharmaceutical association offered to defray the expenses of the auxiliary. From this time forward the organization met regularly and was in prosperous condition. Their exercises consisted of literary entertainments, banquets and social programs of various kinds.

In the spring of 1909, upon the organization of the State Veterinarian Board,' Dr. J. P. Foster, of Huron, was elected president ; Dr. J. C. Trotter, of Beresford, vice president ; and F. L. Moore, of Brookings, secretary-treasurer. Later the board held meetings to examine applicants for admission to practice.

The inspector of apiaries in the summer of 1910 reported that bee diseases had swept sections of the state and caused much damage, but that the disease was practically under control by the middle of the summer. He believed that within a few years the inspector would be able to control the disease wholly and remove it from the state. Already the Legislature had recognized the industry and had passed laws for the control of bee diseases. The crop of honey west of the Missouri River averaged about fifty pounds to the colony during the year 1909-10. The increase in the number of colonies was about one-third. The inspector declared that people needed instruction in apiculture. This could be secured in the state schools and also at the experiment stations. The state inspector sug- gested that a few colonies should be established at each experiment station in the state. He likewise recommended that the state should have a colony under the immediate direction and control of the state inspector. The area where apiaries would thrive was being rapidly extended owing to the introduction of clover, alfalfa and other heavily flowered plants.

The state treasurer, in July, 1910, reported that he had encountered much difficulty in securing the prompt payment of taxes assessed against telephone companies doing business in the state, and that in a few instances it had been impossible to collect any of such taxes. He recommended that a law be passed to enforce the payment of such taxes and suggested that the states' attorneys of the several counties be required to institute proceedings to extinguish the fran- chise and revoke the charter of such companies. He also recommended that the tax assessed by the state board against telephone, telegraph, express and sleeping car companies, be collected by the different counties where the companies did business. in the same manner that railroad taxes were then being collected. At this time the duties of the state treasurer had been greatly extended by the Legis- lature of 1909. He said, "The era of progress, prosperity and plenty that had spread her mantle over our fair state, bringing healthful vigor to all lines of business, is being equally enjoyed by the farmer, laborer, merchant, banker and manufacturer and reflects a glowing promise for increased revenue to the state. This will be especially noticeable during the coming year, for the reason that sev-

581

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

eral hundred miles of railroad now under construction within the borders of the state will be completed and become taxable. This will necessitate the building of many new towns."

In July. 1906, the treasurer reported that the finances of the state were in excellent condition. The general and unexpected prosperity was reflected in the treasurer's office. At the beginning of this fiscal year the bonded indebtedness including revenue warrants, amounted to $637,000. By July 1, 1906, this sum had been reduced to $462,000. During the year $400,000 of former revenue warrants had been redeemed and only $250,000 of new warrants had been issued. The interest saved to the state on bonds thus redeemed before becoming due was $2,300. In the few previous years State Treasurer C. B. Collins had succeeded in securing the surrender of $92,500 in bonds long before they were due, thus saving to the state over $30,000 in interest. The surrender of bonds before they were due was not an easy accomplishment at this time, because South Dakota securities were everywhere considered gilt-edged.

The report of the secretary of state June 30, 1906, showed great prosperity. Nearly all domestic corporations were doing exceptionally well. The secretary suggested important improvements in the laws governing domestic corporations. He expressed the belief that the secretary of state should have charge of a long list of fees from many sources, and should have authority to collect the same in advance. He recommended that the secretary be given power for examining, filing and recording amended articles of incorporation ; articles of incorporation of religious, charitable, benevolent and fraternal associations ; annual statements of domestic building and loan associations; the annual statements of foreign building and loan associations; annual statement of foreign surety associations ; any instrument or paper required by law to be filed in his office; transcripts of any record, instrument or paper on file in his office; official bonds, etc .; each commission, requisition, extradition, passport or other documents signed by the governor and bearing the great seal of the state; appointments, etc., of commis- sioners of deeds; applications, bonds, etc., of notary publics ; official certificates, attestations and impressions of the great seal; the records of his office for non- residents. These were among the fees he believed should be under the control of the secetary of state.

During the biennial period ending July 1, 1906, 106 state banks with a capital of $927,000 were incorporated. Two thousand and eight domestic corporations with capital stock ranging from $300,000,000 to $700,000,000 were incorporated. During the same time there were incorporated 139 educational, religious and social organizations. One hundred and sixty-two foreign corporations had en- tered the state to do business. Eleven hundred and fifty-one persons were ap- pointed and commissioned as notaries public. At this time D. D. Wipf was secretary of state.

The state auditor in September, 1906, reported his department in flourishing condition. The bonded debt had been reduced to less than one hundred thousand dollars, and there were funds in the treasury to take up the remaining bonds as soon as the holders could be induced to surrender them. The wealth of the state was rapidly increasing, the assessable property was rising fast, and the aggregate valuation would be so great soon that the constitutional levy of 2 mills for state purposes would be ample for necessary expenses. He stated that the

582

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

best method to be employed to get all taxable property on the tax rolls was still unsolved and would remain unsolved until the taxing system should be radically changed. He asserted what was well known to be true, that millions of dollars in money, credits and personal property escaped taxation every year. He ad- mitted that the act of the Legislature of 1905 providing for a meeting of the county auditors and the State Board of Assessment and Equalization, was a step in the right direction. So far as getting more uniform returns from the counties was concerned, the results under the act thus far had been satisfactory. This was the second year that the law had been in force. Returns from nearly every county in the state had been received, and the result of this unification greatly simplified the law and made satisfactory the work of assessors, boards of county commissioners, county auditors, State Board of Assessment and Equal- ization and the state auditor. The law was designed to aid in placing on the tax books property which had escaped the assessors, and to give to either the Board of County Commissioners or the State Board of Assessment certain and definite powers to bring about this result. While the law was admittedly a good one, it had not been suitably taken advantage of by local officials. Through an over- sight, perhaps, no appropriation to carry the law into effect had been made. The act authorized the State Board of Assessment "to ascertain, discover and place upon the proper assessment rolls a list of taxable property in any county omitted from such assessment rolls or tax list or which had been omitted or concealed

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 81

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