USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. I > Part 2
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143
CHAPTER LXVII .- The Taylor Defalcation-Senator Pettigrew Re-elected-Prohibition Clause Resubmitted-Governor Mellette's Death. 355
CHAPTER LXVIII .- The Pettigrew Silver Fight-Many Conventions-An Excellent Harvest A Severe Storm 358
CHAPTER LXIX .- Senator Kyle Re-Elected-Good Harvests and Better Prices. 361
CHAPTER LXX .- The War with Spain-South Dakota's Quota-Volunteer Organizations- Great Enthusiasm-The First South Dakota Regiment Makes a Magnificent Record in the Philippines-Details of the Campaign-Grigsby's Cowboys. 363
CHAPTER LXXI .- Civil Affairs of 1898 and 1899-An Active Political Period-Huron College Established-Governor Sheldon Dies Suddenly-Growth and Prosperity-A Fatal Fire at the State Insane Asylum. 386
CHAPTER LXXII .- The End of the Century-Great Forward Strides-Political Affairs- Railroad Extensions. 388
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER LXXIII .- In the New Century-The Legislature Passes Several Beneficial Acts- - The State's Productions Steadily Improve-A Goodly Land and a Goodly People. 390
CHAPTER LXXIV .- Brief Sketches of the Counties 392
CHAPTER LXXV .- Territorial and State Officers From the Organization of Dakota Territory. 408
CHAPTER LXXVI .- Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men of the First Infantry Regiment, South Dakota Volunteers. 426
CHAPTER LXXVII .- Third United States Volunteer Cavalry 455
CHAPTER LXXVIII .- Bench and Bar of South Dakota-Mckenzie and Laidlaw Early Ob- servers of the Peace-Col. Leavenworth the First Regularly Admitted Lawyer-The First - Territorial Judicial Officers-W. W. Brookings-Enos Stutsman-Judge Kidder-Bart- lett Tripp-The Wintermute Murder Trial-Many Strong Men in the Early Period- State Bar Association-Notable Publications 463
CHAPTER LXXIX .- Education-Zeal for Learning a Characteristic of the State-The First School at Fort Randall-Yankton Academy the First Institution for Higher Education -Fine Progress Along Educational Lines-Present Progressive and Efficient Methods- Statistics 470
CHAPTER LXXX .- Banks and Banking-The Fur Companies the First Bankers-Pierre Narcelle's Unique Repository and His Consequent Loss-Fire Bank Laws Safeguard the People's Deposits. 473
CHAPTER LXXXI .- Physicians and the Practice of Medicine-Medicinal Practices Among the Indians-John Gale the First Doctor in the State-Early Physicians-Laws Regu- lating the Practice of Medicine-Medical Societies 477
CHAPTER LXXXII .- The Dakota Central Telephone Lines-A Successful Business Propo- sition 481
CHAPTER LXXXIII .- Black Hills Forest Reserve 484
CHAPTER LXXXIV .- Gold Mining in the Black Hills-The Precious Metal First Discovered in the Hills by the Custer Expedition in 1874-First Comers a Sterling Class of Men -Geological Formation of the Black Hills-Other Physical Features-Developments- Classification of the Ores-Production of Gold Since 1876-The Homestake Mine-A Marvelous Career. . 487
CHAPTER LXXXV .- Odd Characters and Incidents of the Black Hills-The Hinch Murder Trial-Lame Johnny-The Passing of Fly-Specked Billy-A Bloody Good Mount. 496
CHAPTER LXXXVI .- Anecdotes of Judge Kidder 503
CHAPTER LXXXVII .- Scandinavians in South Dakota and Their Work in Church and State. 506
CHAPTER LXXXVIII .- History of the Holland Colony in Douglas and Charles Mix Counties. 509 CHAPTER LXXXIX .- Ancient Free and Accepted Masons 512
CHAPTER XC .- Independent Order of Odd Fellows 516
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XCI .- Knights of Pythias. 526
CHAPTER XCII .- Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks 534
CHAPTER XCIII .- Mission Work Among the Teton Indians 536
CHAPTER XCIV .- John P. Williamson, Missionary 540
CHAPTER XCV .- The Methodist Episcopal Church in South Dakota-Jedadiah Smith-The First Conference Organization-The First Religious Organization - Progress of the Church-Dakota University-Methodism in the Black Hills. 544
CHAPTER XCVI .- The Presbyterian Church-First Missionary Work-The Old Log Church at Vermillion-Rev. Stephen Riggs-Work on the Sisseton Reservation-Translation of the Bible into the Sioux Language-Organization of Presbyteries-Educational-Hu- ron College 552
CHAPTER XCVII .- The Baptist Church-Inauguration of
Earliest Protestant Religious Movement in South Dakota-Organization of Churches-German Baptists-Work Among the Scandinavians-The Baptist Young People's Union-The First Sunday School- Education-Missionary Work. 559
CHAPTER XCVIII .- Congregationalism in South Dakota-The Church Idea-First Work at Yankton-Dr. Joseph Ward-Early Efforts of the Church-The Growth of the Church Rapid-The Yale Dakota Band-Sunday School Work-Work Among the German People -- Redfield College-Yankton College-Ward Academy. 568
CHAPTER XCIX .- The Protestant Episcopal Church-First Religious Services Along the Missouri River-Bishop Hare-Division of the Territory into Missionary Districts-
Statistics-Personal Mention . 580
CHAPTER C .- The Reformed Church in South Dakota-Early History of the Church-Brief Sketches of the Churches in this State. 588
CHAPTER CI .- The Roman Catholic Church-First Catholic Service in Dakota in 1842- Father DeSmet and His Work Among the Indian Tribes-Early Churches-Subsequent Growth of the Church-Hospitals. 593
CHAPTER CII .- History of the Woman Suffrage Movement in South Dakota. 597
· CHAPTER CIII .- Personal Mention of Citizens of South Dakota 605
INDEX TO CHAPTER CIII
A
Abbott, George W.
711
Adams, Edward C., M. D ...
950
Adams, George S., M. D ..
694
Aikens, Frank R ..
894
Anderson, Hemming.
650
Anderson, Ole.
637
Ashley, Rev. Edward.
715
Atkins, Charles W.
866
B
Bagstad, Iver.
635
Bakewell, Samuel
849
Bancroft, William F
846
Barron, John.
921
Bartext, Charles H.
701
Bates, Charles P.
897
Baxter, George H
654
Beadle, William H. H.
716
Collins, C. Frank
Cone, James W.
712
Conrick, James O.
619
Cook, Charles
853
Cook, George W.
754
Cooley, James P.
797
Copeland, James A.
721
Corson, Dighton
903
Countryman, George E., M. D. 843
Boylan, B. T ..
947
Cramer, E. M.
744
Crisp, Judge Walter
631
Cummins, Burton A.
827
Cuppett, William M.
689
Curtiss, Asa E.
865
Curtiss, Charles N.
865
Cutting, Henry E ..
828
Cwach, Mike
780
D
Davison, Henry M
663
Dignan, Thomas.
752
Dinneen, Patrick J.
618
Doering, John
882
Dollard, Robert
802
Donovan, Edward F.
696
Downie, William W.
668
Droppers, Garrett, B. A.
917
Duncan, John
786
Dunham, H. A.
903
Dunmire, J. M.
807
Dye, Ellsworth E.
789
E
Edmunds, Newton
789
Elliott, James D.
804
Epstien, Ephraim
946
Ericson, Edward C.
632
Eymer, Conrad
665
F
Fales, Charles H.
823
Fanslow, Frank W.
858
Farley, John S.
684
Farren, Henry B.
620
Farrington, Henry H.
791
Faulk, Andrew
J
876
Forsberg, Nils
676
Foster, James S ..
949
Fowler, DeWitt C., M. D.
845
Fox, Lewis A ..
925
Francis, Charles
940
Frawley, Henry
847
Freng, Peder
746
Friederich, Christian
930
Fry, Gilmore
941
Fuller, Thad L
679
Brookings, Wilmot W.
923
Brown, Thomas H.
838
Brownson, Frank
773
Bullis, A. L ..
730
Bullis, Frederick J
729
Burhank, John A.
881
Byrne, William
752
C
Cadwell, Orville C.
898
Callesen, Chris.
785
Camp, Frederick
938
Carpenter, Cora W., M. D ... 702
Carson, Rev. Harlan, D. D. 872
Case, George W
853
Cassady, George
709
Cawood, Seigal B.
769
Cawood, Thomas
919
Cederstrum, John
657
Chladek, Loui
792
Church, Louis K.
735
.Clow, Lester H.
824
Cole, Howard W.
844
Collins, Charles B.
703
733
Belk, John T.
642
Beaner, John A.
762
Bentley, Lester H.
685
Berdahl, Erick J.
614
Booth, Richard H
626
Borst, William R.
825
Bouck, Thomas L.
680
Bowen, Frank
901
Boynton, Abraham
942
Bradley, James B
692
Bramble, Downer T.
910
Brannon, James H.
691
Bridgman, Hosea.
667
Brockman, Edward P.
686
G
Gamble, John R.
897
. Gamble, Hugh S.
672
INDEX TO CHAPTER CIII.
Garrick, Alexander
766
Gaskin, John H.
937
Gerin, Michael
720
Gerin, Patrick J. 662
Gilman, George L.
790
Glass, Wilhur S.
948
Gold Brothers
800
Gold, Frank O
801
Gold, James A
801
Gold, John T
801
Gold, Sidney R.
800
Gold, William H.
801
Goldin, Alfred
647
Grace, George
659
Grebe, Henry
818
Gunderson, Charles J.
723
H
Halbkat, Charles F
726
Hall, J. C ..
669
Hall, Peter H.
693
Hand, George
922
Handley, William
902
Haney, Dick
936
Hannett, James L.
871
Hansen, Thomas C.
920
Hayes, R. E ..
863
Henley, W. S. L.
939
Herman, John D., M. D. 768
Herreid, Charles
609
Hildahl, Wollert
890
Hill, Arthur G
771
Hill, Charles
808
Hill, Charles E.
708
Himes, Rev. Joshua V.
916
Hitt, Martin E.
SS5
Hollenbeck, John
636
Holmes, Harry A.
649
Hopkins, Hollace L.
680
Howard, Charles K ..
905
Howard. William A.
861
Huber, Frank M.
755
Hutchinson, Robert M.
916
Hyde, Charles L.
829
I
Inch, Thomas
740
J
Jacobson, James T.
874
James, Harry D ..
778
James, William H.
836
Jandrean, Mazar
882
Jayne, William
855
Jezewski, Alois 727
Johnson, Andrew 777
Johnson, Edwin S. 923
Johnson, Homer W.
934
Johnson, John A.
750
Johnson, M. E.
904
Johnston, George A.
851
Jones, David F
653
Josephson, Svante
633
K
Kaberna, Vincent
621
Kelley, Edgar
646
Kennedy, Edward G.
895
Kidder, Jefferson P.
893
hing, August
783
Kinyon, Holden
709
Kirk, James
670
Kittredge, Alfred B.
830
Kjeldseth, Ole
772
Knowles, Edgar
909
Krause, Gustavus R ..
923
Kriesel, William A., M. D .. 674
Kyle, James H.
612
L
Lacy, Ernest J.
819
Lampson, William C.
742
Lane, Leander 758
Langness, J. O.
615
LaPlant, Fred
723
Larson, John M.
737
Lasell, George
658
Lathrop, Willard A.
651
Lavery, Charles J., M. D.
821
Lawrence, Charles L.
810
Leach, Joseph
794
Lee, Andrew E.
901
Lee, John T.
837
Lewis, Ed D.
888
Livingston, Henry F., M. D. 854
Lockhart, John
826
Lockhart, Samuel S ..
676
Loffler, Charles L., M. D.
707
Long, A. D.
931
Lotze, Charles F.
721
Lowthian, Nicholas
I
681
Lucid, Richard.
905
Lugg, Charles H.
928
Lumley, George W.
820
M
McIntyre, William 938
Mclaughlin, John H.
774
McMartin, Thomas B.
864
McNutt, Hiram E., M. D. 832
Madsen, George 739
Major, William S .. 782
Mead, Leonard C., M. D ... 695 Meehan, Frank W. 677
Meinzer, Rev. William L .. 747
Melgaard, Andrew
786
Melham, J. O.
664
Mellette, Arthur C.
913
Mikkelson, Soren
777
Miles, Edward
675
Miller, Eudell
873
Miller, Leroy D.
707
Monfore, Edward J.
748
Moody, Gideon C .. 605
Morchouse, Eli M., M. D. 817
Morris, Walter ]
914
Mortensen, Soren
743
Mueller, John
S
881
Mullen, Frank
700
N
Nash, George W.
610
Nedved, Frank
780
Nettleton, Milo E.
944
Nieland, William L.
856
Nilson, Nils B.
918
Noble, Andrew J.
635
Northrup, Edgar B.
617
Novak, Vaclav
736
0
Olson, Edward
898
Olson, Hans C.
618
Olson, Peter O ..
.728
O'Meara, Rev. William S ..
643
Ordway, Nehemiah G
939
Orr, Alpha
891
Owens, John
904
P
Park, Hiram
915
Parker, James W.
736
Payne, Edward C ..
660
Payne, Jason E.
720
Peck, Porter P.
907
Pennington, John L.
931
Pettigrew, Richard F.
640
Pew, Fred S ..
661
Pierce, Gilbert
767
Pinard, Pierre R., M.
944
Pinckney, George H.
679
Platts, Henry
745
Porter, William G.
624
Powell, David M.
883
INDEX TO CHAPTER CIII.
Powers, William M ..
815
Pritchard, Thomas H. 913
Pusey, John 875
Q
Quale, Albert
702
Questad, Ole J. 687
Quigley, John
644
R
Rabbitt, William F.
678
Raymond, Charles F
941
Raymond, Damose
922
Raymond, William E.
855
Redding, Martin V
654
Reed, Newton B.
661
Reeves, James D
666
Reich, John
768
Reid, Alfred
900
Reiland, Rev. John J.
880
Rempfer, Christian
929
Renner, Leonard
893
Reynolds, Benjamin F.
779
Rieder, Gustave
776
Rilling, Fred
731
Risling, Philip H. 764
Rix, Theodore
735
Robertson, C. Loran, M. D. 867
Robinson, Ambrose B.
715
Robinson, Doane
907
Robinson, Richard F., M. D. 763
Rockwell, George D.
932
Ross, Charles H.
839
Roth, Henry
638
Rounds, William W.
755
S
Sagar, George R.
645
Sandvig, Hans H.
616
Saunders, Walter B
691
Schaefer, John M.
863
Schmidt, Edward W.
892
Scotchbrook, George P ..
850
Scott, Mark D.
698
Seeley, Lonson
623
Semple, William H.
622
Shaw, Alvin M ..
850
Sheafe, Mark W.
704
Sheldon, Charles H.
611
Sheppard, William J.
840
Sherman, Edwin A.
834
Sherrard, William B.
624
Shoemaker, Alexander
A.
798
Silsby, George A.
878
Simons, Harry A.
937
Slear. Peter K ..
741
Smith, Ellison G.
812
Smith, Ole H ..
714
Smith, William
H.
757
Smull, John D.
684
Solem, Ellef
936
Solem, Henry G ..
687
Sophy, Hon. John F.
952
Southwick, John
951
Spink, S. L.
885
Steiner, Jacob D.
788
Stelle, George D ..
648
Stewart, D. Grant.
888
Stillwell, Victor K
868
White, Edwin T.
860
Stover, Col. Lee
948
Strass, John F.
710
Strevel, Oren
920
Sutherland, John
825
Swartout, Floyd E.
652
Sweet, Roy J
639
T
Tarhell, Hervey A., M. D ... 862
Tate, Samuel L
627
Tate, William
701
Taubman, Edward T.
841
Taylor, Caleb
760
Thogersen, Robert
738
724
Thompson, Myron D.
740
Thompson, Torge
Thomson, Charles
784
Tipton, W. E.
879
Schamber, John
896
Tobey, William
759
Schenck, Peter
884
Tripp, Bartlett
917
Trygstad, Martin N.
760
Schliessmann, Theodore A. 930
Turner, James P
756
Turner, Lyman
656
Tuthill, John W.
698
U
Uline, Gustaf A.
713
Ustrud, Hans A.
703
V
VanOsdel, William T.
906
VanTassel, Frank M ..
814
Victor, Rev. Hugo.
869
Volin, Joseph J ...
637
W
Waddell, William W
949
Wagner, George C.
857
Wagner, Joseph V.
806
Ward, David E.
630
Watkins, John
849
Watson, George
761
Waxdahl, S. P.
754
Weeks, David H.
774
Wells, James E.
876
Wells, Rollin J.
889
West, Clark S.
734
Wheelon, Albert
833
Whitehouse, Frederick C ...
899
Whiting, Joseph
809
Wilber, Henry
634
Wilcox, Edward P.
811
Wildermuth, Paul
926
Wiley, Cincinatus O.
750
Wilson, James P ..
935
Wilson, Vilroy T., M. D.
699
Winston, George P.
725
Wipf, David D ..
946
Wiseman, Merritt B.
682
Wolf, John F
719
Wood, Guy L.
683
Wood, Levi M.
770
Wumkes, Weardus H.
689
Y
Young, Joseph C.
765
Z
Schiager, Simon 907
Zehnpfening, Charles
927
Zetlitz, Arne, M. D.
910
Ziebach, Frank M ..
942
ZolIman, Philip A.
870
HISTORY OF
SOUTH DAKOTA
CHAPTER I
THE STORY GEOLOGY TELLS.
However difficult it may be, from the stand- point of philosophy, to determine the earliest events which modify South Dakota's history, the beginning of her physical history is unmistakably fixed, and the record thereof is ineffaceably written in every lineament of the fair face of the splendid midland empire. Nowhere else, perhaps, has the pen of passing time left so definite and so easily deciphered a story as has been engrossed in the mountains and prairies, the gulches and bad lands of this state, and here it is that for a half century or more science has come to read its most satisfactory messages from the remote eons of the perished past. In brief and in popular form, stripped of the incompre- hensible terminology of the super-erudite, that story is as follows:
In the beginning the area now comprising South Dakota was deeply engulfed under the primeval ocean. Through what eons of time this condition existed may not be known, but finally some inward convulsion of nature threw up the Black Hills, above the waste of water. It must have been an eruption quite eclipsing Mount Pelee's mighty effort, for where the latter dis- turbed a ·township and threw its ashes over a county, the Black Hills horror threw a thousand square miles into a turmoil, boiling, heaving, steaming and bellowing, until the floor of the ocean was broken up and rugged and ragged mountains of rock lifted their heads high above the parted waters.
Through what countless ages the ocean beat upon these rocks can not be accurately deter- mined, but certain it is that, worn by the winds of heaven and washed by old ocean's wave, the rocks were worn and ground into a soil which was borne far down across the floor of the sea and become the first strata above the igneous foundation of the world, the archaen period and formation of the geologists. This formation was undoubtedly laid down under water and is free, or nearly free, from evidences of organic. life, only the most elementary forms of fossils being found in its upper courses.
Then came a mighty subsidence, the earth's surface fell away and the great rocks drew down their crests below the surging waters and again the mighty ocean, in awful grandeur, rolled and raged and laughed and smiled and smacked its foamy lips above the land of the Dakotas, su- premely arrogant in its monopoly of the great northwest. Nevertheless it was but a temporary armistice in the war of the elements. Again the rocks gathered themselves for another mighty struggle for supremacy over their insolent and merciless enemy, and again, with the rage of Vesuvius ten thousand times multiplied, they forced the ocean back and held their heads high in the sunlight of heaven, and though the waters tore them and wore them and stole from them the material for the next great formation,-the paleozoic,-they never again quite overcame the hills, though the latter were nearly sub-
28
HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.
merged again and again, and were worn and reduced to provide the matter for the several suc- ceeding formations-the mesozoic and the ceno- zoic, with their multifarious stratum. What transpired to the Black Hills likewise occurred to all of the great mountain region of the west and it must be understood that the whole mountain region contributed the material for the several geologic formations underlying the plains. Finally, however, the triumph of the
hills became complete and the vanquished ocean abandoned, not only the hill country, but as well slunk away from the prairies, leaving the land of the Dakotas a vast, swampy, tropical, steaming desert land.
For the benefit of those who desire to know, scientifically, the various formations underlying South Dakota it may be well to introduce at this point Dr. J. E. Todd's table of geological for- mations as he has arranged it stratigraphically :
Eons.
Systems. Groups and Stages.
Deposits.
Thickness.
Quaternary,
Pleistocene,
Feet.
Terraces, Loess, Drift,
Gravel, loam, etc., Buff loam,
5-10
CENOZOIC.
Tertiary,
Pliocene,
Equus Beds ( ?)
Loam, sand and clay,
5-30
Miocene,
Loup Fork Beds.
Sand, gravel and loam,
25-75
White River Beds,
White clay, sandstone, grits, etc., Absent.
250-400
Eocene,
Cretaceous,
Later,
Laramie,
Sandstone, shales and lignite,
1,000-2,000 100-150
Fox Hills, Colorado,
MESOZOIC.
Fort Pierre,
Dark clays and shales,
350-700
Chalkstone and shales,
50-200
Niobrara, Ft. Benton, Dakota,
Dark clay and shales,
50-200
Earlier,
Sandstones and clays, Absent.
200-500
Jurassic,
200-350
Triassic,
Sandstones, marls and clays, Red clays and purple lime- stone,
300-400
Carboniferous,
Limestones, sandstones and
570-785
Devonian,
shales, Absent ( ?)
0-25
Silurian,
Upper, Lower,
Absent ( ?)
Trenton,
Bluff limestone, etc.,
25-50
Cambrian,
Potsdam, Acadian,
Brown sandstone, etc., Absent ( ?)
250-300
Keweenian, Huronian,
Absent.
ARCHEAN.
Upper,
Sioux Quartzite,
Lower, Black Hills Slates,
Quartzite, etc.,
Schists and granites,
1,000-3000 10,000-100,000
Laurentian,
Absent ( ?)
PALEOZOIC.
Sandstone, shales and clays,
5-100
Boulder clay gravel, etc.,
10-150
29
HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.
If we could get a birdeye view of South Dakota as it appeared after the subsidence of the ocean we would find a vast nearly level stretch, lowest at the center, through which depression poured the most tremendous flood of all the rivers of the world. Its course was almost if not quite identical with that of the present James river, but its volume and force were beyond com- prehension or means of expression. At Rockport this unparalleled flood poured over the mighty barrier of granite, producing a water power which, in comparison, makes St. Anthony or Niagara sink into insignificance. Down from the west, only less important than the great central stream, poured the floods of the Grand river, then worthy of the name, finding its way into the parent stream not far from the present city of Aberdeen, probably through the channels of Foot creek and the Moccasin. Farther south the silvery Cheyenne sent its broad sweep of irresist- ible waters into the great trunk stream through the Snake creek valley near Redfield, and White river found an outlet where the Firesteel now makes its sluggish course. Another great con- vulsion of nature was required to transform the geography of South Dakota as we now know it. In the progress of time, nature, true to herself, as she ever is, evolved for the land a dress of verdure, course succulent grasses, reeds and rushes, broad-leaved ferns and, later, vast forests of palms and pines, and the mighty wilderness was peopled with monstrous reptiles such as are unknown to the modern world. All these things are revealed to us in the open book where nature has recorded her story in the eroded clay banks of the bad lands.
Just when organic life first appeared may be somewhat uncertain, but it is clear that shell- fish, corals and the first strange fishes were here in the early portions of the paleozoic and at the same time various tribes of labyrinthodonts in- fested the region and salamanders or lizards, armored with enameled plates, rendering them impervious to attacks from any of their contem- poraries, were the ruling race of the Dakota of that eon. There is little, if any, evidence of animal life in the triassic period, but in the
jurassic, which succeeded it, came the develop- ment of the terrible reptiles before mentioned. Dr. Todd describes them as of strange forms, imitating birds and animals, living on vegetation, on helpless shellfish and upon one another, crawl- ing and tearing each other in primeval slime. The remains of one of these monsters was found near Piedmont, on the eastern margin of the Black Hills, It is called scientifically the atlant -. osaurus, and is the largest land animal which has yet been found. It is in the form of a lizard, eighty feet in length and stood about twenty-five feet high. In order to sustain its gigantic bulk, without unnecessary weight, the bones are very porous and light, somewhat on the principle of modern iron bridges. The best authority believes the atlantosaurus to have been a land animal, though some scientists assert that it would have been impossible for it to sustain its weight on land and therefore conclude that it must have been a marine. In that period there were a few small animals, none of them larger than rats.
In the cretaceous period abundant forms of life appeared, some of them bearing beautiful shells of exquisite form which were even more ornate than the pearly nautilus of today. Swimming reptiles appeared of the form and size of whales. Then there were the mosasaurus and the plesiosaurus, huge sea-serpents with slender bodies, covered with shining scales, equipped with four paddles and flattened tail and with large, formidably armed jaws. Lewis and Clarke found the remains of one of these mon- sters when ascending the Missouri in 1804, in what is now Charles Mix county, and they pre- served it and sent it to Washington where it may still be seen in the National Museum. Many others have since been unearthed, one of the latest being found in Charles Mix, portions of which were sent to Prof. Todd, our state geologist, and are preserved by him at the State University. With the cretaceous the reptiles almost wholly disappeared, making way for a race of giant turtles. These turtles were large almost beyond belief. One of them was found on the eroded banks of the upper Cheyenne and
30
HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.
sent to the Peabody Museum of Yale College by its finder, Dr. G. R. Weiland. The head of this creature is twenty-nine inches long and six- teen inches in depth. The size of the turtle in other respects may be judged from its head. It would open its jaws about twenty-five inches, which would enable it to swallow a man whole. In fact it could have swallowed him whole, or chopped him into morsels if it preferred, for it was provided with terrific cutting jaws. It was built on the plan of the modern hawkbill turtle and anyone familiar with those creatures knows how easily they can chop a man's arm off. Dr. Weiland's find is fourteen feet six inches from tip to tip and twelve feet wide across the back and four feet through the thickest part. He could have carried a two-ton elephant as easily as a man can carry a seventy-five-pound boy. We can imagine a sagacious elephant sitting on the turtle's back and enjoying the ride. The en- tire senate of the South Dakota legislature could without much crowding find accommodations upon his back for a pleasure excursion. Such a turtle would furnish soup for fifty-five hundred persons. He would be able to tow a full-rigged ship. It would take eight good draught horses to haul the big turtle for any distance. Follow- ing the turtles came the development of gigantic mammals. The largest of these Dr. Todd classifies as belonging to the brontotherium family. These animals rivaled the largest mam- moths in size, though they were lower built and much in form like the rhinoceros or tapir. The skulls of the largest are over three feet in length, the animal being five or six times that length and half as high. The skull is very pe- culiar. It resembles somewhat that of the rhinoceros and with a high occiput, and in- stead of one horn over the nose it has a pair longer than those of any living rhi- noceros and composed largely of bone. The upper part of the skull reminds one of a large, rude side-saddle. The lower jaw is unusually deep and heavy. It has very wide molar teeth above, seven in number, with canines both above and below of very moderate length and very small incisors. The lower molar teeth are about
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.