Dakota Territory History - 1879-1880

	This information appears in Chapter LI of "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904), pages 299-301 and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031

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CHAPTER LI

THE RAILWAYS BREAK IN.

	With 1879 the flood of immigration increased quite beyond the wildest hope 
of the old-time Dakotans.  By the end of this year there was scarcely any 
desirable land left in the Sioux valley untaken and the flood was pouring across 
the middle coteau and settling along the Jim. The general plans of the railway 
companies had taken form and in the prosecution of them the Milwaukee Railway 
had extended its Hastings and Dakota division as far west as Big Stone. Its 
Northern Iowa division was completed through Canton to Marion Junction and its 
stirveys made west from that point to Chamberlain and south to Running Water.

	The Northwestern, with its restored Winona & St. Peter line resting at 
Watertown, had projected the Dakota Central division west from Tracy, Minnesota, 
to Pierre, and the line was completed by November 15th to Volga, in Brookings 
county. Along all of these lines new towns had sprung up over night. Elkton, 
Brookings, Volga, the latter at the time of vastly the greatest importance, and 
Goodwin and Kranzburg, were the northwestern towns dating from 1879. On the 
Milwaukee road Lennox, Parker, Mar-ion, Mitchell, Scotland and Tyndall resulted 
from the year's building, or surveys, the three latter being laid out by the 
railway land company, and acquiring a good deal of importance long before the 
roads were constructed.

	It was unquestionably the plan of the Northwestern at this time to push 
its Pierre extension on to the Black Hills, as it doubtless also was the design 
of the Milwaukee to extend the Chamberlain line to the same terminus.

	The Worthington and Sioux Falls (Omaha) Railway extended its lines west as 
far as Salem this year, and the Pembina division of the Dakota Southern built 
from Beloit to Sioux Falls, and the Southern Minnesota reached Flandreau, the 
first train coming through on January 1, 1880. Within a few months the Dakota 
Southern and Southern Minnesota passed into the possession of the Milwaukee.

	Boom was in the atmosphere, and that hope which has ever characterized the 
true Dakotan - hope that no untoward circumstances could blight - everywhere 
carried the people into new enterprises for development and growth.

	The legislature convened in January. George H. Walsh, of Grand Forks, was 
made president of the council and John R. Jackson, of Minnehaha, speaker of the 
house. Governor Howard's message was exhaustive and practical.  It was chiefly 
devoted to the condition of territorial 6nances, which were not prosperous.  In 
this connection he presented some tables of figures which were construed to 
reflect upon Hon. E. A. Sherman, of Sioux Falls, territorial treasurer. Hon. 
Richard F. Pettigrew, councilman from Minnehaha, made a vigorous fight in behalf 
of Mr. Sherman, and though Governor Howard disclaimed any intention of doing Mr. 
Sherman an injury, and by appointing him at once territorial auditor showed his 
absolute confidence in, Mr. Sherman's integrity, still a situation grew up which 
interfered with legislation and was more or less embarrassing to all concerned. 
Newton Edmunds was a member of this council and earnestly supported Governor 
Howard and particularly urged the passage of the bill authorizing the insane 
asylum.

	Senator Pettigrew promoted the passage of a bill locating the 
penitentiary, which passed late in the session without much opposition. 
Immediately after the passage of this bill he brought in a new bill to issue 
forty-five thousand dollars of territorial bonds for the erection of the 
penitentiary and insane asylum.  The bill was fought by Hon. John R. Gamble, of 
Yankton, and the entire Yankton and Bon Homme delegations, the latter lead by 
Maj. James H. Stephens, of Springfield.  In the light of subsequent developments 
the issue of so small a sum in bonds appears to have been a very innocent 
proposition, but the conservative men of January, 1879, saw only bankruptcy in 
it.  By a combination with members from North Dakota and with Hon. Alfred Brown, 
of Hutchinson county, Senator Pettigrew was able to make his point and force 
the passage of the bond bill. Yankton influence, however, prevailed and Governor 
Howard vetoed it.

	Mr. Brown, of Hutchinson, was deeply interested in the consolidation of 
Hutchinson and Armstrong counties and, incidental to this object, he had a bill 
which completely changed the map of the territory.  In 1872 the entire unsettled 
portion of the territory was divided up into counties, chiefly for the purpose 
of complimenting prominent citizens by applying their names to the respective 
counties so created. Under the former arrangement the present Hutchinson county 
approximately constituted Hutchinson and Armstrong, divided by an east and west 
line.  Davison and Hanson, also divided by an east and west line, Davison 
occupying the north half of the present territory of the two counties. Miner and 
Sanborn were then Bramble and Miner.  Aurora was Cragin and Jerauld was 
Westmore.   Eastern Kingsbury was Wood county. Kingsbury itself extended west to 
Huron, and west of that lay Burchard county. Hyde and Hand divided east and 
west. Codington and Hamlin was Adair county. The south half of Spink was called 
Spink and the north half Thompson. The north half of Brown was Beadle and the 
south half Mills. Marshall was Stone and Day, Greeley county. Potter was then 
called Ashmore.

	Brown's bill, said to have been prepared by Senator Pettigrew, arranged 
the counties about as they at present exist, and also remodeled the map of North 
Dakota.  Brown's only interest was the consolidation of Hutchinson and Arm-
strong, but to accomplish this he found he could secure support by the general 
consolidation scheme, and so it was brought about.  By consolidating the 
strength centered upon Brown's bill with the penitentiary scheme sufficient 
force was acquired to dominate legislation.

	The first legislative railway lobby appeared before this legislature. 
Charles S. Simmons represented the Northwestern and G. W. Sanborn the Milwaukee. 
Their demands were eminently proper, being simply safeguards for the large 
investments with which these lines proposed to build at once through the 
territory. These were gladly granted.

	A bill to tax the net products of the mines was presented, but was, 
intended simply as a club over the Black Hills members.  Captain Miner 
introduced a bill giving the right of suffrage to women, which passed the 
council, but got no further.

	Mr. Gray, of Burleigh, presented a bill removing the capital to Bismarck, 
but it was indefinitely postponed upon first reading.

	An elaborate school code, drafted by Prof. Amherst W. Barber, was passed, 
which, under the administration of Gen. W. H. H. Beadle, whom Governor Howard 
appointed superintendent of public instruction, brought about many desirable 
educational reforms.

	By a bit of characteristic satire Senator Pettigrew killed a bill to 
require a certain number of laws to be printed in the German language. Mr. 
Pettigrew said he favored the bill, but would like it better if it were more 
far-reaching. There were more Sioux than Germans in Dakota and would like it if 
a large number of the laws were printed in the Sioux tongue.  "Then," he said, 
"when the fierce buck follows the war path with butcher knife in one hand and 
reeking scalp in the other, he will have full knowledge of the herd law and will 
not lay himself liable to annoyance for violating its provisions".

	During the winter the legislature accepted the invitation of the Dakota 
Southern Railway to make an excursion to Beloit and thence by carriages to 
Canton, where an elaborate banquet was tendered them by the citizens.

	It was not a political year. As before stated, Governor Howard appointed 
E. A. Sherman auditor, and General Beadle superintendent of education. He also 
named W. H. McVey, of Yankton, for treasurer. Congress having having provided 
for a fourth judge for Dakota, Judge Kidder, whose term as delegate in congress 
expired on March 4th, was appointed to the new judgeship about April 1st.

	The coteau region along the Sioux valley is covered with glacial drift 
which has been carried down from the auriferous region about the Rainy lake, and 
consequently contains more or less gold, though necessarily always in small 
quantities.  During the early spring of 1879 a gravel bar in Lake county was 
found to show the color of gold and the find being noised about there was a 
stampede to the locality and for a few days Lake county mining stock commanded a 
premium. The truth soon became apparent and the whole matter resolved itself 
into a good joke.

	For the better protection of the agencies and the control of the Indians 
it was deemed wise to place small forts at Cheyenne river and Lower Brule, and 
consequently Forts Bennett and Hale were located this spring at the respective 
agencies. Fort Bennett was named for Capt. Andrew S. Bennett, of the Fifth 
Cavalry, who was killed by Bannock Indians at Charles Fork, Montana, on 
September 4, 1878, and Fort Hale for Capt. Owen Hale, of the Seventh Cavalry, 
who was killed September 30, 1877, by the Nez Perces.

	Two years of the administration of civil law in the Black Hills had 
produced a very great change for the better and the Hills country had settled 
down to as orderly a community as the west afforded.  The blockhouse at Rapid 
was found no longer to be of service and it was torn down.  Schools and churches 
were established in every town and camp; the road agents disappeared,  order  
prevailed and prosperity abounded.

	It was during this year that H. N. Ross, one of the miners who accompanied 
Custer in 1874, discovered the hot springs in Fall River county. Returning to 
Custer from the springs, he informed Prof. Jenny and Col. W. J. Thornby of his 
find and they at once went down to examine the healing waters.  Colonel Thornby 
located a claim covering the now famous Minnekahta spring.

	Two great disasters came upon the territory during this year.  Great 
prairie fires swept the Sioux valley at the end of March. From Sioux City to 
Canton the valley was aflame and many homesteaders lost all of their 
improvements. Only with the utmost exertion were the villages saved from the 
fires.  This disheartening event was a severe blow to the newcomers, but they 
went energetically to work to repair the loss, and by the following winter they 
were again mostly recovered.

	The great fire in Deadwood occurred On September 25th.  The town was 
practically destroyed.  The deep, narrow gulch, filled as it was with buildings 
of pine, became a veritable furnace.  No accurate estimate of the loss can be 
given, but the people, who had come through fire and snow, across the hostile 
lined wiles, in defiance of the government and its military arm to make homes in 
the Hills, were not daunted by the loss of their savings and their homes. The 
ground was cleared for better building and they earnestly set to work to build a 
city not so liable to go up in smoke and the substantial modern Deadwood is the 
result.