Jerauld County, SD News.....Notes by the Way August 31, 1888
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Wessington Springs Herald August 31, 1888
Notes by the Way

Editor Herald:-

    As I drove through the streets of Elk Point I thought of the old saying
"Couldn't see the town for the houses," only in this case we could not see the
houses for the trees, for Elk Point has trees and trees-grand, magnificent
trees. The yards, the boulevards and every space, full of them. Nine years ago
people had to haul their fuel 20 miles, today have all the firewood they want at
their own doors. The High-school building is in the center of a block and
completely surrounded by a grove while the Kentucky blue grass forms a velvety
carpet. The timber on this neck of land forms an elk's head with horns, from
which it is named.

    After talking against a Dakota storm at Richland, we took the train for
Vermillion and were pleasantly entertained at the Chandler House and spoke to a
good audience where the pipe organ formed a fitting accompaniment to the grand
temperance words sung. The genial face of Mrs. Myers, our Territorial recording
secretary greeted us. Vermillion is a lovely place and if those we met are
representative people she has reason to be proud of her citizens. The three mile
school law keeps saloons out of Vermillion.

    Next morning we hurried away to Sioux City where we were met by the White
Ribbon women, notwithstanding the downpouring rain; and we soon found ourselves
safely domiciled in a pleasant home where our hostess demonstrated that a woman
can raise fruit. Her Concord and Hartford grapevines were loaded with heavy
clusters. By the way I found the same at Richland, Dak. It is proverbial that
Sioux City pays no attention to anything short of a circus or base ball club on
Sundays, but notwithstanding this fact we were favored with a fair audience-much
beyond our expectations, and, they told me some of the most prominent citizens.

    Prohibition certainly prohibits in Sioux City when it drives men to the
extremity of tunneling underground having one opening in a barn in the hay-rick,
and another through a trap door in an old wash house. Such an arrangement was
carried on by the former proprietors of the English Kitchen but was discovered
and raided and fifty men found in it. It looks as though the amendment worked
pretty successfully when men are driven to such straits. Sioux City is having a
genuine boom. The like has not been seen in any city in Iowa. Property that a
party sold for $18,000.00 when it was feared that prohibition would bring
financial depression, was resold the other day for $100,000.00. This is only one
example. Buildings once occupied by saloons are now filled with a more
respectable business.

    We found Norfolk a city of 6,000 inhabitants, a splendid water power,
machine shops, and all that goes to make a city, but whiskey flows as freely as
water, as this is in high license Nebraska.

              (To be continued)
                                Nettie C. Hall


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