The Mellette County pioneer. [volume], September 21, 1923, Image 1

About The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971

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She Atldirt!e Countti Hionr^r
September 21st and No Killing Frost Yet. Plenty of Moisture for Fall Seeding
VOLUME XII.
EMPIRE WEST OF RIVER
Crops west of the river are the best
they have ever been. The small grain
compares very favorably with crops
of like nature ea t of the Missouri
ami the corn crop is exceptionally
fine. A few fields were riddled by
hail but these will still make good
feed and we saw thousands of acres
that would be a credit to any lowa
farmer’s efforts. It is unfortunate
however that there are not more acres
under cultivation in this vast western
country. It such a tiling were pos
sible we would favor the government
entering and purchasing all vacant
lands and then on the usual terms of
entry and cultivation distribute in
80-acre plats this great domain to vet
erans of the world war. The soil is
rich and it needs only the slight touch
of human hands to produce abundant
ly. With good highways in every di
rection and splendid railroad facili
ties a prosperous future awaits the
new settler. This land is still cheap
ami any worthy industrious citizen
seeking his own independence can
make a start here and feel perfectly
assured of ultimate success. At least
a million new settlers can be accom
modated. —Wessington Springs Re
publican.
Tin* above proposal strikes us as
one of* the best yet ami we certainly
would heartily favor something along
these line«. There are no doubt
thousands of world-war veterans who
would be clad of an opportunity to
acquire a farm in this rich agricul
tural section in lieu of the proposed
national bonus.
Just take Mellette county. We have
here thousands of acres of the very
best land in the county that was a lot
ted to th° Indians before the county
was opened to settlement to the white
man. It is a well known fact that In
every case where an Indian is
given a patent to his alotted land,
about the first thing he does is to
sell the land to some white. If the
national government does finally de
cide to give the world war veterans a
bonus, would it not be the part ot
wisdom for the government to buy
these alotted Indian quarters outright
and then give the war veterans a deed
to a quarter section of this rich agri
cultural land in lieu of a cash pay
ment, the veteran to reimburse the
government the difference in price
actually paid the Indian for tlie land
and the amount of the bonus said vet
eran would be entitled to receive?
Such an arrangement we believe
would prove very satisfactory to the
Indian. It would be the means of
placing hundreds of thousands oi
acres of the richest land in the county
on our tax rolls. It would provide
us with several thousand new settlers
of which we stand in great need. It
would help to develop this, the rich
est section of South Dakota. It would
start thousands of young ex-soldiers
in building homes of their own. Mel
lette county has never had a crop
failure. Our corn, wheat, oats and
other crops have produced better
yields since the opening of the county
in 1912, than have the same crops
grown east of the river during the
same period. We have ample raintall
to produce most nil kinds of agri
cultural crops—we do not irrigate.
Alfalfa alone has been known to
give the farmer an annual return of
from SSO to $75 per acre. This is
acknowledged to be one of the best
dairy countries in the world, and it
needs only intelligent development.
The government has spent millions
of dollars in promoting great irriga
tion projects, why should they not
spend a little money in developing one
of the richest sections of the country
where irrigation is not needed, and at
the same time payroll a just debt to
the world war veterans, who will thus
be hel~°d to help themselves, to
biiild ha mid contented homes.
The idea proposed bv the \\ essing-
Springs Republican has real merit in
it, and we that our congressmen
will work along these lines and work
out the ‘idea for the benefit of all
parties concerned. Mellette county
has room, and epn support from three
to five thousand young farmers, and
every one of * horn who will come here
and raise alfalfa, hogs eorn
chickens and milk a few cows will
make big money and build happy and
contented homes and be absolutely
independent.
Mrs. M. D. Payne will entertain tlie
Ladicvi Aid society at her home in
Wood on Thursday afternoon, Sep
tember 2. All ladies are requested to
attend this meeting. „
. •• vV/U V ) » •
HOLD BIG COUNCIL OF
THE ROSEBUD INDIANS
The Rosebud Indians held a largely
attended council near Norris along the
western side of the reservation last
Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Sioux tribe is arranging to
commence a suit against the govern
ment for un accounting of the tribal
funds accruing from the sale of the
Indian lands in Gregory county in
1904, and in Tripp county in 1908, to
gether with interest thereon, claiming
there is due them as principal, a sum
not less than $2,800,000.
The hearing will be held at the
Rosebud Agency on September 26, 27
and 28. Ralph Case of Washing
ton, I). C., and associate attorneys
will arrive in Winner the evening of
September 25, and go overland to the
agency.
The Rosebud Sioux Indians will
have a conference with their attorneys
relative to the Black Hills litigation
involving something like $750,000,000
the latter part of tlie month. They
have been collecting evidence for in
troduction. The principal witnesses
at the coming hearing will include He
Dog, Antoine Bordeaux, High Bald
Eagle, High Ilorsc, Little Bull, Gary
FARM GIRL QUEEN SITS
ON THRONE AT BIG FAIR
Written Specially for The Pioneer by
Aleda Chamberlain
Springfield, Mass. —This is the
greatest week in the life of fifteen
year-old Peggv Keith, of Warrenton,
Ya. Surrounded by her own barnyard
friends, all of which she developed
into champions, she is here represent
ing the U. S. Deportment of Agri
culture, as America’s “Most Disting
uished Farm Girl.”
The Eastern States Exposition
opened Monday. Peggy Keith, with
her herd of pure-bred Guernseys; 10
Shetland ponies; 3 baby beeves; 20
prize chickens; a champion white col
lie and puppies and special exhibit
of canning club work and farm pro
ducts is one of the big attractions ot
exposition.
The U. S. Department of Agricul
ture selected her from among 600,000
boys and wirla representing every
state in the nation and the title of
1 * America’s Mos t Distinguished
Farm Girl” was conferred upon her.
All expense incident to the trip here
is met by the Agricultural Depart
ment.
Peggy’ Keith first entered competi
tion at the age of 4, when she rode a
pet pony in a horse show at W ar
renton. Site has been in competition
ever since.
For the past three pears by her own
effort with live stock, canning and
farm products, she has paid all her
schooling bills, besides financing her
own farm operations.
When 8 years old, Peggy Keith be
came interested in the club work car-
ried on in her county among farm
boys and girls as a part of the co
operative extension work of the
H VIZ
OFFICIAL RARER OR MELLETTE COUNTY
WOOD, MELLETTE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA, SEPTEMBER 21,1923
UNCLE SAM'S FOREIGN POLICY
Shaw and other prominent members
of the tribe.
The Indians are fortunate in having
a number of living persons who par
ticipated in councils with the govern
ment in 1875 and 1870, when \>n
portant treaties were made between
them and the government. I hey at o
have a number of white men wi/o
were then soldiers and guides who sit
in the councils and know the general
items agreed upon.
It is generally understood that it
the Rosebuds had the money whidi
thev have been promised under exit
ing treaties, they would be among Ue
richest tribes in the United Statjs.
They have been sending delegation
down to Washington every year or
two for the past quarter of a cent try
but nothing definite lias come out. ot
it, so they have started the Blscjk
Mills litigation and several minor con
troversies in the Federal courts ot til*
United States to force a settlement
of their property rights. Should they
be successful in these suits, the Sioux
Indians will have sufficient money
accruing from their tribal funds tt
insure them an independent living ii
the future.—Tripp County Journal.
United States Department ot‘ Agri
culture. She enrolled in the* potat<
club and grew a small crop of pota
toes which she planted and worker
herself. The following year, 1917
she joined the corn club and in T>l*
succeeded in producing <5 bushels on
her 1 acre.
One year later Peggy joined the
canning club, grew a tenth of an acre
of tomatoes and picked about 21
quarts of green tomatoes. She
learned to can so successfully that
she won premium,s two years in sue
cession.
Prompted by her natural love foi
live stock, Pegy engaged actively ii
poultry and baby beef production
Starting with one setting of eggs, it
1919, she bus developed a flock of 61
standard-bred Langshans and 4(
Rhode Island Reds which furnish
eggs and fowls for the home table am
bring in a substantial little ineoim
As a member of the lmby beef c!id
she grew, in 1919, two fine Shorthor
babv beeves. She bought an Angi
baby beef and fed it profitably f<
market. In 1921 she fed a Hereto?
heef calf with which she won fin
place at the Virginia State lair i
Richmond. This animal gained 4
pounds during the feeding period.-
Taking money she had earned
her several enterprises, Peggy bodgl
a purebrbed Guernsey cow, and is no
the proud owner of the cow, a yea
ling boiler, a heifer call and a yea
ling hull, oure-bred Guernseys, all h
ow’n property.
Not content with success in cb
work and with cattle, Miss Pore
who ha< an inherited love for hors*
decided* in 1921, that there was pro
pect for profit in raising ponies f*
the market. To date she has a he;
of 20 which she is developing an
Champion Watermelon Grower
Carol Katon, the twelve-year-old
son of ( has. Katon, living north of
Wood some seven or eight miles, is
easily the champion watermelon grow
er in Mellette county. Mr. Eaton
broke out some three acres of new
sod for his .son last spring and Carol
planted it to watermelons ami now he
is supplying the local market with
as fine melons as you ever set teeth
into. Fact is. the boy raised a whole
lot more melons than he can possibly
dispose of and they are now feeding
the melons to the hogs. You can buy
tine big melons on the local market
now for only 15 cents. Had we a
railroad this twelve-year-old boy
would have been able to have shipped
two or three cars of melons this season
from this patch of watermelons, which
we believe to be the largest single
patch of watermelons in the county’.
We suggest to the boy that inasmuch
as he lias more melons than he can
possibly sell that he save the seeds
of his surplus melon stock, and the
chances are that he will be able to real
ize as much and possibly more from
his melon seed crop than he would
could he sell every melon he has at
,tlie prevailing price of fifteen cents.
Champion Farm
Girl of U. S.
v. r i
breaking for the Shetland pony trade.
Another side-line is collie dogs, ot
Which she is very fond, and for which
she finds considerable sale.
Peggy beagn her work in live stock
—judging when she attended a four
day short course for club members at
the Virginia State Agricultural Col
lege, in 1920. Last October she at
tended the national boys* and girls’
stock-judging contest at Atlanta, Ua.,
and was the youngest and the only
girl among more than 50 contestants.
A REAL NUBBIN
Cbas. Ilaginan, who lives southwest
of W ood near the old White Thunder
Day school, brought a sample of his
corn to town, Tuesday, which cer
tainly would make those lowa and
Nebraska farmers sit up and take no
tice. The corn is of tUe yellow dent
variety and the ear measures twelve
inches long and seven inches in circum
ference, weighs just twenty ounces,
and has about 850 large grains of
perfectly matured corn on it. This
ear of corn is now on exhibition at the
J. B. Brown store, and we can just
imagine people living east ol tin 1 river
exclaiming, “Was that ear of corn
raised in Mellette county?"' Sure it
was and thousands of other ears just
like it. We heard a man from, the
great corn state of lowa remark this
week that the day is coming and it
is not far distant when South Dakota,
and Mellette county in particular, will
lay lowa in the shade on the corn
growing proposition, lie said we have
better and richer soil here and
all we lack is a lot of real honcst-to
gosh farmers and we’ll get those when
t he railroad builds.
BOY SCOUT NOTICE
Owing to the had conditions of tin*
roads only a tew scouts were out
last Monday evening, but a profitable
time was spent by those present.
Next Saturday, September 22, a
special meetiiur will be held at the
school house in Wood and all scouts
or to-be scouts and their parents,
business men and all others interested
in a scout band and also all girls and
their parents who are interested in a
Girl Scout organisation and band
work are asked to beat this meeting.
Mr. Joneschiet has consented to lead
the scout band and under his capable
supervision we can be assured of a
very fine band and it certainly will
be u great thing in
And I don’t think that true rpl
blooded American citizen could look
upon a troop ot Boy and Gul Scouts
playing the Star Spangtld Banner ami
dressed in Scout uni forma at)d not
feel the blood of pride rise to their
cheeks. This is a very noble under
taking and every person who has the
true spirit within, if it is at all
possible, come out to this meeting ami
give his or her heafty support. Lot
us think this over, talk it over '
put it over.
P. J. Kussnian, Scoutnia^t
GOVERNORS ACTIVE,
Governor McMaster has gained
nation-wide prominence for Ids recent
action in bringing down the price ot
gasoline from 20.(i to 10 cents in this
state, and this price cut has since
also been made in other states. Gov
ernor Bryan of Nebraska is trying
hard to break into the national lime
light by threatening to have, the state
of Nebraska go into the retail coal
business and tlulls beat down the price
of coal in that state. Governor Pin
chot of Pennsylvania has gained some
nation-wide publicity by bringing
the anthracite coal strike in his state
to a close, but the settlement will
cost the coal consuming public many
milions of dollars in increased prices
for anthracite. Governor Walton of
Oklahoma is just at this time occupy-
ing front page position in the daily
papers of this nation on account of
his fight on the kuklux klun. He
has the past week placed the entire
state of Oklahoma under martial
law. He is waging a
single handed fight. The legislature
has threatened to meet in extraordin
ary session with the object of iin
peaehin - the -overnor, and the gov
ernor has threatened to jail the en
tire legislature if they attempt to
meet. A circuit court was adjourned
so as not to conflict with the military
rule of the state. And thus the great
game of Politics continues and the
dear public will continue to foot the
bills.
Lloyd Lon - departed for Fanning
ton, New Mexico, Thursday of last
week. Whether he is just on a visit
or has left the country for good, we
are unable to snv at this time.
John T, Will is and family arrived
here last Sunday from Malta Bend.
Missouri. Mr. Willis is a brother of
Mrs. L. \V. Wheeler, and they expect
to make Mellette county their future
home. They drove through from Mis
souri in a truck. For the next year
Mr. Willis will be employed on the
P. S. Merrill ranch west of Wood,
and the family will keep house for
Scotty.
WOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH
Sunday, September 23, services as
usitul. Sunday School at 10:30.
Preaching at 11:30. Cody, Sunday
School at 2:30. Preaching immediate
ly after Sunday School.
\\ e have been having some pretty
good attendance lately at our serv
ices. Let us all get into the habit of
going to church and Sunday School.
The religion question is one of the
greatest questions of today, it re
quires u broad mind and deep think
ing to get something out of what
might be termed a conglomeration of
theories. And it is only through im
partial and unbiused thinking that
we can ever expect to get down to the
real and true religion, which God,
through Christ, revealed to man.
P. J. Kussman, Pastor.
CATTLE RUSTLER SWIFT
RUNS TRUE TO NAME
The past week has brought to the
minds of some of the old settlers oc
currenees that were compion in the
early history of the Rosebud, when
otlicers were on the trail of the cattle
rustler, but in this case both officers
and the pursued were in automobiles.
In the olden days the rustler had the
best horse, so in this case the ac
cused had an Oakland coupe, 1923
model, and a high powered Nash
roadster.
On or about October 1, 1922, the
\merman Cattle Company missed a
bunch of cattle and they were never
located until recently when 69 head
of cory-fed cattle were shipped to
market and identified by brands.
The company was notified and traced
the cattle to Platte, S. D., where
they were led by Mert Davis and
other feeders in that section. The
feeders had no difficulty in proving
that they bought and paid for the
cattle, and the person who sold the
catth was- Zd Swift, who is ,
supposed to hail from somewhere in \
Canada.
A warrant was sworn otit for
Swift and officers traced him to a
point near lona, then to Winner, atid
out to Todd county. The sheriffs of
Charles Mix, Tripp and Lyman
counties started to Todd county aft
er their man last Saturday and came
upon him unexpectedly a few miless
ijrtst of Okreek. He stopped his
fttti was placed under arrest,
covered winth a run. He slowed down
•n* motor and backed his car to the
vide of the road. As soon as the
Dicers stopped the motor of their car
and began to get out, he stepped
on the gas and started down the road.
Several bullets were fired, most of
the bullets hitting the ear, but as far
as can be ascertained Swift escaped
injury. He was in a high powered
Oakland coupe which easily outdist
anced the officers, but they noticed
that he had ear trouble due to the
fact that two bullets perforated the
radiator, letting out the water.
He succeeded in eluding the offi
cers that evening and the search was
continued the next day when the car
was found not far from the starting
point secreted in the brush, where it
is thought he was transferred to the
Nash roadster.
That he made a hasty exit is evi
denced b” the fact that he left his
1 possessions in the Oakland, consist
ing ol a couple of suits of clothes,
bilk shirts, handkerchiefs, camera, a
pair of ludies shoes and silk stockings,
and a large number of letters from
ladv admirers. However, there was
nothing to indicate who he was as bis
name does not appear among or on
nnv of the articles.
Ed Swift has been known as a Can
adian booze runner in this section
for r couple of years with a reputa
tion for daring. His coolness under
revolver and rifle fire last Saturday
brands him as an expert in his busi-
ness.
lit* will not bo handicapped for
money in making his escape, as it
is known that he had about $4,000
in currency on his person.
The Oakland coupe was brought to
Winner, Monday, where it shows the
marks of the skirmish. Oftcerf —•
traced the license plates to Des
Moines, lowa, where it was purchased.
It is not known yet whether or not it
s a stolen ear.
Federal and state authorities are
making a detcimined effort to locate
Swift and the wires have been kept
busy during the week to head him off
in his escape from this
nor Journal.
Wednesday was another of those
rainy, mjsty, damp, disagroable days.
- *
NUMBER 34.