South Dakota State College - Jack Rabbit Yearbook (Brookings, SD)

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in 1874. Immediately there was a rush of settlers. The Deadwood and Wliite- wood mines were opened. After a time, the Homestake mine was opened at Lead. It is one of the largest gold mines in the world. Gold has always been the leading mineral product of South Dakota. The land of most of South Dakota is well adapted to agriculture and stock raising. The extremes of temperature are not felt as they are in many other regions because of the condition of the atmosphere. Sunshine is most abundant. The state has fewer cloudy days than any other Northern State. It is there- fore called the Sunshine State. South Dakota has a pleasing variety of landscape. In the eastern part are the broad, rolling prairiesg in the cen- tral part are the flat plains, in the west- ern part are the Bad Lands, containing many interesting formationsg while the Black Hills occupy the extreme Western part. Harney's Peak in the Black Hills is the highest point between the Rocky Nlountains and the Alps. Wind Cave, Sylvan Lake, and Spear- fish Canyon are well known to anyone who has ever heard of the Black Hills. The Needles have been constantly re- garded as some of the best works of Nature. The river valleys, the lakes, and the little streams of the prairies are much loved by the people of the State. Big Stone Lake, Kampeska, Lake Andes, and Lake Poinsett are some of the largest lakes. There is near Watertosvn a small salt lake, called by the Indians Bitter Medicine Lake. The lliissouri River, with its con- stantly changing river bed, is often con- sidered the main source of the lower Biississippi. There are countless other things that make South Dakota the best state in the Union. The Indian word Dakota means leagued or allied All the people of the Sunshine State are leagued together into one large brother- hood wherein all men are equal. This brotherhood of friends will continue as long as the loyal citizens of the state uphold their motto, Under God the People Rule.

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Another outbreak occurred in 1865, when several settlers were killed. Almost the last stand of the hostile lndian was the war with Sitting Bull. General Custer with his three hundred men was killed before peace was ob- tained. After that war, the Messiali War of 1890, the pioneers suffered but little from attacks by the Indians. Dakota Territory was created in March, 18615 it included all the land now comprising both North and South Dakota, and the land westward to the Rocky lvlountains. Doctor Williani Jayne, former neighbor and family physician of President Lincoln, was ap- pointed the first governor of the terri- tory. The temporary territorial capital, chosen by Governor Jayne, was estab- lished at Yankton. An election for mem- bers of a legislature and for a delegate to congress was called. The legislature called the Pony Congress, consisting of thirteen House members and nine Council members, convened on Marcli 17, 1862. After many heated discus- sions, Yankton was made the capital. Vermillion, determined to have some honor, was pacified by the promise of the territorial University. Nlost of the laws passed by this Pony Congress are still upon the statute books of North and South Dakota. The Dakotas remained uncle: terri- torial government until 1889. ln 1883, at a convention in Sioux Falls, a constitution was drawn up and a petition for statehood was presented to Congress. The measure met with no success. E In 1889 an enabling act was passed, which provided for the division of the Territory on the line of the seventh standard parallel, and the admission of the two states, North Dakota and South Dakota. South Dakota attained her statehood on November 3, 1889. She was the fortieth state to join the Union. WP ' I gi jcw rv'-113-5 lf, 'Qs-2 Nh w r. ,vc-f -5,1 f' fx N Q., rfxfiwm x -1 -1 f' ' F .... ei ,.jg'3 ' ' ' 4' fx' fer' es... -:gi-fi 6 uf ,-e'Q ?a2aJf-J'?'5i KC.-. a. .5557 .'f',-:f'--- 5 a: 5'4 'rvw.41f.'r.'4 1' 'Z' - - ' 3 is 'SE-, .ibiigfklfsfgi Rini . 'Wt sf - ,yr 1' 1: Tiligiflff-':zbd.L jfflfg ,qjeg 'i2 '.'1fiie f1'r' WE- . ' aj The constitution which was then adopted is regarded as one of the most stable and comprehensive in the United States. The first steamboat entered South Da- kota in 1831. The steamboat transpor- tion upon the lVIissouri river was very large from 1863 to 1880, but with the advance of railroads the river traffic practically came to an end. The first railroads were built in I872j after 1880 the settlement of the state was very rapid, largely because of the extensive building of roads. South Da- kota now has more than 48,000 miles of railway. Gold was discovered in the Black Hills by a soldier with Custeris troops,

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slsnsesesrstzstasrirasbfksbfzlfb l South Bathurst Stair Glnllegr , if if in it is dk if if if if il? if if ii , FLORENCE BROVVN A NOTE-The material used in this ac- count until the year 1905, is chieHy taken from the writings of Professor R. F. Kerr, an early member of the college faculty. The Agricultural College for the territory of Dakota was established by a law passed in 1881. The citizens of Brookings donated land for a college site, and the State Legislature appropri- ated money for buildings. The law pro- vided for a board of regents among whose duties were the appointment of teachers and the adoption of a course of study. 1 The members of the first board of regents were John A. Owens of De- Smet, H. O. Ringsrud of Elk Point, A. J. Harwood of Fargo, George Nlore- house of Brookings, and W. Shannon of Wessixigtoti. The first appropriation of 325,000 was to be used for the Central Building. All the money was spent on the walls and no work was completed on the in- side. Professor George Lilley, the hrst president, advanced enough money to finish the three west rooms on the main floor so that the Preparatory Depart- THE FIRST FACULTY