Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/South Dakota

SOUTH DAKOTA, a State in the North Central Division of the North American Union; bounded by North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana; admitted to the Union, Nov. 2, 1889; number of counties, 78; capital, Pierre; area, 76,850 square miles; pop. (1910) 583,888; (1920) 636,547.

Topography.—The surface of the E. portion of the State is a level plain, including the great plateau of the Missouri and a similar plateau E. of the James river. W. of the Missouri river the surface is broken, and contains the Black Hills, averaging 6,000 feet in height. This region covers an area of 3,200 square miles, and reaches its greatest altitude in Harney's Peak, 7,368 feet. The chief rivers in the E. section of the State are the Dakota or James, entering from North Dakota, and the Big Sioux, forming part of the E. boundary; both emptying into the Missouri river. W. of the Missouri and also emptying into it are the White, Cheyenne, Grand, and Moreau. There are but few large lakes, Big Stone and Traverse, forming part of the N. E. boundary, being the only ones of any size.

Geology and Mineralogy.—The Black Hills, of Archæan formation, form the center of a system of concentric circles of geological ages. The Palæozoic surrounds the Archæan core, and consists of beds of Potsdam sand and Trenton lime. Around this is a circle of Jurassic and Triassic formations. The Miocene period covers the region W. of the Missouri and S. of the Bad river. The Black Hills contain some of the most valuable mineral deposits in the United States. Gold is the most important mineral production in the State. It comes almost entirely from the Black Hills. The production in 1919 was 254,820 ounces, valued at $5,267,600. Other mineral products include copper, lead, stone, and clay products.

Soil and Agriculture.—The soil is a light but rich loam overlying a fertile clay sub-soil, and is especially adapted to raising cereals. Wild fruits grow in great abundance, rich grass covers the prairies in the E. and Black Hills and Bad Lands afford excellent advantages for dairy farming and stock raising. The acreage, production, and value of the principal crops in 1919 was as follows: corn, 3,200,000 acres, production 91,200,000 bushels, value $108,528,000; oats, 1,850,000 acres, production, 53,650,000 bushels, value $33,800,000; barley, 875,000 acres, production, 19,250,000 bushels, value $22,138,000; wheat, 3,725,000 acres, production 30,175,000 bushels, value $72,420,000; rye, 500,000 acres, production 6,500,000 bushels, value $8,125,000; hay, 890,000 acres, production 1,558,000 tons, value $21,033,000; potatoes, 90,000 acres, production 4,500,000 bushels, value $8,550,000.

Manufactures.—There were in 1914 898 manufacturing establishments in the State, giving employment to 3,788 wage earners. The capital invested was $15,060,000, the amount paid in wages $2,628,000, the value of the materials used $17,080,000, and the value of the finished product $24,139,000.

Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 126 National banks in operation, having $5,675,000 in capital; $4,109,000 rn outstanding circulation; and $13,496,000 in United States bonds. There were also 519 State banks, with $10,038,000 capital.

Education.—Both elementary and secondary education are free to all persons from 6 to 21 years of age. Attendance between the ages of 8 and 16 at a public day school is compulsory. There were in 1918, 88,848 pupils enrolled in 5,296 elementary schools. The teachers numbered 5,493. There were 326 secondary schools, with 1,947 teachers and 49,637 pupils. The colleges include the University of South Dakota, at Vermilion; Agricultural College at Brookings; Augustana College, at Canton; Dakota University, at Mitchell; Yankton College, at Yankton; Huron College, at Huron; Redfield College, at Redfield; and Baptist College, at Sioux Falls.

Churches.—The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic; Lutheran, Independent Synod; Methodist Episcopal; Congregational; Lutheran, General Synod; Presbyterian; Regular Baptist; Lutheran, Synodical Conference; Protestant Episcopal; Reformed; and Evangelical Association.

Railroads.—The total length of railroads within the State on Jan. 1, 1920, was 4,300 miles.

Finances.—There was a balance in the treasury on July 1, 1918, of $3,144,924. The receipts for the fiscal year 1919 amounted to $7,937,044, and the disbursements to $7,441,146. The State has no bonded debt. The assessed value of real and personal property in 1919 was $1,846,456,090.

Charities and Corrections.—The charitable and correctional institutions under the control of the State include the Blind Asylum at Gary, School for Deaf Mutes at Sioux Falls, Penitentiary at Sioux Falls, Training School at Plankinton, Hospital for the Insane at Yankton, Soldiers' Home at Hot Springs, School for Feeble Minded at Redfield, and Sanitarium for Tuberculosis at Custer. These institutions are under the control of the State Board of Charities and Corrections.

State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of two years. Legislative sessions are held biennially in odd years, beginning on the Tuesday after the first Monday in January, and are limited in time to 60 days each. The Legislature has 45 members in the Senate and 135 in the House. There are 3 Representatives in Congress.

History.—The country now known as the Dakotas was acquired by the United States as a part of the Louisiana Purchase. It was partly explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804 and 1806, by Frémont in 1839, and by Warner in 1855. The Territory of Dakota was created in 1861, and in 1868 Wyoming Territory was formed from part of its area. A scientific expedition, escorted by troops under General Custer, entered the Black Hills in 1874, and gave the first authentic information about the mineral wealth of that region. In 1883 a convention to frame a State constitution for Dakota met at Sioux Falls. Dissensions between the people of the two sections of the Territory followed, and in 1888 it was decided to divide the territorial area into two States, under the names of North and South Dakota. The bill for their admission passed Congress and was signed by the President, Feb. 22, 1889. In 1890-1891 the “Indian Messiah” excitement led to troubles with the Sioux Indians, and in 1892 the Yankton Sioux ceded to the government a large part of their reservation between the Missouri and Choteau rivers.

Copyright, L. L. Poates Eng. Co., 1921