220 



DAKOTA. 



DAVIES, CHARLES. 



grasshoppers in case they do come. Barley, 

 oats, and wheat, can be raised, by early sowing, 

 ia spite of them, unless they make their ap- 

 pearance earlier in the season than heretofore ; 

 and it is suggested to the farmers that they put 

 a larger portion of their land in these, and 

 less in corn. Corn suffers most of all, and is, 

 in fact, about the only crop that is, even under 

 the most favorable circumstances, entirely de- 

 stroyed. Potatoes never fail entirely. 



On the subject of finances and taxation the 

 Governor says: "As by statute the Auditor 

 and Treasurer are allowed to keep their offices 

 at places remote from the capital, it is impos- 

 sible for me to state accurately the financial 

 condition of the Territory. The law, as it now 

 stands, constitutes the Governor, Auditor, and 

 Treasurer a board for the assessment of the 

 Territorial tax." For 1875 only two mills on 

 the one-dollar valuation was assessed; but, this 

 proving inadequate, the rate for 1876 was 

 fixed at four mills on the dollar. He recom- 

 mends that the Legislature fix by statute the 

 rate of taxation for the next two years ; that 

 the law authorizing the payment of interest on 

 warrants be repealed-, that more rigid laws 

 for the collection of taxes be enacted; and 

 that the Auditor and Treasurer be required to 

 keep their offices at the capital. He also 

 recommends the reduction of the rate of inter- 

 est from 12 to 10 per cent. Immigration of 

 an excellent character continues to pour into 

 the Territory, much the larger portion of 

 which is from Europe, especially from Russia. 

 Continued improvement is observed in the 

 public schools. The Dakota Southern Railroad 

 Company have become the proprietors of what 

 was formerly known as the Sioux City & 

 Pembina Railroad ; and have completed and in 

 operation seventeen miles of road, extending 

 from a point on their main line near Jefferson, 

 in the county of Union, to Portlandville, on 

 the east bank of the Big Sioux River. Fourteen 

 miles more are ready for the iron. Another 

 road, branch of the St. Paul & Sioux City 

 road, is being constructed from Worthington 

 to Sioux Falls, which, it is believed, will reach 

 the latter place daring the present year. It is 

 in operation to Luverne, within thirty miles 

 of Sioux Falls. 



A codification of the laws has been made, 

 and its adoption is recommended. The mes- 

 sage recommends legislation concerning the 

 Black Hills in the following terms : " Most or 

 all of that region of the country known as the 

 Black Hills, where rich mineral deposits have 

 recently been discovered, is in Dakota, and the 

 fact that it is probably one of the richest gold- 

 bearing regions yet discovered on this conti- 

 n3nt, and the further fact that the early con- 

 summation of an agreement with the Indians 

 for its rellnquishment will soon open it up 

 to settlement, render legislation in relation 

 thereto of the greatest importance." 



A bill has passed the United States Senate 

 for the creation of the Territory of Huron out 



of that portion of Dakota north of the 46th 

 parallel of north latitude ; this bill is now 

 (January, 1877) pending in the House of 

 Representatives. At the election in 1876, 

 Jefferson P. Kidder (Republican) was chosen 

 delegate to Congress, over Moses K. Arm- 

 strong (Democrat), by a vote of 6,199 to 2,413. 

 The Legislative Council has 12 Republicans and 

 1 Democrat, and the House of Representatives 

 20 Republicans and 4 Democrats, one district 

 not being canvassed on account of irregu- 

 larities. 



DAVID, FfiuciEN CESAB, a French com- 

 poser, born March 8, 1810; died August 30, 

 1876. He showed considerable musical talent 

 at an early age, and in his eighth year was sent 

 to Aix, where he entered the choir of the 

 cathedral, and pursued his studies in the Jesuit 

 College of that place. At nineteen years of 

 age he took the place of his former teacher as 

 director of the choir. Having held the position 

 for a year he went to Paris, where he entered 

 the Conservatory, studying under Fe"tis. At 

 this time he joined the St.-Simonists, and soon 

 was one of their most devoted supporters. 

 When the sect retired to Menilmontant, he was 

 one of the forty who tried to establish at that 

 place a home for the new religion. When, in 

 1833, the sect dissolved, he with several others 

 of the members went to Constantinople, where 

 they were arrested and brought to Smyrna; 

 thence they went to Egypt. Driven from there 

 by the plague, they traveled through the desert 

 to the coasts of Syria. On all these journeys 

 he carried a piano with him, and often when 

 they rested from their toilsome marches David 

 refreshed his comrades with his music, until 

 finally the instrument was broken by supersti- 

 tious Bedouins. Having returned to France in 

 1835, he lived very retired until 1844. The 

 works which he composed during this time, 

 although quite numerous, attracted very little 

 attention. In 1844 he published his large 

 choral symphony, "The Desert," a work in 

 which he seemed to combine his recollections 

 as in a picture. When it was first produced in 

 the Paris Conservatory it was received with 

 great enthusiasm, and transformed the obscure 

 composer at one stroke into a musical celebrity. 

 Encouraged by his success in Paris, he set out 

 on a journey through Europe, and, although 

 severely criticised at some places, was generally 

 well received. He afterward produced several 

 operas in Paris, among them "La Perle du 

 Bresil" (1851), "Herculanum" (1859), and 

 " Lalla Rookh " (1862). Of these the second 

 is the most important, for which he received 

 from the Ministry of Arts and Sciences the prize 

 of 20,000 francs. After the death of Berlioz, 

 in 1869, he was appointed librarian of the Con- 

 servatory, and shortly after became a member 

 of the Institute. He produced his last large 

 opera, " L'Indien," in 1874. 



DAVIES, CHARLES, an American mathema- 

 tician, born at Washington, Litchfield County, 

 Conn., January 22, 1798 ; died at Fishkill Land- 



