remains on the ground long enough for good sleighing and warm Chinook winds are a 

 fouturo of the winters. The precipitation averages about 15 inchos and occurr, 

 roatly in tho spring months, mth an occasional doim-pour that soaks the ground in 

 £,3od shapo, Tho poriod froo from frost is gonorally from tho middle of iJlay to the 

 last of Soptombor and luto garden truck nearly alv/ays matures woll ahead of the 

 first nip. Tho climate will appeal to those who come from the northern half of tho 

 United Statos, and while the nan from tho middle ;7cst will notico a lack of rr-,:..!- 

 fall, this is more than compensated by tho irrigation ?fater from tho ditches, that 

 is available for crops, lawns and gardens, whenever the occasion requires. The 

 altitude averages about 2,800 feet. 



TRANSPORTATION: Railroad transportation is afforded by the Chicago & North- 

 western Railway, with two principal lines from Chicago to the Black Hills, joining 

 at Rapid City and continuing with a branch line through the project to Newell. The 

 Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway and the Burlington Lino have torrainals ros- 

 poctivoly at Rapid City and Doadwood. Together •'jheso give a ready outlot to Omaha, 

 Sioux City, Lincoln, Minneapolis, Denver, Billings and the nortu'^cst. Federal 

 hxghyay 79 traverses tho project north and south connecting Nebraska and North 

 Dakota, and No. 212 runs oast and west through tho nrojcct oxtonaing from Minnea- 

 polis to Belle Fourcbo. Connecting with these highway's arc gooa county roads, some 

 graveled, leading to all parts of the project. Highway 85, just off the project, 

 also servos as an outlet to tho north and southwest and to Black Hills points. 



CIVIC DE7EL0PK1E1-IT: The city of Belle Fourche, the County seat of Butte County, 

 located at the upper end of the projedt has a population of 2,100 with all lines 

 of business represented. Industries consist of a brick plant, creamery, flour 

 mill and sugar factory. The business section is paved and residence streets well 

 improved. The annual rodeo held for 3 days each year early in July, makes this 

 the round-up city of tho west, 



Newell in the east central part of the project is a place of 500 population 

 and the terminus of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, Two graveled Federal 

 highways pass through the business street. The U, S. Experiment Farm, two miles 

 out, is a Federal enterprise, established for demonstrating the results of irriga- 

 tion and rotation as well as sheep feeding. Newell is also the irrigation project 

 headquarters and contains one of tho largest general stores in tho state. 



Vale, Nisland and Fruitdalo are other communities on the project all connected 

 by rail, where general merchandise business is conducted and where farm produce 

 may be marketed. 



Churches and schools arc a feature of the project towns. Tho various relig- 

 ious denominations are well represented and most of these have adequate church 

 edificios. Belle Fourche, Newell, Vale and Nisland provide standard high school 

 courses while college work is available in tho nearby cities of Spearfish and 

 Rapid City. 



IRRIGATION DISTRICT - WATER CHARGES: The projoct is organized as an Irriga- 

 tion District under tho state law, controlled by a Board of Directors. The dis- 

 trict in turn has contracted with the Ifaited States to repay the cost of construct- 

 ing tho irrigation works. Payments for this purpose arc distributed ever a poriod 

 of 80 years beginning at the time water first becamo available which means that 

 most project farms 7ri.ll continue payments on this account for about 60 years with- 

 out interest. These annual payments vary from 82-^-^ por irrigable acre to $1.37-|-, 

 dcnonding on the class of soil, and average 93(zf for tho entire project. In addi- 

 tion to the assessments for construction of the system there is an annual charge 



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