1939: South Dakota

Area and Population.

Admitted to statehood Nov. 2, 1889, South Dakota ranks 14th in size among the states, with an area of 77,615 sq. mi. In population it ranks 36th, numbering 692,849 according to the census of 1930. The largest cities are Sioux Falls, 33,362; and Aberdeen, 16,465. The capital is Pierre, 3,659. The loss of population due to emigration during the drouth period came to an end in 1938, as many former residents returned to make their homes in South Dakota.

Agriculture.

The state's principal industry is agriculture, which depends upon the weather for success. In 1939 the state had a deficiency of 3.16 inches of moisture. Despite this shortage, crops were improved over large sections of the state. By months, the weather record was freakish. The temperature range was 157 degrees: a low of 42 degrees below zero on February, contrasted with a high of 115 on July 11. A mild January during which stock fed in the open was followed by a severe February of high winds, drifting snows, and sub-zero temperatures which caused the death of two people. In March, the frost left the ground early, allowing farmers to begin seeding. Winter wheat, rye, and pastures made a good growth, but a dry April ensued and May saw a continuation of the drouth with much crop damage. Great numbers of grasshoppers then appeared as a further menace to the harvest. June brought abundant rainfall but it came too late for many crops. The corn that survived the rainless period continued to gain. July heat was favorable to harvesting and threshing, but damaged growing crops.

Western South Dakota suffered much loss from drouth and the water shortage forced ranchers to ship out stock before it was ready for market. Good returns came from harvesting in the northeastern district, with reports of fair and poor yields elsewhere. Grasshopper damage was slight. Drouth continued throughout August and September. Corn matured early in October and production exceeded expectation. Cane and sorghum crops were estimated to equal three times the 1938 record. Potato and beet sugar yields were fair. November was the mildest and driest since 1890, and December set a record for the highest average temperature since statehood, 10 degrees above normal. The closing week brought an abrupt drop to below zero weather. Surface soil moisture was lacking as the year ended, but snow blanketed the state.

The value of all 1939 crops was estimated at $75,422,000, a gain of $11,000,000 over 1938. Corn was harvested in the amount of 46,848,000 bushels from 2,677,000 acres. The average yield per harvested acre was 17.5 bushels. The total production of all wheat was 19,424,000 bushels from 2,245,000 acres. Reduced acreage because of AAA restrictions was responsible for lowered production. Production of oats and barley was equal to the ten-year average.

Mineral Products.

The chief mineral industry is gold mining. The output in 1939 was the greatest in value and quantity on record, amounting to 608,000 oz. valued at $21,280,000. The all-time (1876-1939) total value is $441,000,989. The Homestake Mine at Lead, the largest producing gold mine in the United States, paid dividends of $9,041,760 in 1939. Silver to the value of $114,444 (168,600 oz.) was produced, swelling the all-time total value of that metal to $6,403,071. Activity was shown in the bentonite field. Efforts were made to interest the Federal Government in the large manganese deposits in central South Dakota.

Education.

Of the 197,500 inhabitants of school age in South Dakota, in the school year 1936-37, there was a total enrollment of 148,114, including 38,418 high school students. In the same period there were enrolled in vocational schools 6,124. The expenditures on public school education amounted to $12,353,319.

Legislative Matters.

The twenty-sixth session of the Legislature convened on January third. The membership had been reduced from 148 to 110 by a reapportionment act approved by the voters in November, 1936. A Constitutional amendment to increase the membership was decisively beaten in 1938. For the first time since 1931 the Republicans controlled the Legislature and all elective state offices. Harlan John Bushfield, former Republican state chairman, succeeded Leslie Jensen as Governor.

The executive's program embraced liquidation of the rural credit department, repeal of nuisance taxes, elimination of the two mill tax on real property, homestead exemption, local administration of relief, encouragement of development of natural resources, and the adoption of a revised code. Party harmony prevailed throughout the session of sixty days and the recommendations made by the Governor were largely enacted into law. Of the 640 bills introduced in both houses, 300 became laws. The revised code adopted by the Legislature has been highly praised by legal leaders as a distinct contribution in its field.

Finance.

Improvement in business conditions was shown through the tax collections. The state division of taxation collected $6,138,646, of which the retail sales tax produced $3,879,702. County treasurers reported tax payments the highest in several years. There were no bank failures during the year.

Events of the Year.

The state was visited by a million tourists during the year. The chief tourist attractions are the Bad Lands area and the Black Hills. The Rushmore Memorial in the Black Hills holds first rank in tourist appeal. Each year brings increasing thousands to view Gutzon Borglum's gigantic historic figures on the mountain wall. The state highway department has completed dustless and hard surfaced highways to facilitate the flow of traffic drawn by the sculptor's great achievement.

On November 2 the state celebrated its fiftieth year in the Union. Throughout the year appropriate ceremonies were held. Of the seventy-five members of the Constitutional Convention held prior to statehood, one alone lived to observe the golden jubilee.

The state was honored in 1939 by the selection of a native son. Dr. Ernest Orlando Lawrence, as the winner of the Nobel prize in physics.

State Officers.

The chief state officers are as follows: Governor, Harlan J. Bushfield; Lieutenant Governor, Donald C. McMurchie; Secretary of State, Olive Ringsrud; Auditor, W. W. Warner; Treasurer, W. G. Douglas; Superintendent of Public Instruction, G. F. Hines.

United States Senators.

William J. Bulow, Chan Gurney.