The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-03-06
Crow Greek Reservation
Opened by Procla-
nation.
GET THERE ELY
And Ely gets there with Both
Feet and his Shanty.
SWARMING OVER THE REsER
WALTON LIKE A SWARM
OF BEES.
A Mixed up State Of Affairs.
H AMP

WdEhE AM IL
WHATS commonly known as the
Grow Greek Reservation is a body of
land lying northwest from Kimball,
commencing on the southwest corner
of SEQ 24-l04-69 then running north
81 miles, thence west ten and one half
miles, thence north eight miles thence
west to the Missouri river, thence
down the river to Chamberlain,
thence east along American creek to
sec. 23-lo4-7o and thence east to place
of beqnrspg. About four townships
of Land lyip 4 the northwest corner
of the ress ION have been reserved
for the Indians under the bill which
has been pending for the opening of
the land to settlers. This leaves
about 1,l72 quarter sections or ILL.,.
$40 acres opened for settlement when
the land is open. 1t has been rumored
for some weeks that ,Presiden Ar.
thur would open the land by procla-
nation and as his time for retirement
from Office drew nigh the excitement
waxed hot, for no better land lies out
doors than this, a large part of which
is in Brule county, and all were anx-
ious for a piece of it.
On Saturday morning afew private
dispatches were received in Kimball
and Chamberlain that the President
had signed the order opening the
Reserve. In no time the news
had spread like a prairie FIRE and by
ten o'clock team after team was on
its way out bearing claim locators
Every horse and vehicle in the town
that could be spared was pressed into
use and the land seekers spread over
townships lo4-69 and lO5-69 like a
swarm of bees. As soon as a claim
was found that suited, stakes were
driven and the name of the claimant
placed thereon. Probably over 200
claims were taken in this manner by
Kimball parties. Similar scenes were
enacted by the Chamberlain and Puk.
wana people on the reservation north
of them. A large number took out
enough lumber to commence their
house, and frames in many cases were
erected, while others contented them.
selves by simply dumping the lumber
on the ground as the preliminary i'm.
provements. A large number doubt,
ed the truth of the opening Of the re.
serve and preferred to wait until
something more definite was known,
but when later in the day further dis
patches were received, confirming
those already sent, all doubts gave
way to the n absorbing thought,
must "get there Ely" and on the fol
lowing morning Sunday the grand
rush began. Before light teams
were loading up with lumber, and all
hands in the lumber yards in Kimball
were kept bnsy until moor selling
-uHHHH.
stuff. As early as nine O'Clock q
string of teams as far AZ the eye
could reach strung out overtthe wind.
ing road leading to the Mecca of the
land grabbers. Vehicles of all shapes
and sizes or previous condition Of
s%ervitude, drawn by anything that had
four feet and wore hair; men on
horseback and on foot with a 2x4
under each arm, all helped to form
the grand column charging upon the
home Of poor Lo. A fourth of July
hoodlum procession was a tame con
parison to this Sunday morning par
ade. The day was all that one could
wish, not a cloud to be seen and
balmy as May. By noon there vert
not enough men in town to make s
showing of any life. The congrega
,tions atthe churches resembled gigan
tic "goese parties" Claim hunters
reaching the Reserve, branched of
in every direction. Claims staked
out tie day previous were passed
over out Of respect for the right oi
the claimant Everyone desired tt
i 1ocate his 4shack" or improvements
at least one halt mile from anything
or anybndy, SO as to be sure he wa.
the only one on the quarter, but the
distance in all cases had to be rough
ly guessed at, and in many instances
the surveyors have since fonnd two
or more on claim. Thas is bu,
the commencement Of what will be
found a mixed up state ofaffairs from
beginning to end. Sunday might
nearly every quarter section on town
ships lo4-ee and 1860 had 2 Kim
bali squatter on i, 50 rapidly were
the claims taken. It was very Difficult,
to find any of the government survey
stakes or pits and of course almost
impossible to tel the exact location