The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-11
TIE SQUATTERS' RAID.
Scenes Upon the Opening Of the Winnebago
Reservation to Settlers.

DUBUQUE Ia, March 10--Deputy United
States Marshal Hopkins and his assistant, have
returned from the Winnebago and Sioux res
ervation, whittier they went to look up claims
and hunt criminals. They tell remarkable
story of the rush. of people, who went there by
the hundreds to claim these lands as soon as
President Arthur attached his signature to
the document which opened the lands for
settlement last Friday. The reservation COM
prises the best lands in Dakota, having been scr
lected by the Indian. agents years ago. They
are on the east side OF the Missouri river. and
those portions opened for settlement are
bounded on the north by Pierre and on the
south by Chamberlain. The Of the district
opened for settlement includes twenty six town
ships, with thirty-six miles to each township
and 640 ceres in mile. According to the home
stead law, every head of family, whether an
ablebodied man or servant girl, and every
male over twenty one years of age has right
to pre-empt l60 acres of land.
Five minutes after the time President Arthur
signed the executive order opening the lands to
settlement, the fact was known in Chamberlain,
and as soon as one man crossed the reservation
line with load of lumber, thousands of others
in waiting followed him. All the hired girls in
the hotel were in the front ranks. Not barber
shop was open. Nearly all the business men,
except the hotel and Saloon keepers were in tho
anxious and excited crowd. Teams and wagons
were employed to haul settlers at $50 per day in
advance Those who preferred town lots en-
ployed lawyer, who laid out town site oppo-
site Chamberlain.
During Friday night the erection Of 100 houses
was commenced, and the town is being rapidly
built Many of the houses ars already occupied
by families. The prospect is that much litiga.
tion and bloodshed will be the result of the ex-
element The agent of the Chicago, Milwaukee
81 ST. Paul railroad filed warrants in the name of
his company to large portion of the land con-
tanned in the reservation and now settleA upon.
The Indians are unfriendly to the settlers and
are encouraged by the Indian agents, who. in
many instances, drive settlers away. Until
registration office is opened on the reservation
that they would be jumped if they did
The Indian agents refuse to register
until they receive formal notice from the gov
ernment that the land had been thrown open
TO settlement. In many cases the settlers were
unable to find the corners of the sections,
and when surveys were made it was found, in
many eases, that cabins some distance apart
were really on the same section. Then the
question arose who settled here first and the
man who displayed the most formidable Win
chester rifle or navy revolver generally induced
the other fellow to believe that ne did. The
work of erecting shansies on the claims pro-
crosses night and day. Several lawsuits have
been entered where more than one have taken
possession
People from abroad did not seem to anticipate
the rush. for those who arrived at Chamberlain
Wednesday, found that every inch of the land
had been pre- empted. The trains going to
Chamberlain consisted of several sleepers and
passenger coaches jammed full of poor fellows
who labored under tho delusion that they had
only to visit the reservation and stay on it over
night to acquire possession of 100 acres. Agent
Gassman received orders from the Interior De-
partment not TO allow the Indians to interfere
with the settlers but there is bad blood existing
aud trouble is feared at any time