The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-26
4 RUSH FOR LAND.
The Sioux Reservation in South
Dakota Open for Settlement.
A Great Scramble by Settlers
for Desirable Locations.

Tho President by proclamation ha:
opened the Sioux Reservation in South
Dakota and established land Offices al
Pierre and Chamberlain. Reciting that the
different bands of Sioux Indians had relin
auished all claims to the land in question,
provision is made by the proclamation for
the future homes of the tribe, and any
lands occupied by religious societies arc
given such societies. The proclamation
provides that all the lands in the
Great Sioux Reservation, outside of The
separate reservations for the Indians ex.
cept American Island. Farm Island and
Niobrara Island, regarding which Islands
special provisions are made, and sections six
teen and thirty.si1 in each township (Which
are reserved for school purposes shall be dis
posed of by the United States upon the
terms, at the price and in the manner sci
forth in the Act of the Commission, to actua
settlers only. under the provisions of the
Homestead law Except section 230l thereof.
and under the law relating to town SITES II
is provided, however, that all persons who,
between February 81, 1885, and April 81,
1885, entered upon or made settlements with
intent to enter the same under the Home
stead or Presumption laws Of the United
States upon any part Of the Great Sioux
Reservation have right to re-enter upon
said claims and procure title thereto under
the Homestead or Pre- emption laws OF the
United States.
A dispatch from Chamberlain describes
the rush for the newly-opened territory as
follows:
There was a rush for the Sioux Reserva-
ton hours before it became known that tho
Presidents proclamation had opened the
new territory. It was grand sight, viewed
from the high bluffs on tho east side of the
river, to see the teams with their great
lumber-loads dashing across the river on q
dead run, up the bluff on American Island
and finally being lost to sight in the heavy
timber.
The Indian police to the number of nearly
one hundred, had been placed as guard to
prevent any premature invasion, but tney
Stood dazed and helpless as they viewed the
great and irresistible rush for the reserva-
ton. A most novel sight was the moving
of large building under which had been
placed heavy timbers and wheels. This, like
the other wagons, was pulled across the
river by galloping horses.
It took but few minutes for the several
sections OH the valuable bottom to be liter
ally covered with claimants, and it will take
O score of lawyers to solve ths problem as to
who are the rightful owners.
The local tOWn-Slte boomers unuOllDtedly
secured an advantage over the other organ
lied boomers by few minutes, but among
the boomers are q number who intend to Sc.
cure homestead filings if possible, which if
persisted in, will complicate the matter tc
such an extent as to result in q protracted
legal struggle. While this rush and conflict
was going on for the bottom lands many
other intending settlers rushed promptly into
the uplands and began at once the erection
of houses and these are prepared to defend
their rights as against later settlers deter:
mincdly guarding against any invasion q
their lands. 10 80
At night the settlers encamped ontheir
claims The new land Office will be organ.
lied at once and be in running order by the
time the lands are surveyed, when filings
will be rendered by settlers. The land is as
yet unsurveyed, and settlers will for the
present have to secure squatterS rights.
There were number of smash-ups in the
rush, but no fatalities were reported. The
city was in great uproar. Bells ringing,
whistles blowing, cannons booming, shout
ing of excited men and the rushing Of teams
made yeritable bedlam.