Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-02-19
BOOMERS MADE HAPPY.


Throwing Open to Settlement About
100000 Acres of the Sioux Reserva- |
tion-A wild Rush FOR Homes.
WAsnNGToN, Feb. 1.-THE Presi- |
dent has signed the proclamation OPEN
ing the Sioux reservation in South Da-
kota. He has also issued an order es-
tablishing land Offices at Pierre and
Chamberlain. Over 5000, 900 acres are
thrown open to settlement by the Presi-
dents proclamation.
The President has sent to Congress
the report of the Sioux commission, the
main facts of which have already been
published, and also the tdraft of bill
embodying the recommendations of the
commission requiring legislation. The
bill provides for the following appro-
priations to carry out its terms:
For 10000 cows and 400 bulls, 100000; for
milch cows, oxen, harness, farming imple-
ments and houses for Indians taking allot-
ments, S3sOOO0; for day schools teachers and
furniture with a provision for compulsory at
tendance of children), Sl5OOJO; Tor thirty
school buildings, $4,000; for one years in.
tercst on the sum Of S3,OO000O, il500O0; to
pay for ponies taken by the military, S20O.OOO;
to pay the Grow Creek Indians for deficiencies
in the allotments, SlS7 039; for extra beef
Sioux, 600.
Additional sections require the pur-
chase of Indian produce at fair prices
for supplies for adjacent military posts,
and prescribe how the Secretary of the
Treasury shall credit the Indian funds.
CHAMBERLAIN, S. D., Feb. 11.-Okla-
homa's history was repeated here Mon
day afternoon when news was received
that the President had issued his proc
lamation opening the Sioux reservation
to settlement. The bulletin was received
at $3.50 o'clock, and two minutes later
the frozen surface of the Missouri
was black with boomers in wagons on
horseback and on foot, madly rushing
toward the promised land. There were
fully 5000 persons in the throug, COM
prising a portion of the overflow from
Oklahoma, Il large number of New En-
glanders and about 500 South Dakotans,
principally residents of this city.
For three months representatives OF
town-site companies ha7ing headquar-
ters in Watertown, Huron, Mitchell and
this city have been here, each planning
how to get across the river ahead
of the others and locate town
site Immediately opposite Chamber
lain. The representatives of the local
company outgeneraled their compet-
itors. Men were secreted in the brush
along the river bank, and as soon as
| news of the proclamation was received
cannon was fired by the companys
chief at the telegraph Office, and the
men who had lain in the brush since
midnight were up and across the river
| before the other fellows heard the news.
There has been considerable claim
! jumping already, and an endless train
of wagons and sleighs is convey
| ing lumber and supplies to those
who have staked out claims on
! the broad acres of the reserva-
| ton. Troops are patrolling the
reservation to preserve the peace, and
although there will be much litigation
between claimants of land. particularly
over the choice claims along the river
bank, there is no probability of any Sc
rious trouble.
The local town-siters, who got the ad-
vantage of the other boomers for the
possession of the town-site, have ar
ranged for representation in nearly
fifty different branches of business. In
side of forty-eight hours the buildings
will have been erected and every thing
be in running order, with a population
of between 1000 and 5000.
| The great Sioux reservation. containing in
all 81, 100000 acres, lies between 43 degrees 80
minutes and 40 degrees 10 minutes. II is bound
| ed by the Missouri river on the east, and eX-
tends to the South Dukota line on the west and
| south, embracing all west OF the Missouri
| river except the Black Hills territory The
| portion of the reservation to be opened
| lies to the south OF the Cheyenne river
and north OF the White river, and narrow
strip of land lying to the north of the Belle
! Fouche river in the territory ccded by the
treaty OF 1875 Under the terms OF the treaty
settlers entering the territory and filing upon
this land within three years of the proclama-
tion which declares IL open TO settlement
must pay for it at the rate OF sl.e5
per acre and no one will be al
lowed to file upon more than 100 acres. The
land will be most easily accessible from she
points where the railroads touch the Missouri
river, and from far.out sections along the Elk
horn Valley railroad in the Black Hills. The
nearest approaches to the reservation by rail
are ut Chamberlain and Pierre.
Within the boundaries of this territory are
such variety OF soil and condition rs would Sc
adapted to fill the wants of any one seeking a
home in the newer portions OF the West. The
bottom lands along the streams afford the best
facilities for general agriculture the soil being
in nearly all cases deeper, richer and less sus
Ceptible to the drought. For stock raising and
grazing the region lying in the extreme western
part and headquarters of the White and Bad
rivers will be found most suitable The timber
will be found along the rivers and creeks and
very little in any other place. Some of the
deeper gulches have scraggy pines, oaks and
cedars growing in them, but not enough for any
practical purposes.
The country north of the Bad river and
south OF the Cheyenne river contains probably
the land best adapted for mixed farming, being
less broken and irregular, away from the
streams, and therefore better adapted for till
age The soil is very fertile where it has beer
tried, yielding magnificent returns of potatoes
and other garden vegetables, those being tht
only crops planted on the uplands so far.
Two railroads terminate at the Missour
river and will extend their lines across the
territory now thrown open for settlement
The Chicago s. Northwestern railway, whose
present terminus is ut Pierre, has already
survived n fnllOwinU tho rOurSp of tI,