Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-04-22
WILD RACE FOR CLAIMS
THE slssEroN RESERVATION
OPENED FOR SETTLEMENT.
Fifteen Minutes After the Signal squat
tiers Werc Building Shantles and
Breathing Ground-Everyboly Gets a
Claim, and Plenty OF Land Left.
A Break for si.soton Lands,

Clnl1lls ana Hlenty OIL Lana Lett
A Break for Sixscton Lands.
AT 12 o'clock noon on the 18th inst.
the land Office doors at Watertown were
thrown open to receive filings on the
Sisseton lands open to settlement. The
line was very orderly and there was no
disturbance, owing to the preparations
made by the officials. AT ancarly hour
hundreds worked their way north of tho
city to the reservation. Every vehicle
in the city was pressed into service. At
ii o'clock the land seekers congregatcd
along the borders of the reservation
opposite the land they wished to settle
on. The throng was especially large at
the township n Men were
mounted on horseback and many were
in light buggies. There was no disorder
of any kind, nor any attempt ut VIC.
lence, SO the services of the deputy
shesttfs who we're on hand were not
needed to preserve order among the
crowd.
Precisely at IL the word was given by
the different starters. In an instant of
time the prairie was swarming in all
directions. livery one was striving to
gain u piece of land previously located.
Within five minutes men u women
were digging sod to begin u shanty, and
ten minutes after the start was made
several men were blowing the sod to
make their claim.
1t did not seem possible that the
sluatters could occupy the land SO
quickly. In fifteen minutes after the
word was gwen the land for four miles
from the border was all squatted upon
and Improvements begun.
One farmer daughter distinguished
herself by racing against four men on
horseback for 2GO rods. and she won.
securing IL valuable claim. n Minnc-
sofa school teacher who drove a large
mare attracted general attention as she
whalcd the marc with u whip shield
like Il Comancle Indian, soaring every
horse she passed. She squatted on q
school section, but when informed of
the fact She drove ahead and finally Sc
cured u claim on the banks OF q small
creek.
In the rush and excitement many
quarters had two squattcrs, one on
each side, both claiming to be there
first. Many are buving the claims of
the other party so as to avoid a conflict
of claims.
OAAt nv
crowd, and all We're quite successful in
securing claims. In q few days the
fighting will begin in earnest between
the sQuatters and the tiicrS as to which
is entitled to the land.
The weather was superb tor the OPEN
ing. The prairie was dry and as hard
as Il race track, making it possible to
drive easily over it in any direction.
Many of the squatters have tents, and
other camp eluipage along with them,
and will remain on their claims so as to
prevent claim jumping.
Many OF those who did not secure
land on the reservation are going to
purchase. The excitement connected
with the opening is gradually dying
out, and in Il few days everything will
resume it's wonted course.
Estimates place the number of set
tiers who went on the reservation at
from $500 to 1900. Every person
that wanted IL claim got one. and there
seems to be plenty of vacant land
left.
Back in the time to which the MEM
DRY of man runneth not. it appears
from the traditions and legends handed
down among the Sisseton, Wapheton,
INSTRUMENTATION and Wakuta tribes Of
Sioux Indians that the section of coun
try in which the Sisseton Reservation
now lies was a sort of Mecca for these
Indians. On the highest point of the
range of hills which run through the
reservation they erected a mound. on
which they placed their stone god,
T~unkaniyapi.
The Chippcwas who lived in the Min
ncsotn and Wisconsin forests made
,,r NJ forfs IN nhtntn ~ 1N,x -
ways foiled in their attempts by their
prairie brethren. Thus it was until
the ever encroaching white race clam
ored for its purchase from the Indians.
AT this time the Sioux owned u strip
east OF the Mississippi River in Wis
consin, Iowa, Minnesota to the far
north. and westward to the Jim River
Valley.
In 1884 q Commission tried to pur-
chase a large part of their territory,
but only secured that east of the Mis-
sissippi River. In 1851 some more of
their land was purchased. In 1863
Congress contiscatcd all the lands en-
ccpt the present. ~sServation of /. ZOO. O
acres.
In 1850 q Con. mission was appointed
to negotiate for the purchase of the
land now thrown open to settlement.
There is q little less than 1000, 900
acres, of which $4,000 acres were
thrown open to settlement by whites.
The reservation abounds in beautiful
natural scenery of hills, rolling prair-
les that are fringed with oak, maple,
ironwood and elm. Wild fruits are
found in abundance. Hardy varities of
apple and plum trees flourish and bear
abundantly. In the timber wild grapes
grow in p%rofusion.
Tho soil will average in depth and
productiveness and general fertility us
high as the best land in this section.
Lake Traverse. a fine body of water
twenty-five miles long, lies on the east
ern boundary. This is becoming o
famous resort i'll this section of the
country. as it apounds with all kinds of
fish and it's shores are heavily timbered.
There are a large number of lakes
scattered ovcr the reservation, many of
them fine springfield lakes, bordered
with timber, and al. we'll stocked with
fish. The principal lakes are Dry Wood