The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-16
HOMES FOR SETTLERS.
Proclamation Issued Yesterday That
Will Delight the People
of Billings.
Nearly Two Million Acres OF the
Grow Reserves Thrown Open
to Settlement.
Provisions OF the Agreement Opening II
Showing Who May Take Advantage
of the Chance.

After a good many months hard work ana
and a great delay and disappointment word
was received in Helena yesterday that the
west end OF the Grow reserve had been
thrown open to settlement. The coded por-
ton lies west of a line drawn south from a
point about ten miles east of Billings, fol-
lowing the water shed south to a point If
teen miles north Of the Wyoming line.
thence east to the Big Horn river, thence
south TO the Wyoming line. The coded
lands comprise about 100000 acres. The
Indians who had settled on 1t were Allowed
to take land on another part of the reserve,
and in addition $500, 900 moro was given
the Grows for their irrigation canal. 7. H..
Foster, of Billings, clerk and recorder OF
Yellowstone county. has worked very hard
to have thu land thrown open. and to him q
great deal of the oledit Tor the successful
outcome is due.
Oct, 10 Commodore r. G. Power sent the
following telegram TO Secretary Noble;
.'Ploase have proclamation issued opening
Grow reserve before Oct. Ii, if possible.
Answer" .
Yesterday Mr.. Power received the follow
ing: "Ihe president has this day signed
the proclamation opening the Grow reser-
walton in accordance with the agreements
of 1890 and 1892"
Under the terms OF the agreement the
coded lands, except the mineral lands, must
be disposed of only to actual settlers under
the provisions of the homestead laws, ex-
cept section 250 Of the revised statutes,
which gives to ex-soldiers and sailors the
benefit of the time they may have served in
the army or navy of the United States. pro-
vided, however, that a soldier shall before
receiving a patent for his homestead pay
for the land taken by him, in addition to
the fees provided by the law, and within
five years from the date of the first original
entry. $3.50 per acre. one half OF winch
shall be paid within two years; and 1T ID
further provided that any PEI son otherwise
qualified who attempted, but Tor any cause
failed to secure title in fee to q homestead
under tho existing law, or who made entry
under what is known rs the commuted
provision of the homestead law, shall be
qualified to make a homestead entry upon
any of these ceded lands. 1t is further
provided that all white persons who located
upon the Grow reservation by reason of an
erroneous survey Of the boundary, and
were afterwards allowed to file upon q loca-
ton in the United States land office.
shall have thirty days in which
to renew their filings. In all cases
where claims we're located under the min
ing laws of the United States prior to Dec.
l. 1890. by a qualified locator, who believed
he or she SO locating was on the lands out
side of the Grow reservation, such locator
ID given thirty days in which to relocate the
within the coded limits of the reservation.
The coded lands constitute the western
part of the reservation. which was opened
to settlement. except mineral lands and
800 Indian allotments, which are reserved,
the eastern part remaining in the reserva-