The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-16
THE RUSH FOR LAND.
Scenes at the Opening of the Sisse-
ton Reservation.
ALL NATIONS WERE REPRESENTED.

A Motley Crowd Waiting for the
Promised Land-An Exciting Race,
with Pretty University Girl Grad
uate in the Lead.
LEDGERwooD, S. D., April 16.-At
five minutes to noon yesterday cavalry
bugler, with a long yellow plume
streaming from his helmet and a brand
new bugle suspended from his shoulder
by a bright yellow cord, rode to the
crest of the hills which separate Browns
Valley from the Sisseton reservation.
Scattered along in an uneven line to the
north and south of him were three COM
panies of cavalry, each man fully armed
with sabre, revolver and carbine. Back
of these were grouped, or rather herded,
heterogeneous mass OF men, represent
ing all nationalities of the Caucasian
race, with liberal mixture of half
breeds and negroes. There were women
in the crowd, too, and here and there
could be seen baby held in the arms of
its mother as she sat on her horse deter
mined to be one of the fist to enter the
promised land.
As all nationalities and races of men
were represented, SO were the animals
of all kinds and colors. A splendid
Kentucky thoroughbred carried man
who had thrown aside everything which
could impede him in the ride for the
reservation. Next to him, on a wiry
broncho, was half breed who sat on
his horse as if Il part of it. Further
down the line, true TO his ancient ira
ditions, was huge negro, black as
charcoal, astride u diminutive mule.
All We're impatient for the race to begin.
The Signal for the Rush.
AS the sun neared the meridian Major
Bernard glanced at his watch. The
bugler lifted his instrument to his lips,
and the crowd of landseekers gathered
up their reins and awaited the signal.
AT last Major Bernard, watch in hand,
nodded to the bugler, who began to
sound the reveille AT the first note
there was crack from the carbine of
the soldier next to him, which was
quickly echoed by one farther down the
line. The shots rang ont clear in the
crisp air, and as the volley ratified down
the lines on either side it was answered
by the hoof beats of hundreds of horses
spurred on by riders reckless of life or
limb in the ride for land. A cloud of
alkili dust rose as the motley army
charged for the line of the reservation,
and soon all that could be seen from the
crest of the ridge was black mass of
huddled horsemen closely pursued by
whirl of yellowish dust.
The man on the Kentucky thorough
bred got good start, and when the line
was reached ne was ten lengths in ad-
vance of the next rider, a tall cowboy,
who rode like ceutaur, but who was at
q disadvantage as to his mount.
But these swift horsemen were pre-
ceded by Ida Burnett, graduate of the
University of Minnesota, a strikingly
handsome girl, who is now in possession
of the choicest quarter section about the
town site. Behind the fastest team OBJ
tainable siis was drawn to the town
site from the agency. She was the first
on the field, and staked out her claim
and straightway went to work in the
erection of a shanty.
Behind the leaders strung ont a long
line of horsemen, men in buggies, others
i'll spring wagons and others still in
huge prairie schooners, the rear being
brought uphy u man from Pike county,
o., whose wife, children and house
hold effects We're contained in wagon
drawn by yoke of oxen. On and on
went the flying column, and within
half an hour the last man and vehicle
ndu NaulSueAl ITOll SlbuI OeAOnu lne
foothills, and the soldiers, at the word
of command, wheeled and returned to
camp, their duty in opening the reser-
walton being finished.
Five Thousand Settlers.
There are now fully 5000 settlers on
the reservation. These are pretty well
divided between the northern and east
ern border. The squatter is monarch of
all he surveys. Governor Mellette had
25O deputy sheriffs on the reserve heavily
armed and instructed to maintain order,
peaceably, if possible, forcibly, if neces-
sary. They checked several rows before
serious results ensued. Wells are being
dug everywhere and all the squatters
apparently intend to live on their land.
In a couple of weeks working plows will
be at work everywhere. There will be
good lands open to settlement for weeks
to come, as not half the land has been
taken up. Colonel Bernard has re-
ceived orders to hold the troops at
Browns Valley until Monday, but they
are not needed.