Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-22
Ladies and Clergymen Among the
Participants in the Mad Rush
for Land.
Every PrecautiOn Taken to Preserve
Order and no BiOOdshed is as
Yet Reported.

III single tle has been constructed at
the land office and filings were taken
at the rate of two a minute. The
man who had first place
has been holding it since
Saturday night He was offered 81 900
Tor 1t this morning, but refused. Reg
lister Phillips received word from Wash
n1gton that his bond had been accept,
and his commission issued rush
early this morning to displace the head
of the line was unsuccessful. The
agents are very angry because no modi-
hcatlOn of the single-filing rule has
been received from Washington. In
other quarters, however, there is gre
satisfaction, as the ruling is conceded
to be the fairest to all
ST. PAUL, April 15.-Reports from the
Sisseton reservation indicate that the
weather is all that can be desired for the
opening today, but the condition under
foot is most unfavorable The whole
country is sea of mud ana water and the
race for choice selections will oe to the
strong instead of to the swift. Several
townships are submerged. Daylight
found lines of flers at Fargo and Water
town and sunrise also disclosed long
lines of homes seekers and boomers
stretched along the boundaryssof the res
ervation, held back only by the guns of
soldiers and the fear that their claims
would be thrown out if they crossed in ad.
vance. So thick were they that the long
line of restless people seemed living marks
set to show the boundaries. Maj. Bernard
laid his plans we'll to give all an equal
chance. The various officers compared
their time pieces, and promptly at noon
the signal guns gave the word to 60
Mai. Demands bugler announced it at
Browns valley, and as the notes resounded
from the hill tops the firing of musketry
along the line carried word to the eager
multitude, who started off at break-neck
speed for the promised land though mud
and sIush. Mud had no terrors for them,
did not deter them, if by driving
through them they could reach the COW
eted quarter section sooner.
leadership of oklahoma Charlie" at
darkness and gain the reservation. A
the matter out, and detachment
landed, confScated the boats and drove
them from the reservation. There are
rumors at Browns Valley Of trouble at
Wheaton bridge. 1t is impossible to OBJ
tain the facts at present. 1t is known
that several hundred men went there yes
terday determined to cross Captain
oh
to the scene and ordered to let no one pass.
It was discovered that a scheme was on
foot to get the consent of land owners
Lake Traverse and Brown Valley whose
the followers Of the combination to Cross
permit anybody else to do so. Ii is not
known to what extent this combination
worked. The towns near the border, so
full of life all the week, are now almost
deserted
Later Account.
This has been week of intense excite
ment in a dozen towns bordering on the
reservation. Today the towns were nearly
deserted. During the night were con-
tinual scenes of activity and before 10
o'clock the muddy streets were jammed
with vehicles of every character. At IL
o'clock fully 5000 persons collected along
the reservation at the head of Lake
Traverse and the cavalry had difficulty in
keeping the in patient crowd in check, as
they were becoming decidedly uneasy.
Some of the outfits were unique and in
teresting A large claim shanty, with red
window blinds, on wheels, was drawn up
o the line and a family was living in it.
Covered wagons in large numbers drew
up and prepared for the race. A sack of
feed, bunch Of hay and spade com
posed the outfit for some, while others
had a wagon loaded with lumber for
shanty, surmounted by a small stove,
blankets, chairs, pans and kettle. The
ubiquitous country editor, doctor, clergy
man and county seat policeman were all
In line waiting for the signal.
A sharp, clear note of the bugle at noon,
the almost simultaneous crack of car
bine, then volley from the whole far
reaching line of cavalry as a signal was
taken up and carried up In q reverbrat ing
report to thousands of waiting ears, and
the Slsseton reservation was open. Five
hundred teams plum ged madly forward
across the prairie, with their drivers
regardless OF direction Horse back
riders soon took the lead. Far up the
LAKE large party crossed in boats and
succeeded in entering the reservation FIVE
miles ahead Of the crowd, but even others
got IN ahead of them.
1t is estimated that thousands of people
made rush from Browns valley about
500 from Traverse and some six hundred
from Wheaton In spite of the efforts of
the owner Of the private bridge to stem
the food of boomers across the bridge
In the interest of the land company.
The police force was overwhelmed and
lost in the struggle for the bridge. A
large crowd also set out from Ledgewood.
A wild rush was made from Hankinson.
Solid lines south of there were awaiting
the opening, and in several instances
half dozen made for the same claim,
and trouble Is feared.
At Waubay, on the southwest, some FIVE
or six hundred people joined in the rush.
From Wllmot there was great rush, and
the train On the Milwaukee road pulled to
the end of the track, at the signal, from
whence boomers rushed to the lands on
fast mustangs, which were provided by
Indians at big prices. In fact the Indian
is great man all over the reservation to-
dav. The on-rushing boomers from the
north, west and east met In the reserva-
ton, and if there is any trouble it will
come from difficulties over the choice sec
lions to which the settlers raced from DIFF
ferent directions.
Gov. MeIlette, OF South Dakota, with
25GO deputy sherlffs heavily armed, was
instructed to maintain order OF the
reserve. Every section of Coddington