Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-04-21
THE leUSln FOR HOMES.
su:1c Note nnd Crack of Carbinc
Open the cEeeServation.

Open the .Eeeservation.
BROWNS VALLEY, April l5th.-The
sharp, clear note of :! bugle at noon to-
day, the almost simultaneous crack OF
~ carbine, then a volley from the whole
lar-reaching line of cavalry as Il signal
was taken up and carried in revcrber;,-
ting report to thousands OF waiting ears
Il few more halting shots becoming
fainter as distance increased and the
SIsseton reservation was opened. Mil
itary withdrew from the border and
rejoineu their respective companies.
When the long awaited signal came.
estimates giving only Il few hundred
settlers as in the vicinity Of Browns
Valley were Knocked out. From the
brush all along the course of the Mime
sofa river, from ravines hitherto held to
be unpopulated, from every spot border
ing on reserve that could shelter man,
horse OF wagon, there sprang hordes of
home seekers. On Wednesday night
the town was filled with men. Last
night only a few were to be seen. No
one seemed to know definitely where
all the people had gone. 1t was not a
difficult problem to sol:e, however.
Early yesterday morning men in threes
and fours, hurrying laden with sacks,
sledge hammers, stakes, axes, spades,
ETC., were to be seen standing away up
the ravnes. Several hundred slipped
quietly out of town in this way land all
last night borders of the reserve were
lined with them. They were all sorts
and conditions Of men. Some who had
never slept out doors in their lives be-
"cJre slept on the damp ground with
naught bat the starry sky above them
The west shore Of Lake Traverse is the
border line Of the reservation for its
entire length. n fleet Of hastily i'm
provised craft loaded with men and
implements SO that the water came
within six inches of the gunwales, lay
along shore
AWAITING TIE STROKE OF II.
Many Of the men had not tasted a NOR
sci OF food for twenty hours. There
they sat, stocial as Indians, and more
determined. Hundreds of campers
lined the way all along the border from
Hankinson south. AT Wheaton the big
gest crowd was found. Wheaton issthe
nearest point to the best land in the
reserve and fully 500 people werein
line all ready to make the rush. There
are fully 5000 settlers Oh the reserva-
tion. They are pretty well divided be-
tween thenorthern and eastern borders.
The squatter is the monarch Of all he
surveys; the liler is literally out of
running. Perhaps not over 400 men
engaged III the scramble over the line
to the west, but for all that, it was I,
spectacle not easy to forget. With the
crack of carbines, 100 horses dashed
madly forward, urged to desperate
speed by their excited riders. They
were
BOUND FOR SISSETON CITY
townsite. Struggling along to the real
came loaded wagons with from two tc
six horses on each. They were dashed
un'nrrcifilly BY their drivers. The
cracking OF whips, dull thunder OF
hoc:a in the damp sod, and yclls OF
drivers as they struggled for the ieaC
| filled the air with unwonted din. Still
farther to the rear came those without
conveyances, struggling forward will
their kits Of tools, until the reserve wa.
dotted with them. The mounted
crowd was soon beyond range of vision
and as they disappeared they were
seen considerably strung out. Leaders
evidently saving their strength for
hard run at the finish. Ida Burnett,
graduate Of the University of Mime
sofa, a strillingiy handsome girl, is th'
possessor of the choicest Quarter sec
ton about the Northwest. She ha
just suspicion Of Indian blood in he
veins, and is adescendant Il of the Siou,
race. She has been allotted land OF
the reserve. Behind the fastest team
obtainable she was drawn to the town
site from the agency. The start wa
made at the gun fire and the
GIRL WAS FIRST ON FIELD.
She staked out here a claim an,
straightway went to work and erecte'
a shanty assisted by her driver. Gov
Melette had 250 deputy sheriffs on th
reserve, heavily armed and instructe'
to maintain order, peaceably, if posi-
BILE: forcibly if necessary. The
checked several rows before seriou
results ensued. Wells are being du
everywhere, and all squatters appal
emily intend to live on their land, L
a couple of weeks breaking plows wi
be at work everywhere. There will b
) good lands open to settlement fo