Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-16
SissetOn Reservation Opened
to Settlement.
A Wild Rush for Desirable
HOmesteads.
The Race Was to the Strong Instead
of the Swift.
The Whole Country a Sea of Mud and
Water About Three Thousand
Boomers Located - Plenty
Of Land Left.
Associated Press pispatches.

Associated Press DISPATCHES.
ST.. PAUL, April 15.-Reports from the
Sisseton reservation indicate that the
weather was all that could be desired for
the opening day, but the conditions
under foot were most unfavorable. The
whole country was sea of mud and
water, and the race for choice selections
was to the strong instead of the swift.
Several townships are submerged. Day
light found lines of tilers at Fargo and
Watertown. Sunrise also disclosed long
lines of home.seekers and town.site
boomers stretched along the boundaries
of the reservation, held back only by the
guns of the soldiers and the fear that
their claims would be thrown outfit they
crossed in advance OF the time. So thick
were they that the long line of restless
people seemed living marks to show the
boundaries. Major Barnard laid the
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 GO.
Major Bernard's bugler announced it
at Browns valley, and as the notes re-
sounded from hill top, the rapid firing
OF musketry all along the line carried
the word to the eager multitude who
started off at break-neck speed for
the promised land, through mud and
slush. Mud had no terrors for them,
and pools Of water, even small lakes, did
not deter them, if by driving through
them they could reach a coveted
quarter-section sooner.
sooNERs FoRFs-ALLED.
Last night party of nearly 200, un-
der the leadership Of Oklahoma Charlie,
attempted to cross Lake Traverse in the
darkness and gain the reservation. A
drunken member of the party, however,
let the matter out. A detachment of
soldiers met them as they landed, con-
fiscated their boats and drove them
from the reservation.
There are rumors at Browns valley
of trouble at Wheaton bridge. 1t is
impossible to obtain the facts at pres
ent. 1t is known that severel
hundred men went there yesterday
determined to cross. Capt. Ellis, with
fifty cavalrymen were dispatched to the
scene. He was ordered to allow no one
to cross.
1t has been discovered that a scheme
was on foot to secure the consent of
land owners along the east line of the
reservation, south of Lake Traverse and
Browns valley. whose lands adjoin the
reservation, to allow the followers of
combination to cross their land into the
reservation, and not permit anybody
else to do 30. 1t is not known to what
extent this combination worked.
THE INPATIENT THRoNG.
This has been week of the intensest
excitement in the dozen towns border
ing on the reservation. Today the towns
are nearly deserted. During the night
there were continual scenes of activity,
and before 10 O'Clock the muddy streets
were jammed with vehicles OF every
character. At IL O'Clock, fully 5000 per-
sons were collected along the reservation
at the head of Lake Traverse, and the
cavalry had difficulty in keeping the
impatient crowd in check, as they were
becoming decidedly uneasy.
SOME UNIQUE. OUTFITS.
Some settlers outfits were unique and
interesting. A large claim shanty. with
green window blinds, on wheels, was
drawn up to the line, family living in
it. Covered wagons in large numbers
drew up and prepared for the race. A
sack OF feed, a bunch of hay and spade
composed the outfit of some, while
others had wagon loaded with lumber
for sbanty, surmounted by small
stove, blankets, chairs, pans and ket-
ties. The ubiquitous country editor,
doctor. clergyman and county.seat po-
iceman, were all in line.
WAITING FOR THE SIGNAL.
The sharp, clear note of bugle at
Eoon, the almost simultaneous crack of
carbine, then volley from the whole
far-reaching line of cavalry, as signal,
was taken up and carried up in a rever-
berating report to thousands of waiting
ears. and the Sisseton reservation was
open. Five hundred teams plunged
madly forward across the prairie with
the drivers regardless of direction. The
horseback riders soon took the lead. Far
up the lake large party crossed in
boats and succeeded in entering the res
ervation five miles ahead of the crowd,
but even others got it before them.
THE RACE FOR LAND.
From the bushes along the shore of
the Minnesota river; from ravines hith-
erto supposed to be unpopulated; from
every conceivable spot bordering on the
reservation that could shelter man, a
horse or wagon, there sprang q horde
nf home.seekers, and the race for land
hogan. There are now fully 5000 set
tiers on the reservation. They are
pretty evenly divided between the
northern and eastern borders. The
eQuatter is monarch of all he surveys.
The filer is literally out of the rum
ming. The rush was made with all sorts
Of conveyances, on horseback, in
wagons, buggies, and on foot. Riders
and drivers lashed their horses to the
top OF their speed in the struggle to get
there first.
BEAUTY IN THE VAN.
Ida Burnett, who graduated at the
university Of Minnesota, strikingly
handsome girl, with dash of Indian
blood, is by this time the possessor of
one of the choicest quarter sections about
q townsite. She was the first on the