The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-16
Settlers Flowing Land and Put
ting Up Shanties.
MAD RUSH OF THE BOOMERS.
Horseback, in Wagons, Afoot and in
Boats, Any Way to Get There.
The Bugle Call at Noon Sets Thousands
of Men in Motion-Farms Enough for
All, and Quarter-Se Sections Still Va


dozen towns bordering on the Sisseton
reservation. Today the towns were 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 persons 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 un-
easy. Some settlers outfits were
unique and interesting. A large
claim shanty on wheels, with red
window blinds, was drawn up on the line,
with a family living in it. Covered wagons
in large numbers drew up and prepared
for the race. A sack of feed, bunch of
hay and spade composed the outfit of
some, while others had the wagon loaded
with lumber for a shanty. surmounted by
small stove, blankets, chairs. pans and
kettles. The ubiquitous country editor,
doctor, clergyman and county seat poll
tician were all in line. awaiting the signal.
A sharp, clear bugie note at noon, the
almost simultaneous crack of q carbIne,
then volley from the whole far-reaching
line of cavalry took the signal up and car
sands of waiting ears, and the Sisseton
reservation was open. Five hundred
teams plunged madly forward across the
prairie, with drivers regardless of direc-
tions. Horseback 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 9TH
ers got in before them. 1t is
estimated that 1000 people made the rush
from Browns Valley, about 500 from Ira
verse and some 600 from Wheaton. In
spite of the efforts of the owner of pri-
vate bridge to stem the flood in the inter-
est of land company. the boomers
crossed the bridge. The police force were
overwhelmed and lost IN the struggle at
the bridge. A large crowd also set out
from Ledgerwood. There was a wild rush
from Hankinson. A solid line south of
there was awaiting the opening, and in
several instances half dozen made for
the same claim, and trouble is feared.
At Waubay. on the southwest, some 500
or 600 people joined in the rush. From
Wilmot there was a great rush, and a
train on the Milwaukee road pulled to the
end of the track at signal, from whence
boomers rushed to the lands on fast
mustangs, which were provided by IN
dians at big prices. In fact, the Indian is
great man all over the reservation today.
The on-rushing boomers from the north,
west and east met in the reservation, and
if there is any trouble it will come from
difficulties over choice sections to which
settlers raced from different sections.
Governor Mellette. of South Dakota. had
$50 deputy sheriffs heavily armed and in
structed to maintain order on the reserva-
ton. Every section in Corrington county,
of which Watertown is the county seat,
was occupied by from one to five squatters
before l o'clock. Numerous alterations
ensued, but no bloodshed is reported. 1t
is believed the deputy sheri ifs and militia
will be able to maintain order. Many
squatters have already begun the erection
of houses, but a majority cornered their
settlements by digging wells and cellars or
by plowing the soil.
At Fargo 100 filings were made in the
course OF the afternoon, Rev. Van Horn,
of the Baptist church, Presiding Elder
Cooper, of the Methodist church, and a
lady being among the number. A num-
Der of filers will probably lose their claims
through squatters reaching the land first.
Three thousand men were in line before
the land Office at Watertown. The first
place in the line was sold for S3,000 and
the 10th for $500. Everything passed off
quietly. Lee Slower, local attorney, who
purchased first place at exactly noon, flied
one declaratory statement and rendered
10 others, which were rejected. Filing
proceeded rapidly, and it is thought the
line will be exhausted by night. There is
an unconfirmed report of the killing of a
settler, but no particulars of this or any
| other serious trouble are received.
Estimates place, the number of settlers
who went on the reservation today at
from $500 to 5000. Every person that
wanted a claim got one, and there seems
to be plenty of vacant land left.
| Last night party of nearly 200, under
| the leadership of ''Oklahoma Charlie" at
| tempted to cross Lake Traverse in the
| darkness and gain the reservation. A
drunken member of the party let the mat
| ter out. A detachment of soldiers met
! them as they landed, confiscated the boats,
| and drove them from the reserv alton.
| BRowS's VALLEY, Mimi, April b.
| When the signal was given at noon today,
| from the brush along the shore of the
! Minnesota river, from raviues hitherto
| supposed unpopulated, from every con-
| ceivable spot bordering on the reservation
| that could shelter man, horse or wagon
| there sprang horde of home e-seekers, and
| the race for the land began. There are
| now fully 1000 settlers in the reservation.
pretty evenly divided between the north
ern and eastern borders. The squatter is
monarch of all he surveys. and the filler
| is literally out of the running.
! The rush was made with all
sorts Of eonveyances - horseback,
wagons, buggies and on foot. Riders and
| drivers lashed their horses to the top OF
their speed in the struggle TO get there
| first. Ida Burnett, who graduated from
! the University of Minnesota, str. r.kingly
| handsome girl with a dash OF Indian
| blood in her veins. is the p;ssessor of one
of the choicest quarter-sections about the
townsite. She was first on the field, be-
hind the fasiest steed obtainable. She
staked out claim and at once went to
work erceting shanty.
1.-The sisseton and Wahpetcn Indian rese-va
ton fora ed the nortLeasterE corner OF South Da
kota II emhra. d nearsy all OF the three csun
| ties OF sDsrts. Msrshal and Day Its eastern
limit separated from Minnesota by Lake 4-ay
| erse. The town of Browns Valley Is at tn,
southernmost point, or head OF the lake, ane
| only short strip interyenes between the IaE,
named and Big Stone lake, over which most o
the locators entered The reservation contain,
nearly i,GotG0 acres, and was selected b
the two ribes q Indians in 1851