Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-04-29
1T Is WORTHLESS LAND
1T IS NOT WORTH PAYING THE
TAKES.
Settlers ON the sisscton n-eservss,on
Express Dissatisfactton-Many DESERT
ing Their Claims and Returning to
;Chcir Former Homes.
Returning tome.

DrsGusrED h~omeseekcrs are return-
ing from the Sisseton Reservation by
the dozens. Al! Of them succeeded in
locating claims. but they claim that the
land is worthless, devoid of the most
essential qualities, and not worth pay
ing taxes on. True, there are some
good lands in the Sisseton Reservation,
but they were gobbled before the ordi-
nary homeseekcr, who was willing to
hustle for himself, had y chance to
make his appearance. So for as the
other lands are concerned, they may be
aptlvdescribed by the remark Of y high
official, who said:
II don't blame the government for
giving this land away. Instead of plac-
ing troops here to keep the people off it,
they should have directed the soldiers
to use very honest effort to push them
on it,
The exaggerated stories sent out by
correspondents interested in one of the
smaller land companies have had the
effect OF deceiving u great many people
and.. bringing them to q region that is
replete with ~barrenness. These stories
have had good result, and that Is to
convince people what q good place home
is. and how utterly foolish 1t is to madly
rush to some remote region in order to
secure something for nothing. Fraud
has been prncticed ON u large scale and
is openly boosted of by the parties who
practiced it.
Upward of twenty persons SO far
have staked as many as three claims
each. putting oil the stake some ficti-
tious name in order to hold it for some
friend. or perhaps to speculate with
it. This is u fact that has not been
htntrht IN thn 0ffnrtin, nf %1,o o,~
authorities, and when it does reach
them it is liable to play havoc with
the chances of the guilty parties
for holding even II quarter section.
That it is fraud and Injustice is too
patent to need explanation, and yet it
is perhaps just as we'll, for it prevents
other poor mortals from being dcluted
into settling on u barren waste that has
its attractions only OH paper. The Gov
eminent Inspector is not in love with
the land companies.
Expressions of disgust are loud and
deep. They cannot be mistaken. The
returning crowds have filled the trains
to Overlooking. AS most of these per- |
sons have been obliged to walk all the
way from ten TO twenty five miles in Or
der to reach a railroad, their feelings, |
aided somewhat by the disappointment
they have experienced, can better be
imagined than described. The claims
located and afterwards deserted will
reach upwards of fifty already. with
more to hear from. If all the iilcrs
knew the land as we'll as the %squatters
do now, there would be no excuse for
trouble OF any nature, but they will
not lie convinced until they have seen
for themselves, hence the fear of trouble
of a serious nature has good founda-
ton.
By the way. the road used as the
port of entry to the reserve is the old
Siblev trail. 1t was here that Cen.
Sibley and his command had a serious
brush with the Indians nearly thirty
years ago. and threw up rifle pits with
in Il few hundred yards of where Col.
Bernard stood when he gave the signal
TOR the rush. The rife pits are still
there. though they are moro than half
filled up.
METROPOLIS OF TlE PESEpvE