The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-09-23

grounds Of the Rockies. There were
over 5000. 900 acres in this tract, but
the powers at Washington considered
all this country a part of the Great
American Desert" and, consequently,
worthless, SO it readily gave
the Cherokees the right to use the
land for hunting purposes forever.
In 1892 Washington Irving visited
this tract Of land, mid describes
a buffalo and wild horse hunt there in
his book entitled "a Tour of the Prai-
ries," painting in most glowing terms
the beauty Of the land, and predicting
for it a future even beyond the imagin-
alton of the most ardent boomer Of
later days. Designated in the treaty
of 1882 as tho Cherokee outlet. this
land later became known as the Chero-
kee strip because Of its shape.
Long before those first Kansas boom
ers began to covet the land the outlet
had ceased to be used by the Indians
for the double reason that there was no
large game to hunt, and no Indians
who cared to hunt it.
Then it was that tho Texas cattle-
men began bringing their great herds
up and %pasturing them on the rich
| grass that covered the whole outlet
like d green mat.
The Indians derived a re1enue from
| this pasturage for several years until
the government decided they could use
the strip only for hunting purposes,
and had no right to lease itand ordered
the cattle off.
AS regularly us spring came around
after the removal of that first little
company Of settlers by the soldiers, the
boomers and agitators would organize
a company to invade the strip, only to
be hunted suit and removed by the nil
itary-
This seemed a senseless proceeding
Mt first, but after it had been repeated
four or five times this spectacle of the
soldiers in United States unifcsms drag
cling a few ragged boomers. and their
di,apidated outfits off tbs vast tract
of land, while thousandTupon thousands
of cattle belonging Il, wealthy cattle
men were allowed to remain undis-
turbcd, began to attract attention all
over the land. and the newspapers and
the people everywhere took up the cry,
and askedrthat the land be turned over
to the h6mcless.
The'forces of the boomers became
reinforced each year until finally the
cry, ION to the Cherokee strip could
no longer be UNDECIDED by congress.
Four years ago COMPRESS abandoned
the inpracticable idea of organizing an
Indian state of the Indian Territory
and took action toward opening Okla;
homa to settlement; and providing TO,
the appointment of commissioners TIC
treat for the strip.
The opening Of Oklahoma detracted
the attention from the strip for awhile,
but most Of the old time boomers re.
NAMED true to their first love, how.
ever, and took up battle, against the
cattlemen who now sought to induce
the indians to refuse to sell. fol
nearly three years the struggle con
tinued. Then, one day, there was great
rejoicing among the boomers and thei,
friends everywhere, for the Cherokees
had agreed to sell.
Another yenrof weary waiting passed
round before congress acted and rati,
fed the deal, and aver then there wa.
work to do, for the interior department
was slow to actand undecided as to the
arrangements for the opening.
AT last, on August 10, the president.
proclamation declaring that the lnnt
would be open for settlement on Sep
TENDER 10 was issued, and the boomers
work was done.
For nenrly a quarter OF a centur,
they have stood on the border of til,
promised land awaiting the command
to pass over and take possession, and
like Moses of old, many and many
one will never cnter in.
Few there are that are left of tina
little band of pioneer boomers, bu
children have grown UP about them
and recruits came in from all parts o
the nation until n mighty host wa
gathered to sweep everything befor
them. e