The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-05-30
HUNDREDS ON THE LAND AHEAD
OF TIME.
More than Enough Land for All-The
Race for Homesteads an Unusually
uIGOOd Natured One on that Account
"Sooners" Likely to Have Trouble In
Getting Titles.
The Yankton Reserved Opened.

tllc OpculHS VI tHe 1dnkuOu RESERVE. an
event which has been looked forward to
with deep interest for many months.
1t would not be stating facts to say
that the reservation was opened with
the same formality and order tina a o
characterized the opening Of vast BOD
les Of land in the past. The settlement
OF the Yankton reservation has from
the first been a go as you please. Prior
even to the 1st Of April, when II was
thought the reservation would be
thrown open, "sooners' located upon
the lands ~contending that the act Of
congress ratifying the treaty with the
Indians made the reservation a part
OF the public domain without the for
mality Of the president issuing a proc
lamation to that effect. The land de-
partment in Washington was advised
at the beginning as to the action of the
"%sooners" and 1t was intimated from
official sources that the interior de-
sion to remove the %"sooners' prior to
the opening Of the reservation, but
still nothing was done, and as a re-
suit the ever present Sooner was
permitted to axe his pick Of the choice
lands opened for settlement. It must
be admitted that if troops had been
placed along the borders Of the reser-
walton to prevent boomers going upon
the land prior to the time II was le-
gally opened for settlement endless con-
fusion would hav resulted, as in the
wild and reckless scramble which
xrvn a, I <G1~ ID.y@ I~
the landSeekers, in their haste, would
undoubtedly have located upon the
lands already allotted to- various men,
bers Of the Yankton tribe and much Bit
ter feeling would have ensued. AS it
was the %"sooners' did not need to be
hasty in their movements, but could
leisurely examine the land, ascertain
where the surveyors stakes and
mounds were located and govern them.
selves accordingly. Whether or not
the ''sooners' will get anything by
their premature action the future only
can decide. Certain 1t is that they
were not too modest TO select some
of the choicest land on the
reservation. Regardless of the notion OF
the ~"sooners' the best of good feeling
prevailed among the homesteaders gen.
orally. They went on the plan that
there was plenty of land for them all
and no conflict Of any character oc-
CulIcu Oll ally poll VI tlfC lloAA
Wagons and ponies were the favorite
means of conveyance into the coded
lands, although in some instances BIZ
cycles We're used where races for UNI
usually desirable tracts of land oc-
Cured. The bike" riders were. Of
course, successful, easily ~distancing
their competitors.
A brisk competition took place for
land Immediately south of this town,
lying on what is known as Artesian
creek. and those lucky enough to Sc
cure farms there are receiving the con-
CALCULATIONS Of their friends. The
writer drove over considerable of the
reservation Immediately before and af-
ter the opening. Houses already dotted
nearly every elevation of the prairie.
Here n there the lanGseekers had
erected tents and were preparing the
first meal they should eat in the prom
ised land. 1t vas noticed that some
where In the immediate vicinity Of
every house a rifle was standing in a
convenient position, a silent cut grim
and omnibus warning to claim jumpers,
the pest OF western homeSteaderS.
The opening Of the reservation is not
rcliShed by SQuawmen, who have had
the whole run of the reservation as a
range for their cattle for many years.
They. must now withdraw from the
ceded lands. and they accede to his
with very a grace. One homesteader
who had a shanty partially torn down
by the herd Of one of these men has
warned the owner of the cattle to re-
move them from the land now claimed
by him or suffer the consequences.
preliminary to acquiring title thereto.
and the hOmesteaders will now be on
the anxious seat until they visit thu
United States land office at Mitchell,
present their filing papers for the land
and have them accepted and placed
on record. Until that <tpoA
they will be in constant danger Of be-
ing plunged Into lengthy and expen-
sive contests to decide the ownership
of the land. SO eager are the home
steaders to have entries placed on rec
ord that one Of them offered a govern
ment official $3.50 to see that the claim
for his Ian got through without diff
Guilty. Many soldiers declaratory
statements were filed and placed on
record in the Mitchell land office this
afternoon, and it is believed that many
Of these will conflict with lands
claimed by homesteaders who can't at
present leave their homesteads to go
to the and office and file. When mat
ters are so the homesteaders can leave
their lands the Mitchell LAND office
will then be the battle ground.
Eastern landseekers who had intend
ed coming to the Yankton reservation,
but were prevented by the snort notice
given In the presidents proclamation,
can yet secure claims on the reserva-
ton, as some of them are still vacant.
In a remarkably short time the land
which until noon today was lying dor
mant under the control of redskins, Will
be dotted over with fields Of waving
grain and comfortable houses will have
taken the place Of the rude shanties
which will have served their purpose
as the temporary habitation OF the
hardy homesteader and his family.
Mitchell, May 21.-Special: The land
office at this point commenced to re-
ceive filings for land on the Yankton
reservation at IL o'clock noon today.
The first application was thai or q
young lady. Up to 4 o'clock about 100
soldiers declaratory statements had
been filed. The rush here will COM
mence tomorrow or next day. when the
homestead applications will come In.
THE WORLDS HOLIDAYS.
"