Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-04-06
The YANKTON RESERVATION
Description of the Land to Be
Thrown Open.
About 1Gs, Acres OF Lnnd-ufstory @,
the Cession of the Territory to the
Government - Causes of
the Delay.

aN''i III 10 silhdltd III the W.
part OF South Dakota, on the boundary
lire between that state and the state or
Nebraska.
The fankton reservation was created by
the first article of the treaty of April ~.
1898, by which the Yankt Sioux ceded to
the United States all the lands then owned
possessed and claimed by them, excepting
100000 acres described as follows: AT the
mouth of the Choteau river and extend
ing up the Missouri river thirty miles,
thence due north To a point, thence east
erly to another point on the Choteau
river; thence down the river to the place
OF beginning. so as to include the said
quantity of 100000 acres" AS actually
surveyed IL contains 430. 40J acres. There
has been allowed and patented to the In
dams some l61. 325 acres under the act OF
February 3. 1887. 1t is estimated that the
lands allotted under the act OF February
- 1881. Will include about 5000 acres.
leaving a surplus of some 16S 200 acres.
These 10000 acres Of surplus land are
r~sse which are to be opened soon. The
report of the Yarkton commission states
that the price at which the land around the
reservation sold led the Indians to believe
that they should receive at least 81 per
acre for their surplus lands. Everything
seemed 10 conspire to fix in the minds OF
the Ind ans that their lands were very
valuable and that Sc per acre was the
smallest price they should think of. This
made il very difficult to convince them
that their surplus lands of 10000 acres,
scattered through the reservation. mixed
up with the Indian lands which will pay
no taxes until the Indians get their pat
ents from the government, were worth
much less than similar lands outside OF the
reservation. where the lands are cultivated
H.. ..l.. w.A. - it, ~ Htn AffaR.a1
by the commission was liberal. Under
these conditions the price became a very
serious question.
Their reservation contains good lands, at
least the full average of South Dakota
lands. If not better, but all things consid-
cred, what the gov ernment paid them is
all they are worth In their present condi-
ton and n liberal price for the indian
on December 81, 1892. an agreement was
negotiated between the chiefs and head
men of the Yankton tribe and j. G. Adams
OF Webster, S. D., John Cole of St. Louis,
Mo-, and l. w. French of Nebraska,
whereby tn Indians coded TO the govern
ment these iGS. 900 acres that they might be
opened for settlement. BY an article OF
the agreement the United States stipu-
lated to pay the Indians for these lands
$500, 900. 100000 of which was TO be paid
six months after the ratification of the
agreement by congress, and the remain
ing 100000 was 10 be placed In the treas
ury as a trust fund for the benefit OF the
Indians. upon which the government
agreed to pay interest at the rate of 5
per cent. BY a provision in the Indian
appropriation bin approved August Is.
1894, this agreement Will the indians was
accepted, ratified and confirmed by con-
gress and the necessary sum OF 500, 900
ufac annronrtafnI for tho rnn af oar
rying out the provisions OF the act. An
additional sum OF SIC, 900 was set aside 10
comply with article VII of the agreement,
which stipulated hat to each adult MEM
Der of the tribe past the age of IS should
be paid $50 I'm one double eagle. struck In
the year 1892, as "a memorial of the agree
ment.
There was also in the Indian act for the
year 1894 a provision that these les, 600 acres
OF land ceded to the United States should,
opened to settlement, and should be SUBJ
tect to disposal only under the homestead
and townsite avs of the United States.
excepting the sixteenth and thirty-sixth
section In each township, which should be
reserved for common school purposes and
should be subject TO the laws of the state
of South Dakota. 1t was provided that
each settler on the lands should, in addi-
tiOh W lht NtS PloN dtu ny law, DdN 10
the United States. for the land so taken
by him, the sum of 50. 70 per acre, OF which
sum he should pay 80 cents per acre at
the time of making his original entry. and
the balance before making his final proof
and receiving a certificate of final entry.
A provision was also included in the act
10 the effect that every person who should
sell or give away any intoxicating liquors
upon any OF the coded lands should be
punishable by Imprisonment for not more
than two years and by a fine of not more
than $500.
The sum realized from the sale of the
lands to the settlers at the rate Of 1915
per acre will reimburse the government
for the amount paid to the Indians in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the agree
ment.
Much delay has been caused In the prep
aration of the regulations attending the
proclamation. and the official issuance
has thus been also delayed. There are al
ways a number of plans and plats which
have TO be drawn, and these nave been the
means of delay, as several trivial errors
have been found by the officials of the
land office In the surveys which have been
made. AS soon as the regulations leave
the general land office they will be sent to
the secretary of the interior for approval.
Chey will be first referred to the assistant
attorney general. who acts as legal adviser
for the interior department, and upon the
decision of that official will rest the opin-
ion of the secretary of thesecretarymo sst
ion OF the secretary of the interior. The
utmost secrecy has been observed by all
the officials connected with the work. as
IL Is the policy to give out no advance in
formation on the subject to the public,
ihe intention being to let no one know OF
the exact date upon which the proclama,
,ion will be issued. The object of this strict
secrecy is to prevent as far as possible
the .~'sooners'' and boomers from learn
ing of the opening and thereby taking adj
vantage of the homeseeking settlers.
A prediction can. however, be safely
made as to what will be the nature of the
proclamation of the president, as 1t is the
rule to adhere to a general form In pre-
| pairing the paper. 1t Is expected that II
will, after reciting the salient features Of
the agreement entered into by the Indians
| md the agents Of the government on De-
cember 3lo 1892. and after including a
number of "whereases," state that thirty
days after date the n reservation
In the state OF South Dakota Is opened
for disposal and settlement under the
, homestead laws OF the United States.
Aid for the 4. 4. U. Lenders.
Indianapolis. Ind. March 2S.-Up to
| this late Treasurer John b. Lennon of
| the American Federation Of Labor has
| forwarded to Eugene ". Debs nearly $500
representing the contributions Of vari-
bus unions Connected with the federation
toward the expenses Of h defense In
the past and forthcoming conspiracy
trials. This includes the sum of $3.50
voted by the federation itself. The high
est amount contributed by any one anil
lated union came from the Central La
Dor union of Louisville. which contribu-
ted $50. The Federated Trades Council
Of Milwaukee came next with half that
sum-.
q. A. II. Indiana -Encsmpment.
Muncie, Ind. March 2S.-Commander
.-~. c.o.;dad <odav ovo~ The