Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-04-27
THE ore nEsEnvArIoN.
AAdian Lands In Colorado Now Oponsd T. .
Settlement,


PRESIDENT having Issued his proclama,'
tlon on April 18th, announcing the open,
ms OF these lands for settlement ef.
teetlve at noon, May 4, 1900,
This vast area OF arabic lands, M.
teen by sixty miles In size, located on
either side Of the Denver s. Mo Grande
railroad, south and east OF Durango
cannot fall 10 attract large and de.
slraDlo class OF settlers. The Ute In
dlans are entitled, under the law Of
1919, to 3T4 allotments out OF the en-,
ure tract All the remainder OF tbs
urea, about 0SO,OO0 ncrosr will be sub.
Ject 10 entry under the desert home
STEAD, timber and townslto laws, and
the laws governing the disposal Of coal,
mineral, stone and timber lands. and
many OF the Indian allotments will DO
leased by Intelligent white men at rea-
sonable rates The lands embrace both
valley and mesa or uplands, but the
supply OF water for Irrigation Is many
times greater than Will be called for.
Tho soils are the seml-adobe. sandy
loan and red-the former being pecu'
Harry adapted for the growth Of grain
ana grasses, while the soils last named
are unequalled for tho growth Of vege-
tables, alfalfa aud fruit trees. Owing
to the percentage Of gypsum In the bot.
tom lands. the yield Of clover Is as
high as three and one-half tons TO the
acre.
Aside from the agricultural future OF
this great area of virgin soil, the stock
Industry gives promise Of almost un.
limited growth. The plateaus afford
range for tens Of thousands OF head OF
cattle, horses and sheep while trlbu-
tary mining camps supply an abundant
market noted for good prices,
Under Federal enactment. Ute In
dams who 80 elect may accept nllot-
ments In severalty. The lands allotted
to the Southern Utes aggro-
gate about sixty thousand acres,
divided equally between agri'
cultural md grazing lands, and allot-
ments are generally In compact form,
The Indian may lease his allotment fo-
q period OF three years, for ngricul.
tural, and ten years for mining and
grazing lands The advantages Of the
leasing system are;
Tirst-The lands nre exempt from
taxation and free from cost OF water
charges rs the Indians own the canals
and bitches.
Second--The rental In most instances
small amount In cnsh and share OF
the Crop-one-fOurth or one-thlrd.
Thlrd-Indlans eau be hired to work
Mt small wages and spend their money
at home, thus keeping the money In
circulation In the community,
Fourth-Tbe Utes are paid $4,000
annually by the government. The
treaty provides that this payment shall
continue forever" This money goes
Into circulation In the immediate re-
glon where II Ia distributed from thu
bountlful hand Of Uncle Sam. .
The net OF Congress Of February 20,
1896 which fixed the time for the
Presidents proclamation six months
from TINT date but which has been de.
ayed until now, cites how the lind
shall be taken up by the whites, and ~
as follows:
"And shall be subject to entry under
the desert, homestead and TOWNSHIP
laws, and the laws governing the dis
posai Of coal, mineral, stone and time
ber lands, but no homestead settler
shall receive title to any portion OF
such lands at less thnn one dollar ana
twenty-five cents per acre, ana shall
be required to make n cash payment
OF fifty cents per acre at the time Ming
Is made upon any Of said lands"
The advantages Of cash payment OF
lfty cents per acre nrc many. II shuts
out the professional boomer" and
leads direct to q flrstclass citizenship
that IL, men Of thrift, energy and In
dustry,
The location Of the lands in question
ends the public domain entrys In Colo
RADIO, so far as valuable farming lands
extends, forever, as this particular area
embraces all that has been, by virtue
Of being an Indian reserve, Withheld
from entry. II Is the last chance fol
cheap, fertile and envlnble homes.
The land offices are in the city o:
Durango, which Is the commercial
manufacturing and educational center
of southwestern Colorado. The city
enjoys a population of 5000 and thu
singular distinction Of being the bes
built city of Its size In the West, be
ing largely Of brick and stone and en-
braclng among Its edlhces many costly
business and residence structures, M
well MS expensive modern public, school
and church buildings. Durango num-
bers among It's business enterprises the
Son Junn branch OF the 0maha-Gra
smelter, employing hundreds OF men,
several large coal and coke companies
electric street railways, two daily pa'
pers, iron works, Touring mills, manu-
featuring enterprises Of various de
scrIptlons and many extensive whole
sale and retail establishments. The
CITY Is the terminal Of the Rio Grand'
system and enjoys rs tributaries
large section Of the San Juan mining
country as well as the agricultural, or
chard and range sections Of southwest
ern Colorado, northern New Mexico
and southeastern Utah. Durango's
prosperity and commercial Importance
viii be materially increased by open
Inc for public entry under the home
stead. timber and mineral laws the I'M
allotted lands embraced within the
boundaries of the Southern Ute reser
walton and provided for by congress
aionol enactment, MS the soils subject
70 entry are susceptible to the perfect
growth of cereals, grasses, fruit anu
Vegetables, and tributary to the best
cash markets the West affords. To Inn
nress the homeseeker and those Of an
agricultural inclination with the SUI
nerIor market facilities Of this section,
y 30 nDI N ttnntinn