Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-02-16

The opening Of the Fort Tottcn res
ervatiOn is Il matter of much interest
in the northern part Of the state, and
a correspondent, writing from Devils
Lake, says:
When the lands embraced in the res
ervation were selected by the Indians,
they chose the finest in the state. as
the land is mostly heavily rimbered
and that portion OF it which is prairie
is among the finest agricultural land
in the west and equally as good as that
OF the RED river valley. The reserva-
tlon extends around Devils Lake, a
beautiful sheet of water having 800
miles OF shore line, and peculiar in that
the water is salt like that Of the great
Salt lake in Utah.
II senator HansbrOugh is successful
III having Il large portion of the reser-
Walton thrown open to settlement, there
will be a rush to locate claims greater
tia Oklahoma witnessed in its palmy
days, as these claims are worth from
$1,000 to 5000 and upward. The
''old timers will doubtless dislike to
see the passing of the reservation,
which will eventually mean the de-
slruction Of the old agency buildings
and the fort, although the latter is now
used by the government as an Indian
Industrial school for the children of
this reservation us well as Ior Il num-
Der OF Chippewa reservations in this
section Of the northwest.
The surrounding country is thickly
settled by prosperous and wealthy
farmers and Stockmen and the Indians
look With Jealous eyes or the encrOach-
ment of the whites upon their lands
and will make Il determined effort to
retain possession of the lands they
now hold. Poor LO. as he is today on
the reservation. is Il picturesque char
acter whose sole aim in life is to rustic
something to eat.
The Indians now Oh the reservation
are defendants of the Wahpeton and
SlsSeton bands of Sioux. the most war;
like OF the various bands of Sioux that
once roamed through the region from
Which was carved the states of North
anu South Dakota and Minnesota. They
are Il part Of that selfSame Sioux ma
ton that struck terror to the hearts of
the early settlers Of Minnesota, that
murdered many Il daring gold-saeker
on his journey to the. Black Hills of
Dakota in the early Seventies and
many an old member of the tribe still
lives on the TOtten reservation and can
tell to h assembled braves around
the Wigwam fire of the battles in which
he participated. or %perchance of scenes
at the Custer massacre, and can point
with savage pride to Chippewa scalps
driving in the smoke Of the wigwam
tlre-scalps lifted from the deadS of
the hereditary enemies of his tribe in
the long ago. Twas here on this res
ervation that General Sully fought his
famous battle with the Sioux.
Additional interest is given to the
opening Of this reservation 10 settle
ment as it is in the neighborhood of
prosperous towns and cities and stu
ated between two important lines of
rallway-the Great Northern and the
Northern P~acitic-thuS greatly en-
HANGING the value Of the land. 4 large
portion of the land borders on the lake.
The lake is navigable for miles in every
direction and has two steamers max
ing daily trips between Fort TOtten
and Devils Lake City.
Sufficient money has been raised to
construct a bridge across that portion
of the lake known rs the "Narrows."
which will greatly facilitate trade be-
tween the inhabitants on the two sides.
j. j. Hill. president of the Great North
ern Railway company, is interested in
the bridge scheme and has made a
handsome cash donation in aid of it.
Upon the completion of the bridge it is
expected the 500 railway will con-
struct a line from the town Of Court
enay, on its Dakota branch, to Devils
Lake. using this proposed bridge to
cross the lake. This will give Devils
Lake a competing line Of railway and
materially assist in the upbuilding of
the city.