The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-11-22
WHITE EARTH
A Description of the Four Town.
ships on this Reserva-
ton to Be opened
to Settlement.

to settlement.
SO many inquiries have come to the
local land office, and also to this office
concerning the lands on the White
Earth reservation which are to be
opened for settlement on December 4,
that it is evident that there will be a
big run for them. For the informa-
tion oftthose interested the following
is published from circular recently
issued.
The four townships on the east side
of White Earth reservation that were
ceded to the United States under the
Nelson law, and which are to be
opened to homestead settlement on the
4th day of December, have in them
upwards of FIVE thousand tracts OF
agricultural land subject to home
stead entry. This is exclusive Of the
pine lands which are to be offered for
sale on the 9th day OF November.
The two northernmost townships lying
Immediately adjacent to Bagley on
the south, have but little pine onthem,
while the two southernmost townships
being as far south as Lake Itasca, are
mainly pine lands, covered with a
growth of Norway and white pine.
There are number of good home
stead claims in the two southern town
ships, and as to whether they are
suitable lands CT Gates a great deal ofin-
uuiry as 60 the character OF the lands
in these townships, and as to whether
they are suitable for farming purposes.
The two northernmost townships have
considerable hard wood on them, but
are covered mainly with popple. The
soil is dark loan underlaid with a
clay subsoil. There are hundreds OF
large meadows scattered throughout
the four townships, and good water
prevails. These townships lie thirty
six miles north and south along the
summit of the height Of land which
divides the waters Of the Hudson Bay
and the Gulf of Mexico. The Mlssls-
slppi and the Red River OF the North
have their sources near the souther-
most town, while the Rice and Clear
w ater rivers have their sources in The
northernmos ost towns. It will thus De
seen that even those meadows which
bear the character of awire grass"
marshes will be readily drained into
II small streams and lakes. The west
side Of the four towns drains into the
Red River of the North, and the east
side into the Mississippi. Intending
settlers are already arriving, for
scouting purposes, and there are SIX
different crews of pine land cruisers
al work, estimating the pine for the
large pine owners of northern Mime
sofa who wish to increase their hold
ings. .
This cession will be declared open
for settlement on the 4th day OF De-
cember, at 9 O'Clock a. M, central
. o.
time. .. '-.:
White Earth Indians report coal in
the territory, specimens OF which are
on exhibition in the office OF U. ..
Commissioner Brown at Bagley. The
lands are rolling and covered with
timber of all kinds, with abundance
of good water, and many hundreds 'of
small meadows. The soil is loan: un-
derlayed with clay.
At Bagley land Office will be found
many of the most competent guides
and cruisers in northern Minnesota,
men most familiar with the lands OF
the reservation. Some of these men
were engaged on the government corps
of timber estimators who spent from
two to four years investigating all
these lands. They can be had by the
day or will accept payment for de-
sirable locations.
You can only get these lands by
homestead entry, and by paying Sl.2o
DER acre, III i've
The first payment comes due at the
end of the first year, but the prospects
are that the ''free homes" bill will be
extended to these towns. If you are
first at the land Office and nobody IS
on the land, you will have profer-
ence right to enter the land. But if
there is anyone intending to home
stead, they will have the preference
right to enter. You cannot gain any
preference by going on the land prior
to date set in proclamation for making
settlement. But you may go over the
lands before that time and make your
selections of what you would like TO
have, and on the opening it you can
get on it first you will have the right
to it. You must live on the land and
comply with the homestead laws, after
making entry, in order to get title.
There will be no stone and timber