Free press., 1901-08-31
PLAN PROBABLY SELECTED
Absolutely Equal Chance to all
Only One Claimant.
NO RUN OR RUSH TO REGISTER

Washington, April 13.-No plan has /
been definitely determined upon by the |
interior department, but of the plans |
considered, that which stands the best
chance of adoption runs along the
following lines:
There will be period of registra-
ton, lasting thirty or forty days prior
to the opening. during which each
applicant for these lands will be re-
quired to show by written proofs that
he is qualified to make homestead entry
and actually desires to do SO as a means
of procuring home. If his proof is
satisfactory he will be registered as
qualified applicant and given certi
fcate and he will draw a number
which will determine the order in
which he will be permitted, at the
opening, to make a selection of land.
The work of registration will con-
tinue until the qualifications of all
| applicants, and the order in which
| they will be permitted to select land.
have been determined The registra-
| ton certificates will not be transfers
BILE, and to make the Identification of
| applicants complete SO that there may
be no transfers the applicants will be
photographed by rapid process which
can now be utilized at slight cost to
the government.
| No advantage will be obtained by
being the first to register and all will
have an equal chance of drawing the
! first number. When completed, the
registration will show the numbers
which are not drawn, and at the open
ing they will be disregarded.
The man who registers on the last
day will have the same opportunity
of drawing one of the earlier numbers
as does the man registering on the
first day. Those who draw the first
10000 number at the Kiowa registra-
ton will know that there will be lands
on which their right of selection can
be exercised. and those who draw the
first 5000 numbers at the Wichita
registration will have the same assur-
ance. Those who draw numbers much
in excess of these figures will know
that at the opening all the lands will
be exhausted before their numbers are
reached, and they have been unsuc-
cessful.
The applicants will be permitted to
freely travel over and become familiar
with the lands to be opened so as tC
qualify them to intelligently and ad
visedly make a selection of land at the
opening. The proclamation will pre-
scribe what persons may make selec
tion on each day after the opening
as for instance: On the first day, those
who hold numbers from 1 to 500, in
elusive: on the second day. those who
hold numbers from 3Ol to 600, inclusive
and so on until all the lands have beer
selected.
No one will be permitted to effect {
? settlement until after he has selected
his land and made entry. It will no
be possible to have more than one
claimant. after making selection anC
; entry, will have the full assurance tha
if he honestly complies with the home
stead law he will receive full title K
the land.
Large maps showing each quartel
. section will be posted at the LAND
r Office showing at all times the land
selected and unsolicited, and small
maps will be distributed which viii
materially assist applicants in noting
: other selections and in making thei
S own.