Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-08-01

reservations at Fort sill and Ell Reno
have been meccas for tens of thou
sands of adventurous ones All the
eosmof!itanism possible to America
has marked these two camps, and
something of the old boom days IN
western mining sprang up, with Its
restlessness and it's fever.
Any way to get there" was the
watchword of all conditions of men
in Pullman sleepers; others drove OK
teams, with all their worldly goods un-
der the canvas Of the prairie schooner;
still Others walked weary miles in the
hot, binding dust, always with that
most inspiring of human hopes ahead
OF them--the element of chance.
Land Desirable for Farming.
This land for which they sought is
well wooded, and fishing pools and
streams are numerous. Fine hunting
abounds The year round. Snow rarely
falls in the winter, and ice never forms
on the streams. In summer the wealth
Ell is extremely hot, but with cool
nights. The land is we'll adapted to
farming end the raising of corn, wheat
and cotton. 1t is said that the noun
tain ranges afford fine pasturage.
The price for this land by the gov
eminent is s2,O0O,Go0 one-half cash at
the time of opening and one-half re-
tanned as trust fund, on which the
Indians receive per cent interest.
Government officials investigated the
land in the reservation. and decided
that So per cent of it was adapted to
farming.
The newcomers will have nothing 10
fear from their red neighbors. The In
CLANS are quiet and peaceable. They
have given no trouble to the govern
ment for fifteen or twenty years. They
will be allowed to sell or lease their
land TO the newcomers if they choose.
system OF Government LOTTERY.
In the conduct of this great Uncle
Sans Lottery as it has been styled.
the government played fair. The whole
scheme was based upon the principles
of first come. first served
For instance, a man appeared at the
registration window at Ell Reno or
Fort Sill, announcing that he wished
to register for the drawing His name,
residence, occupation and a brief de-
scription of his person We're taken, and
he was given ticket allowing him to
enter the reservation.
Then began the race. At top speed.
in whatever means OF conveyance he
had, the person started for the prom
Used land. He found a quarter section
which pleased him and set his stake
there. He will be all right IL his name
is awarded a drawing; IL it is not, he
will have the melancholy alternative of
pulling up his stake and moving some
where, possibly out of the country. And
his chances arc just about to 20 that
he will be successful.
The halt and the lame have been nu-
merous in the rush. and women have
been in such numbers at both offices
that they have been more efficient than
the police 10 keeping down rowdyism.
Thousands Will 10 Destitute.
1t has been remarked that the pro-
thousands of persons to El Reno and
Fort Sill who otherwise would not have
made the race. Thousands now on the
reservation who are neither mechanics
nor artisans announce their intention
OF settling down at l4aWton. They have
Island and Choctaw railroad are filled
With strangers, some trying to continue
their homeward journey, others strug-
Cling to get their transportation back
to JIl Reno, and many Indifferent as to
where they go. Most persons who went
had money and round trip railroad
tickets. Occasionally man is found
penniless, but unless he is a tramp he
is hustling around to get money from
home. 1t would be a liberal estimate
to say that 5000 persons living in other
states will remain in Ell Reno to witness
the drawing.
The United States government is
making preparations to care for some
of the stranded ones at Ell Reno by
opening a recruiting station there.
CAPTAIN j. A. Darpray of the Twenty
third infantry has charge of it.
The outlook is promising for large
number of recruits" said Captain Da-
pray, "for l expect to find many men
without money to return home or to
maintain themselves here. Northern
Texas. Oklahoma, and Indian Territory
have proven to be the best recruiting
fields in the United States. We have
recruited eighty men in there in the
last nineteen days, which is the best
record l have heard of in a long tilne'
With the closing of registrations on
Friday the United States government
practically relinquished police surveil-
lance of the crowds. In addition to
| trouble that may come from such an
assemblage of people in all conditions
of life. there is suspicion on the part
of the southern element that the gov
eminent had a political scheme behind
the lottery"
Drawing to I;c Rapid.
AS rapidly as possible the drawings will
be pushed to completion, the names of
the lucky ones being published each night
as they are recorded and checked up to
see that there is no irregularity about the
entries
In the encanpments around the towns
temporary stands have been erected to
minister to the needs of the prospective
settlers. Governor Richards having grant
cd permits to avoid the danger of priva-
ton.
Goods of all sorts are selling at enor-
nous prices, the stocks being inadequate
to the demand. 1t is feared there will be-
great suffering among the disappointed
ones, many of whom will be left without
means to return to their old homes.
| Commissioner Richards said that about
! LEGO names, aG0 for the FL Reno district
and $50 for the I.awton district would be
drawn from the wheels today. Tuesday
about $500 names will be drawn, after
which the drawing will be done as rapidly
Il $ possible.
Eight Town Sites Selected.
Eight petitions for town sites, which
were acted upon favorably by the FL
Reno land office. contemplate the estab-
lishment of towns as follows
Fort Cobb, on the Rock Island. west of
A:ladarko.
Richards, named after Governor Rich
ards, OIL the Rock Island branch, between
i An;,tlarko and l4awton.
/ bridgeport, ON the Choctaw road.
/; C;tdtio, ON the Choct;lw road.
/! A town on Elk creek. west of Hobart
| \ town on the western ridge of the
| Wichita mountains.
\ town at the head of Devils canon.
| A own In the center of Caddo county
! or Sugar creek.
City Clerk Clute has established a rec
| crd having issued l.14O license permits
Iodisns' Petition Denied,