Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-06
By HARRY j. GREEN.
DEBORAH, IOWA, JULY 8, 1904
The Rosebud Indian Reservation.

The Rosebud Indian Reservation.
Owing to the widespread interest
taken in the opening up for settlement
of the Rosebud Indian Agency in
South Dakota, we publish the follow
ing article written by Col. Hughes
East of Yankton, S. D., who was
formerly register of the U. S. Land
Office. The article is FROM the Yank-
ton Press and is said to be reliable:
Under the law opening these lands
to entry and in obedience to the Presi-
uent's proclamation, any citizen de-
string to participate in the drawing
shall register at Yankton, Chamber
9Th to 23rd inclusive, where govern
with the official blanks. All persons
registered will be given certificate
of registration, whereupon they can.
if desirable, return to their homes to
await the drawing, which will occur
at Chamberlain, beginning on the 2Sth
day of July.
AS the drawing proceeds each per-
son drawn will be given number,
according to the order in which his
name was drawn, and he will be
notified by card of his number and
when he should appear at the land
office to make his filing, and in addi
tion the result of the drawing, by
order of the President, will be given
to the Press as it occurs. So it will
be observed that it is not essential
that one should do more than simply
register and then await the notice of
his good fortune. When one registers
he can direct where his drawing card
shall be mailed. The cost of regis
tering is only % cents and that goes
to the. local officer who makes out the
necessary papers and attaches his
official seal. The government charges
nothing for registration.
FILING AND THE COST.
Each entryman who has drawn a
lucky number will be called at Bone
steel, the filing place, in the order
drawn, to-wit: Nos. / to 100, Aug
s. 101 to 200. Aug. 8; POI to 300, Aug.
10, and so on until the lands are alb
sorbed. Persons filing within. the
first three months after the opening
will be required to pay 81 per acre as
follows: 81 per acre when filing is
made; rs cents per acre within two
years; 70 cents within three years 70
conts within four years and 70 cents
within five years, and in addition $14
land office fees at time Of entry. Ii
will be noted from the above that cash
cost will be $3.50, plus $l4, or STA.
THE LAND AND IT'S VALUE.
The tract of land to be opened to
settlement lies nearly west OF Yank-
ton. just north OF Nebraska, and OH
abont the same parallel as Racine,
Wis 1t is nndulating prairie, fairly
we'll watered and good soil. A small
portion OF it on the creeks aud bluffs
of the Missouri river is rough and on
ly good for grazing but the main body
is very fertile and is denominated
level or rolling prairie. Lands in
Yankton aud adjoining counties are
now worth $50 to $50 per acre, and it
is fair to assume that when these Rose
bud lands are improved and brought
into cultivation they will prove
equally valuable. and some of it ia
now worth $50 to $40 per acre.
SETTLEMENT AND IMPROVE
MENT.
1t is to be understood by all that
this land is op4ned for the porpose of
settlement and cultivation, and all
persons filing OH the same will have
TO make some improvement within six
months after entry, such as erecting a
building, digging we'll, breaking
some ground or planting some trees,
any or all of which will be legal
settlement, and then. il entryman de-
sires and needs to leave the land tenn
porarily. to attend TO other interests
or earn money to complete improve.
ments, he can secure from the land
office permission to be absent six
months. At the end of fourteen
months from date of entry. any entry
man can commute his homestead and
pay 81: 20 per acre in addition to the
price fixed, and get his title
SOLDIERS RIGHT.
While auy citizen in order TO regis
ter must appear In person, soldier
or sailor of the civil or Spanish wars
can register through an agent and
save thu expense of travel He can,
on application here, procure the pro-
per blanks and also the name OF a citi-
zen TO insert, who will register for
him, but no citizen can register for
more than one soldier.
The lands. embracing about !, 400
claims or quarter sectious, will bs
disposed Of under the general provi-
sions of the Homestead laws, and any
citizen of the United States or ter
ritories who is 81 years of age, or the
head OF family under 81 Except
married women) and who never had
the benefit of a homestead. and does
not own over 100 acres of land i'm his
or her own right. has a right to par
ticipate in the opening.