The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-01

Cont1nued From Eleventh Page.
by the Lower Brule Sioux Indians for
many years. They were too intelligent
to want to give away their holdings,
and gradually the country all around
them settled up.
What the Reservation Is.
The reservation lies along the west
bank of the Missouri, in Southeastern
South Dakota, Nebraska being it's
southern border. It's boundaries are
almost the same as those Of Gregory
county, and take in a tract thirty miles
north and south by twenty-five miles
east and west, except that the north
east corner of the rectangle is cut off
by the Missouri.
There will be $500 farms of $50 acres
each If there are not $4,000 applicants
for these, the land office officials and
the real estate men in the surrounding
country will be disappointed 1t is
expected by everybody in the adjacent
states to be the greatest land opening
ever known in the country
Bonesteel is the gateway to the res
ervation. There is no other town in
America like Bonesteel today 1t is the
terminus of a railroad line seventy-f1ve
miles long, which the Chicago &
North Western built three years ago
in anticipation of the opening, which
was then expected to take place at
once. The town grew within a few
weeks from a section of unbroken prai-
RE to a city of 1000 people. Three banks
were started, and good brick blocks
were built at the various speculative
main corners" of the town. The rest
Of the town was of boards or tents.
Circus tents were erected to serve as
hotels, and hundreds of people lived
for months in them. The town was
waiting for its chance at the prospect
i've settlers of the reservation.
Hope Deferred.
But the reservation was not opened.
The Indians would not sign the nee
| essary contracts to dispose of their
heritage, and plans failed. Bonesteel
lived for almost three years on atmos-
phere and hopes. 1t had no business
except brokerage in prospects. People
deserted, after congress had adjourned
without passing the opening act, al
most as fast as they had come.
Then, after two years, the Indians
gave their consent. The government
took over the lands. Ali that remain
ed was to pass a bill for their opening,
and this has taken a year. But now it
is law. Bonesteel has its nerve and its
prospects restored, and its population
is coming back by special trains. 1t
is the hottest town" out of doors, and
the temperature rising every hour.
1t has more saloons, bigger poker
| games and more confidence in it's f1-
| ture than Chicago. For will it not be
the distributing point through which
the $4,000 inhabitants of the new coun-
try must enter. and through which they
must receive their supplies?
The general land office is empowered
to decide how the land shall be opened
| and the only thing known for a GER
! tainty is that it viii not be by one
Of the picturesque old-time 'rushes."
The day Of that institution is past for
ever. The lottery system in some form
will be used.
The land Office through which these
lands are handled is at Chamberlain,
but an order will soon issue establish
ing one at Bonesteel. Applicants for
lands will be permitted to register from
June Is to July 1. The drawing will
be a few days before the sale an
nounced for the opening.
An Interesting Gamble.
On filing on the pieee-of land he has
drawn the lucky manor woman
pays 81 an acre. Then he need not
| pay any more for three years; then
rs cents an acre yearly till he is paid
out at 81 per acre. If after fourteen
months he wants his deed, he can get
it by paying up the balance due and
adding $1.25 per acre TO 1t.
Bonesteel will be a town of not less
than 10000 people for the ten days
| before and for two weeks Immediately
! after the opening. The lucky ones
will largely commute-that is, pay the
cash down, take their deeds and hold
| the land as speculation after the four
teen months required residence. For
the $500 farms there will be not less
than $4,000 applicants; nineteen oat
Of every twenty will be disappointed.
! But It is an interesting gamble.