The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-03-03
MOST OF the FILINGS
MADE IN GOOD FAITH.
CattIemen in Western Mebrssks
Were Loath to Give
Up Lands.
BEST GRAZING IN STATE
BEST GRAZING IN STATE
A General Result of the Opening TIP Of
Land at North Piattc-A Little
Over Half of Land Nc. Re-
mains Untaken.

North Platte, Neb., Feb. e"-Ihe land
office rush for the one-seotiuu home
steads is practically over. and as a re
suit Somthing over 200. 0Go acres az
grazing land, heretofore controlled by
the cattle kings, without charge, is now
tholnesteaded by settlers from Nehrss-
lla, Iowa, Missouri. Kansas. the 'D.i-
kotats. and other states.
Nearly 300 entries We're made.
The extreme cold which prevailed
prevented many from coming to see
the land, and these are coming NON,
Il few on every train. And many vino
came We're unable to get out TO see the
land, and not caring to take anyone's
word for the character of the land. they
returned.
A little over half of the land at pres
en-; remain untaken, although a few
entries are being madee every day. There
yet remain about $50 sections which an,
subject to one-section entry. Aui
strange as it may seem the land which
is now vacant is better as a whole THAI.
that which was AIKEN. The reason is
this: h Union Pacific railroad follow
the South Platte river. and immediately
to he north of the North Platte river,
which flows from one to a dozen miles
above the Union Pacific, there is Il
range of river bluffs. which gradually
reduce in size as one goes farther north.
until the land becomes of a rolling ma
~ s'bi' VI a Sils1I tiNNEt.
Choose the Best Lard.
The land nearest TIE raiiroad is
rougher and contains mora sand. bat
the settlers ALI seemed To be DESTROYS
of getting and as near tie railroad as
possible. II hence chose the second
class land. but those who ,t.e accUs-
toned 10 western Nebraska DO u mind
the distance so much. and to them
twenty-five or thirty miles is Il short
space, and these, though few. chose the
better land along and in the southern
half of Mcpherson county. This land
that yet remains untaken is mainly hes;
suited for grazing and hay!r.aking.
for these purposes the cattle and stock
men. who have reigned supreme in this
region. and have almost prevented 9th
ers from coming into the country, have
for Il good many years past used the
land. There are however, in various
parts of it homesteaderA OF 100 acres
h have raised corn, potatoes and
various other crops, besides tlre stock.
Almost all of the sections hav. good
valleys. which may be pu: To cultivation
or saved for the hay which naturally
annually grows upon the land. The
snow now covers the ground. but the
weather is now again of n better dispo-
Sition and the snow, unless the weather
changes, vii all be gone in a couple Of
days.
During the land opening the efforts
of the cattlelnen, who have held swaA
in the region thrown open tn one-seo.
ton homesteads prior to this time. wcrn
certainly amusing, and furnished p.ac-
tically. With but a few exceptions, the
only examples and instances of bad
faith. in the entries made. they, as
IL by appointment, nearly all gathered
in the city OF North Platte, where the
iand Office is located, where all the en-
tries for the land thrown open must
nf rnceSSitN NO ,,lnln and &, wool. I.-
fore February IL, 1905. tie date of the
opening, made it q regular business
of accosting as TO their bust
ness in the community, and when thes
found out a homeSeeker tho repeatcr!
direful tales of mountainous and pre-
cipitous hills, with no fertile valleys
between. composed entirely Of sand.
with no sign of vegetation OF any sort,
u~ninhabitated by man or beast. and
only a place for a man to become
bankrupt. as they averred they, lhem-
selves. were. Yet during tn same
man in their employ they could mus
ter to homestead sections of land, With
in the scope of their respective ranches.
so that they might nevertheless be
able 10 control as nnar,y as possible
those sections. which were within their
respective ranges. On account of this
attempt OF the cattlemen many of the.
men. numbering at least more Than a
hundred were discouraged II returned
without even waiting until The day of
the fling or going out to see the land.
Filings Made in Gucd Faith.
The filings We're made rs a general
rule in good faith, II with . bona fde
intention on the part VI Ut least -
majority of the homesieaders to make
the and their place Of residence. ana
many haNe already made arrangements
to move their families on The land. In
some instances a number of men ar-
ranged themselves together in their en-
tries and lave already planned 10 have
schools for the children of the families
in the community which they win form.
1t is true that some WHIT saw the land
We're disheartened anG returned, but
as Il rule these were these who We're
looking for land already subdued and
not virgin soil.
Quite a number arc intending to
make and have made plans. to move
upon the Ian as soon as the winter,
breaks, and are now nut establishing
the boundaries of thel; sections. AS
a general ule almost ali Of the married
men who made filings, and about one
third Of the men We're married, are in
tending to move On the land with thei.
families.