The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-12-29
MANY HOMESTEhDS
CHANGE OWNERSHIP
rhree-F ourths OF Men Who
Drew Claims Dispose
OF Them.
GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY
Is Illegal, Technically, yst Governsnen
Recognizes FACT That THIS Method
Gusts Spectators and Opens
Way for Agriculturists.

Eonesteel, s. ID, Dec 20 Many
claims upon the Rosebud have changed
hands since the opening. 1t is a we'll
Known fact that perhaps three-fourths
of those who drew claims in the open
ing had no thought of making the
Rosebud their permanent home. They
filed upon the land merely as a Specula-
tiOn. These spectators are gradually
being wceded out, and farmers who de-
sire to cultivate the land and make
their permanent residence thereon are
securing their claims. The spectators
sell out; that is, they sell their relin-
punishment TO the quarter to the farmer
for so many hundred dollars. He has
his filing papers made out for the claim
land places them together with the first
settlers REIMBURSEMENT before the land
office officials at the same time. In this
manner when the REIMBURSEMENT goes
on record, his filing papers are already
made out and the next to go on record
on that particular piece of land, it
having become vacant upon the first
settlers REIMBURSEMENT being put on
record in the land office. In this man
ner a large number of the Rosebud
claims have been sold. While the SELL
ing of ACCOMPLISHMENTS is technically
against the rulings of the interior de-
partment, that department realizes that
it is Il good thing for the country to
be opened, inasmuch as it allows the
agricultural classes to get hold of the
2and sooner than they could if the
spectators had to prove up on it. Ev-
cry time Il relinquishment is turned in
in this Way the government gets a
rakeoff of $1e0, too. which is TO be con-
sidered as a factor in the case. The
second settler, too always makes a bet
ter settler than the first.
The homestead law permits settler
TO offer final proof on his homestead
l. OF
residence upon and cultivation of the
same. The first six months of con-
structive residence may be counted in
as Il part of this time, so that to prove
up one must actually reside on the land
eight months Quite u number of the
settlers are proving up their clains at
This time. A number, too, are auVN.-
,tised to make final proof in January.
OF the total number of settlers, per-
haps 40 per cent are availing them
selves of the right to commute-that
is, prove up after fourteen months. OF
for the land must be paid up.
> There are several f1ourishing new
towns on the Rosebud. Beginning with
lthe largest and named in their relative
size and Importance they are: Greg
Iory, Burke, Herrick, Carlock, Dallas
;and Dixon. All of these are regular
townsites except Dallas. 1t
iallotment, but being located in the CEN
:ter of a triangle made by three other
towns, it's territory is necessarily quite
small.
Gregory is the largest and most inn
portant and influential of all the new
towns on the Rosebud. 1t is located on
"a splendid natural townsite in the CEN
ter of a vast territory of the best land
in the county and has enjoyed sure,
steady and permanent growth from the
beginning. Its location is to the west
near the line of Tripp county, beyond
which lies the great unopened portion
of the Rosebud reservation.
In Tripp county alone lies more than
a million acres of unoccupied and un-
allotted government land, for the most
part leased to cattlemen as range for
their herds of stock. 1t is expected that
this county, which is one Of the best
for soil, water and grass in the whole
state, will be thrown open to settlers
within the next four or five years.
Gregory is but five miles from the
Tripp county line. 1t is therefore the
frontier town and the natural gateway
for the great reservation to the west.
When Tripp county is opened Greg
ory will be the Bonesteel of the open
ing, except that she will become much
more important place; the unopened
tract of government land in Tripp
county which would become subject to
homestead entry in the event of the
opening being nearly three times as
large as the tract of Rosebud land
thrown open last year in Gregory
county.
Burke and Herrick are both good
towns Though not SO large as Greg
Dry they are both fourishing young
cities and like it are located on the line
of survey of the Chicago and North
western railroad west from Bonesteel.
The surrounding territory is large and
their trade exceptionally good. Burke
dations in the county. She likewise has :
a furniture store that would do credit
to a city the size of Mitchell or Yank- (
ton. She also has the most complete
and up-to-date drug store on the reser-
vation.
Carlocll and Dixon are both thriving
little towns and good trading points.