The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-05-17
sETTrERs RusHINo THROUGH.
Homssteaders Pass In Procession
Throuqh Capital City.

through Capital City.
Tho activity of special land agents
which eliminated in the numerous
indictments for land frauds at the last
term Of the United States court at
Sioux Falls Is causing a closer OBJ
servance of the land laws than has
ever before been shown by settlers in
the Northwest. For years holders of
lands have held out inducements more
or less yelled to claimants to file in
their i'm 1ediate vicinity, resulting in
the transfer of lands as soon as title
was secured from the government. In
many Of these cases there was no d.
rect contract, but both parties gener-
ally understood what the outcome
would be. Large holders of cattle
and other live stock had no objections
to their different employees filing on
lands in the neighbOrhood of the home
ranch, and in a few years these tracts
became incorporated as a part of the
holdings of the ranchman. AS one
man in Butte county expressed it:
IF it is a crime for us to buy out the
claims of our, hired men, we are all in
it to a more or less degree" In the
future any move Of this kind will be
handled very charity.
The same activity of inspectors is
seen in another direction, where the
requirements for making final proof
as far more rigidly observed than in
the old days. When the country east
of the Missouri was settled a quarter
Of a century ago, only six months res
idence was acquired to secure title,
and in many cases the six months
consisted of making a filing; hiring a
man to put up a "shack' and break
five acres Of prairie; and then wait
for the proper time to elapse to offer
final proof, which was accepted on the
oath of the claimant as a residence.
toned, and unless he can show that
he has made an honest effort at resi-
dence, he is told to go back and live
OF the land for the required time.
That time has also been increased
from six months to fourteen months,
to get on the land. as constructive
residence and only eight months Of
actual residence is required, and that
is pretty strictly being demanded. AS
a result a number of town residents
are relinquishing, and actual settlers
are going on the lands.
And that they are going there is
no question. The roads leading west
from Pierre are a long procession of
teams taking out lumber and supplies,
and the road ranches along the Dead
wood trail are reaping a harvest such
as they never dreamed Of. Most of
them are increasing their house room
to accommodate the many travellers
who stop with them, and are crowded
to the limit day and night. Over two
hundred teams were counted going
west between here and Hayes one day
last week. Every house in this city
is occupied and anything which can
be used for storage is packed
with the effects of homesteaders who
have come in with their cars. and
whose families remain in the city for
the time necessary to get buildings on
their claims. The old wooden build
ing known as the Fitch block" which
Is known to so many residents of the
state, is crowded from cellar to garrett,
and as fast as one family goes out
another is ready to get into the place
left vacant. The rush will probably
continue all summer. as the demand
for lands west of the river continues
to grow as the spring advances, and
every freight train in brings as a large
part of it's shipments cars of emigrant
movables. 1t is a repetition of the
rush OF twenty-five years ago to the
northern part of the state, and will
not be stopped SO long as there is
anything to the west to be filed upon.