The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-10
EMPIRE BUILDING II
WEST OF RIVER
WONDERFUL CHANGES ON THE,
OLD SIOUX RESERVE.
EARLY Days on the East Side Are Re-
enacted in the Grand Rush for Cheap
Land-Flings at Pierre Are Alone
Taking from One to Three Townships
Each Month.
Special to The Journal,

Pierre, s.. D., April 1O.-The western half Of
South Dakota Is in a stage of transformation
which will exceed the changes In the northern
and central part of Dakota territory a quarter.
of a century ago.
At that time each settler was. allowed two
filings at once, a presumption and timber, Gull
ture entry, and following that a homestead, right,
and the half-section entries were. greater in
number than those of "a quarter section alone.
Then the question Of residence upon the land
was not so closely construed by the government
land department as it is today. Now all claim
ants are closely questioned in regard to resi-
'dence, and the general land office has recently
ruled that while a claimant will be allowed six
months In which to begin Improvement and, set
Element, and that the six months will be allowed
as constructive settlement in, the fourteen months
required for making proof, the last eight months
must be actual and continuous residence on the
land. This. ruling means that there will be
more actual residents on the government lands
now being taken than was the case in the old
days. NJ! .... * 49, u
The central points of the; homestead move
ments at the present are Pierre, Chamberlain
and Rapid City, The filings at the Pierre office
are sufficient to take up from one to three town
ships each month, and there is a constant stream
of emigrant movables. going across the river to
begin. settlement. One man who recently came
in from Hayes, forty miles west, said that on
his way in he counted" seventy-three loads Of
such goods on the. trail vest Every freight
trim into this city brings from a half dozen to
a dozen cars of goods, and special trains of that
class of goods are brought IN every few days to
keep the work cleared. -, 50.
The land hungry are FROM, every walk of life,
and among them are the sons and daughters of
men who were pioneers in Minnesota, Iowa. Ne
braska and eastern Dakota5 and not always do
the young people come alone. In many cases
the father accompanies them, either having
| disposed of the old home at a good price or.
retaining it, comes to aid the, children in get
ting ''another quarter" One case in point is
that of a family by the name of Barber, who
daughter made filings on a. solid section. - Every
class is represented, the Members of a travelling
show troupe, while in this city last fall, filing
together at Grinstone. All have quit the road
to live on their claims, where they intend to
spend the summer and secure title. Another
colony in the vicinity of. Hayes is composed of
Methodist ministers, most of whom came from
Iowa. : ~ HS&t -. & s
While some of the new settlers are making
the attempt with limited capital, and may come
to grief, a large majority. Of them are going
out in financial circumstances which will enable
them to get along comfortably until. their lands
begin. to bring them an income, Most Of these
take out with them their teams, a. few cows
and chickens, and the milk and eggs will heir
them materially. 49,. *! ~...- a,4 90 5s.+.-
Onefman who came from the southern ypartr OF
the state with his wife and five children brought
chickens, and as he is locating not far from
the line Of the North Western extension, vii
find that in some Of the towns which will be
started in his vicinity he can market butter, ant
eggs, and even will not have to wait for thu
} town to give him a market, as there will be
1demand for such products from5 other newcomer
who are not SO supplied. 10 -