Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-01-05
HOMESTEADs
CHANGE OWNERSHIP
'hree-Fourths of Men Who
Drew Claims Dispose
of Them.
GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY
Is ILLEGAL, Technically, Yet GoVernmen
Recognizes Fact That This Method
Gusts Spectators and Opens
Way for Agriculturists.

Homestead. S. D., Dec. 27.-ManS
claims upon the Rosebud have changed
hands since the opening. 1t is a wen
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. Ihey
filed upon the land merely as a specula-
t.on. These spectators are gradually
being weeded 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 reln-
lQaishment to the quarter to the farmer
for so many hundred dollars. He has
his filing papers made out for the claim
and places them together with the first
Eettler's REIMBURSEMENT before the land
office officials at the same time. In TINS
manner when the REIMBURSEMENT goes
on record, his filing papers are alro$dy
made out and the next TO go on record
on that particular piece or land, IL
having become vacant upon the nrst
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 relinquiShmentS is technically
against the rulings of the interior de-
partment, that department realizes that
it is a good thing for the country to
De opened, lDdSIIluGu DIS II dliO"o NiS
agricultural classes to get hold of the
land sooner than they could IL the
spectators had TO prove up on 1t. EY-
ery time a REIMBURSEMENT is turned IN
in this way the government gets a
rakeoff of $3.50, 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 a settler
TO offer final proof on his homestead
after fourteen months of continuous
residence upon and cultivation or the
same. The first six months OF con-
structive residence may be counted in
as a part Of this time, so thai to prove
up one must actually reside on n land
eight months. Quite a number of he
settlers are proving up their claims at
this time. A number, co., are adVer-
tised TO make final proof in January.
OF the total numbe of settlers, per-
haps 40 per cent. are availing them
selves of the right to commute-that
is, prove up after fourteen months. OF
course all balance due the government
for the land must be paid UP.
There are several fiourishing new
towns on the Rosebud. Beginning with
the largest and named in their relative
size and Importance, they are: Greg
tory, Burke, Herrick, Carlock, Dallas
and Dixon. All of these are regular
! 6oN Cl 1tiI " SN~~PN 1NSNAN -
was started last winter on an Indian
| allotment, but being located in the CEN
| ter Of a triangle made by three other
towns, its territory is necessarily quite
I 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 Ian
in the county and has enjoyed a sure,
steady and permanent growth from the
beginning. It's location is to the west
neal the line of Trip county, beyond
which lies the great unopened portion
of the Rosebud reservation.
In Trip county alone lies more than
a million acres of unoccupied and I'M
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 X four or five years.
Gregory is but five miles from the
Trip county line. 1t is therefore the
frontier town and the natural gateway
for the great reservation to the west.
When Trip county is opened Greg
DRY will be the Bonesteel of the open
ing, except that she will become a much
more important place; the unopened
tract Oh SONSIIlIlltll ldIld III ITlpp
| 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 and
thrown open last year in Gregory
county.
Burke and Herrick are both good
towns. Though not SO large as Greg
DRY they are both flourishing 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
al boast of the best hotel accommo-
dations in the county. She likewise has
a furniture store hat would do credit
to a city the size of Mitchell or Yank-
ton. She also has the most complete
n up-to-date drug store on the reser-
| walton.
Carlock and Dixon are both thriving
little towns and good trading points.
M AMI