The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-05

Registrations on the Shoshone So
Light that Homesteads
Will Go Around.
Specials to The Journal.

shoshone, Wyo., Aug. 4. Everyone
draws a prize0 appears to be the out.
come, if it was not the promise of the
Shoshone Indian land lottery. When
the registrations closed on the night Of
the last day of July, with but few
over 10000 names on the government g
list, many of whom, if the experience
cred a criterion, will never take the
trouble even to draw a number. it was
practically announced that there was
enough homesteads to go around.
This means that in a measure the
opening of the reservation was a fail
ure. It means, however, that those
plucky ones, who in their hunger for
piece Of mother earth, took the tire
some journey of something over twenty.
of approximately forty-eight hours
from Chicago. Kansas Clay, ST. Louis or
st. Paul, will be rewarded-in greater
or less, degree, according to their luck
in drawing.
Il 4; Number one, at least, will draw a
prize worth having. Of the million and
four hundred thousand acres which
were ceded by the Shoshones and Ara
pahoes, it is a mooted question which
particular quarter section is the most
valuable. It is considered certain,
wherever it is, that the piece selected
by entryman No. l will not be used foi
agricultural purposes.
| See the Future Capital
One spot which has been picked out
by few enthusiasts who know the res
ervation well is in the center of 9
magnificent expanse of bench land
some twenty miles west of Shoshoni
It's champions say that it is the natural
point for the crossing of the North
| 1S,,a E1
Burlington from north to south. They
predict that it is destined to be the
site of city that in few years will
be the capital of Wyoming. With two
trunk lines, giving it an outlet to the
four points Of the compass, and situated
about the center of the 100000 acres OF
agricultural land under the two big
canals which the state is preparing I'd
build, nothing can prevent the growth
| of an important agricultural city.
Sixty miles west Of Shoshoni, in the
vicinity of Crow. Heart butte. on ths
Big Wind river, is site which is des.
tined, according to its champions, to
become one Of the big mining camps Of
| the west. In this vicinity are located
some of the finest coal lands in the
state and in addition splendid speci-
mems Of gold ore have been brought
from the Owl mountains close by.
'S'''. An Ideal Site.
| A third site is where the Little Wind
river joins the Big Wind river thirty
miles below Shoshoni. Here is beau.
most 100 acres, and practically all con.
tanned within one quarter section, lying
between the two streams, with many
trees and good grass With ample
water supply, natural water grades in
three directions. and with an abundance
of good building stone in the neighbor-
hood. adjoining the extension Of the
struction, this is an ideal site for q
city,
These three sites win probably be
selected by Nos. 1, 2 and 8 in the lot.
| terry, but in which order is a question.
It is believed that the townsite com.
pany operating with the North Western
railway has its eye also on few other
choice locations which it viii acquire,
if possible.
IA Railroads Are Losers.
The failure of the Shoshone reserva-
tion opening to attract large number
| of the land hungry to Wyoming has
been a great disappointment to the two
railroad companies which spent many
thousands of dollars to build lines Of
road to the new lands, and were pre-.
pared to handle ten times the number
| of homeseekers the latter half of July.
Notwithstanding the light respistra.
tion. officials of the land office In
charge of the Shoshone reservation
drawings are confident that the present
plan will not be changed. Commits.
sioner w. A. Richards was asked a few
days ago as to his views and the views
of the department on this point, but ia
a correspondent he declined to commit
himself. The plan was originated by
Mr.. Richards, and he has on several oc.
casions intimated his full faith in the
system. It was thought that perhaps
the decrease in the number Of persont
attracted to the registrations would
cause the department to find 4 new way
of attracting interest, but this is set al
! rest by a statement made by Chiej
Clerk Harry Billings, Just after Mr.
/ Richards left Shpshoni.
have recently. talked with Com
missioner Richards" said Mr.. Billinrs
Hand / am satisfied that he il inst q,
firm as ever in his confidence in ths
plan. He believes it is the onlv safs
and perfectly fair way to dispose Of
these lands, and do not believe thar
will be any change -
4 Moreover, 90 long as stevervont
i draws a. price, there is no reason VIII
those who register should sskick. -