The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26
700 FINE II FREE.
Uncle Sam About TO Conduct q Land Lottery
IN Montana.

IN Montana.
WAsHINoToN, May 25.-Unole Sam will
conduct q land lottery at Billings. Mon,
in June. at which time $4,000 acres Of the
choicest public lands In the State will be
awarded to holders Of winning numbers.
These lands are embraced in the Huntley
irrigation project. which is nov nearly
completed and comprises nearly 700 farms,
Of forty and eighty acres each.
The Huntley project is located about
twelve miles east of Billings. and il crossed
by two great railway systems. the Northern
Pacific and the Burlington, thus affording
unusual facilities for transporting crops.
These lands have a gentle slope to the
Yellowstone River and the elevation of the
country is 5 600 feet above sea level.
The Government has built a highway
patallel to the railroad, affording a direct
line Of travel up and down the valley. At
short distances along the railways the Gov
rnmen has laid out town sites, so located
that no farm is more than two and a half
miles from a shipping point.
An auction sale OF these town lots will be
held Immediately following the drawing
Of the farms, and there will be many oppor-
tunities for merchants. professional men
and skilled and unskilled laborers. AS the
farms are small-forty and eighty acres-a
compact rural community is assured.
making possible graded schools and
churches and eliminating the isolation and
loneliness of the individual ranch.
The soil of this region is of remarkable
fertility and when watered produces
bountiful crops. The rainfall varies from
0 to 10 inches annually and is inadequate
uithoi,f ;rr; 1at ion for tho orou,in1 NJ farm
products.
The climate and soil are adapted to the
growing Of all the crops OF the north EN-
perate zone. AS there is a large range
country surrounding this section, live
stock raising is a predominant industry
and furnishes a first class market for alfalfa
and hay.
At Billings a sugar beet factory is 10Y in
operation and farmers are increasing their
acreage in this crop as it is very profitable.
Apples and small fruits are being raised
successfully, as well as sweet corn. tomatoes
and melons. The dairying industry is
or owing rapidly and cannot keep pace with
the demand.
The Huntley lands are part of the Crow
indian Reservation, which was oeded to
the Government. Settlers will be asked
W pay IN I'll dGTe ~ tllciI ldiilot Oic AIbb
payment of 81 an acre falling due upon
making the filing and the balance in four
equal annual installments.
The Government in addition to this
will charge the settler for the cost OF build
ing the irrigation works about 50 an acre
for ten years, after which the irrigation
system will be turned over to the farmers.
The cost of operation and maintenance.
about 90 cents an acre will be paid annually
in addition to the charge for building the
xunHlra Thn frat nNmnnf nf CA IN will
become due as soon as filing is made by the
successful drawer of q farm.
Irrigated lands in this section have a value
of from SIS TO 5000 an acre, according to the
crops grown. Alfalfa, the chief crop.
produces about five tons TO the acre and at
present is worth So a ton in the stack.
Sugar beets yield from $50 to SIS an acre
II properly cared for.
In order TO obviate the unsatisfactory
conditions which usually attend the open
ing Of public lands TO settlement and to in
sure every homeseeker an equal chance to
obtain one of these farms new regulations
designed especially to accomplish this re-
suit have been issued by the Secretary OF
the Interior. These regulations, briefly,
as follows:
ANY person desiring to make entry may.
either throuPa she mails or otherwise,
present TO the Register and Receiver of the
Office at Billings his personal aft
davit, sworn TO before some officer author
lied TO administer oaths IN the Billings
land district, enclosed in a sealed envelope.
These affldlvits must not reach the land
Office before o O'Clock A. NJ. June IS nor after
4:31 p. NJ. Jane 81.
On June 2 the Secretary OF the Interior
viii be in billings and the dra wing of the
envelopes filed will begin, Fifteen hun-
dred names will be drawn and the people
will be notified in order in groups Of fifty
to make entries on q given day beginning
about July % and continuing until the $50
have been made. No person will
be allowed 10 file more than one applica-
ton.