The National tribune., 1907-08-08
CONCERNING
LAND OPENINGS.
Five Big Indian Reservations to
be Opened a Year Hence.
General Conditions Surround
ing Opening.

the General Land Once In Washing
ton, but there is good and plenty going
on in the field, getting ready for land
oneniugs" next wear. There are hFe
Indian Reservations to be opened Just
as soon as the survey is completed' pui
the matter of surveying the lanus IS Il
difficult one, and will not be aconi pilsh-
ed much before next Spring. Inose 10
be opened are the Lower Brulc indian
Reservation, in South Dakota; the Va
kima Indian Reservation, in tEe state
of Washington; the Occur d Aiehe m
dian Reservation, in Idaho; the COZ
willie Reservation, in the State OF wash
ington, and Flathead Reservation IN
Montana.
While il is yet long way in the
future-nine months at the least must
elapse, according to reports from the
General Land Office before these lands
can be opened-the readers of The Ma
tional Tribune are undoubtedly inter-
ested in learning some real facts about
these lands. In the first place, it should
be remembered that the lands on these
reservations is some good, some be 4,
some very bad. and not much of it tnat
is so very good. II just averages,
and that is the best that can be said Tor
it, In many instances land will be very
good but is so far from railway facil-
fties for transporting farm products
that it makes the land dear at any
price. A good deal of these lands must
be irrigated. The Government is ar
ranging to help some of the reservations
= by means of the great irrigation canals,
and in others the water is near by in
the streams, but must be diverted py
the homesteader.
Another thing must be borne in
mind. 1t is an easy matter for Land
Agents to get glowing descriptions in
newspapers at so much per line ana
that ii will be the part of wisdom in
would-be purchasers or homesteaders
to find out something about the lands
upon which they wish to locate before
they accept "sure-thing propositions.
There are far too many gold brlcks
fn-these land advertisements, ans II
especially behooves veterans to look
twice at a scheme before they accept il
for its face value. The National Trib-
une is not in the real estate or land
business, but it does intend to keep its
readers fully advised of all that may
benefit them in the distribution of the
public lands and to warn them from
trouble and disappointment.
- 1t is stated at the General Land Office
here in Washington that tables of va
sacant public lands in the United States,
based on reports furnished by the dis
- trict land offices, and arranged to show.
by States, Territories, land districts, and
Counties, the area of unappropriated
- an. unreserved public lands, surveyed
and unSurveyed, to which is added
- brief description OF the character of
the vacant lands, may be obtained at
the General Land Office in the Annual
Report for 1906. No more specific de-
scription of the character of the land.
climate water, or timber can be given
by the General Land Office. Counties
and States in which there are no unap-
propriated lands are omitted.
A township diagram, showing enter
ed lands only in any township, can be
procured by sending 81 to the Register
and Receiver of the Land Office for that
district, specifying the diagram required
. by township and range number.
Land Office officials are of the opin-
> ion that before entry personal inspec-
tion of the lands should be made to
ascertain If they are suitable, and when
- satisfied on this point entry can be
made at the local land Office in the
- manner prescribed by law, under the
direction of the local land officers who
Will give the applicant full Information.
Should party desire to obtain infor-
nation in regard 10 vacant lands in any
district before going there for a per-
sonal inspection he should address the
Register and Receiver of the proper
local land Office, who Will give him full
Information on that subject and as TO
the steps necessary to be taken in max
ing entry.
All vacant unappropriated public
lands, nonmineral and nonsalne in
character are subject to entry under
the homestead laws.
In the proposed opening TO entry OF
lands within the Lower Brule Indian
Reservation in South Dakota, the act
of April p, 1906, provides for the sale
and disposal of the west half of town
ships l06, 107, los, 109 and 10 north
of range Il west, and fractional town
ships LOG, 107, 10S. 109 and 1I0 north
of range IS west, and fractional town.
ship 110 north of range 10 west. COM
prising approximately $3.50 acres
under the general provisions of the
homestead laws, except sections 16 and
36 in each township, which are granted
to the State of South Dakota for 81 hooi
purposes.
The lands. after appraisement, are so
be opened to settlement and enly.Y. al
not less than their appraised value by
proclamation of the President which
Will prescribe the manner in which the
lands are to be settled upon, occupied
and entered by persons entitled to
make entry thereof; but no person is 10
be permitted to do so, except as pre-
scribed in the Presidents proclamation
until after the expiration of 60 days
from the date when the lands are open
ed 10 settlement and entry
The rights of eX-soldiers and sailors
under sections 2304-2305, Revised Stat
utes, are not abridged.
One-iifth of the appraised value OF
the land is to be paid in cash at the time
OF entry, and the remainder in five equa
annual installments, to be paid in one
two, three, four, and five years. respec-
lively, from and after the date of entry
in accordance with rules and regula-
tions to be prescribed by the Secretar,
OF the Interior The failure of any en-.
tryman to make the annual payments
or any of them, promptly when due
Will cause all rights in and to the LAND
covered by his entry to cease and an,
payments heretofore made will be for
feited, the entry Cancelled. and the lant
reoffered for sale and entry. The Lands
so Cancelled will be subject to entr,
under the provisions of the homestea,
law, at the appraised value. until other
wise directed by the President
Final proof is to be made within 81.
years from date of entry, but an entr,
may be eommuted under section 230l
Revised Statutes, by paying the ap
praised value of the land. rcceivin;
credit for payments previously made.
Aliens who have declared ulcir inten
ton to become citizens of the Unite,
States may make entry of these lands
but before offering final PROOF and re
ceiving patent they must have re
ceived their full naturalization papers.
When, in the opinion of the Presi
dent, no more of the lands can be dis
posed of at their appraised value. J.
ma Nv "a ula n q fa