The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-08-23
LARGE NUMBER INTEND TO FILE
ON HUNTLEY LANDS.
.NURSERYMAN is FIRST
More Than 500 Persons Made inquiry
Concerning Lands Yesterday of EN-
ployes Of Land oAice-Unusual
Rush for Farms.

for Huntley lands passed up their op
/ portunities to file on the farm units
there is a rush for these lands BY
those who were not so fortunate
equal to the rushes at other land Oh
enings in the past few years. A
large number of people camped al
night in the hall of BellSnap block
many of them in chairs and Others
lying on the floors, to be sure and get
chance to file. Filing on the farm
units will start today at 9 o'clock.
George Wold, a nurseryman for
merly of the Bitter Root valley, but
for the past few months resident OF
this city, has assured himself that he
will be the first to file by sitting in a
chair propped up against the land Of
flee door Mr. Void returned from
Huntley last night, where he looked
over the lands under the project and
picked out the farm unit which he
thinks is the best. AS soon as he
alighted, from the train at Billings he
made a rush for the land office with
out stopping to eat his supper, and
after securing chair propped him
self against the land office door and
read a magazine for the greater part
of the night.
Mr.. Wold is very enthusiastic over
the farms under the project, saying
that the best farming land in the
world is to be found there. Mr.. Wold
IS an experienced farmer and nur-
seryman, and has ranch in the Bit
ter Root valley. He things that soil
and climatic conditions are equal to
those in the Bitter Root valley for
the production of fruit, and says that
ne intends to start a fruit and nur-
sery farm. His family is in Missoula
at present, but as soon as he has filed
he will bring them to this city and
take them out to his farm to live. AL
though he declined to state the exact
location of his choice of the farm
units, he said that it laid between
Worden and Osborne, two of the new
toWnsites on the reservation, and con
tanned more than 40 acres. He did
not register for the drawing of these
lands, but wishes that he had. When
asked if his all-night vigil would be
tlresome, he stated that he wouldn't
sleep anyway if he did go to bed, and
that he considered the land worth
staying up all night to get the choice
piece.
F.. NJ. Glasgow of Newmarket, Ia.
was the second to arrive at the door
OF the land office. Like his predeces-
sor, he secured a chair and prepared
to stay all night. He placed his chair
beside Mr.. Wold's in such a manner
that no one could crowd in ahead of
him. He registered. for the drawing,
but was not successful in drawing one
of the first 1000 numbers. He is an
experienced farmer and thinks that
the opportunity to get good land here
is not exceeded any place. He has
picked out the farm unit he intends
to file on and stated that lit lies be-
tween Huntley and Ballantine and
contains more than 40 acres. He
says that the opening was well adyer-
tised all over Iowa and that there
were many people from the Hawkeye
state who registered and went back
to their homes disappointed at not
being successful in drawing one of
the farm units. More persons who
registered were from Iowa than any
other state in the union outside of
Montana. When asked if he consid-
cred 40 acres sufficient to make a liv-
ing from, he said that if compelled to
he could make a good living and pay
for his land within three years on 40
acres, but that he was going to Sc
cure more if it were possible. Mr..
Glasgow is an experienced farmer and
intends commencing work on his farm
as soon as he files.
Shortly before midnight people who
intend to file started f1ocking into the
hallway of the Belknap block and took
up their positions in front of the door
of the land office. Many of them had
witnessed openings in Oklahoma and
other states, and relegated the crowd
with stories of adventures at that
time.
3. E. Esselstyn, receiver of the land
Office here, says that no less than 500
persons made inquiries of him con-
cerning the lands which are to be
thrown open to settlement today, and
that he thinks each one asked no less
than 100 questions. The employees OF
the Office were unable to do any work
during Office hours yesterday, owing
to the crowds who visited the offices.
He thinks that at least 100 OF the farm
units. will be filed on today, judging