The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-08-27
BIG LAND
OPENING SET
Over 100000 Acres Available
For Entry
|ON SOUTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER
This Land is Very Desirable
for Farming

tion just issued by President Roose-
welt has been set down for October 19,
at Dallas, S. D. The lands in question
amount to- about 100000 acres. Under
the proclamation of the president
Judge James w. Witten, chief law off,
Ger of the United States general land
Office, is designated to superintend and
conduct the drawing.
The lands are in Tripp county and
are described as agricultural and graz
ing lands. According to a statement
issued by Judge Witten, covering the
information which will be sought by
persons who desire to enter these lands
these facts are brought out:
Persons who desired to be registered
for this drawing must go to the towns
of Chamberlain, Dallas, Gregory or
Presho, in South Dakota or to O'Neill
or Valentine, in Nebraska, between
October 5th and 18th, and there sign
and swear to an application for regis
tration which will furnished by the
officer administering the oath. All
applications for registration must be
delivered by the applicant by mail, in
person or otherwise, to Judge Witten
either at Dallas or Gregory, S. D., not
later than 4 p. M, Saturday, October
II. Drawing will take place on the
following Monday, October 10 at Dal-
las.
These lands embrace $4,000 acres,
a portion of which have been allotted
to Indians, and are located on the south
line of the State of South Dakota and
adjoin the lands in Gregory county
which were opened in 1904. They are
said to be very desirable for farming
AMI stock raising purposes, and similar
lands in adjoining counties are selling
for good prices. The opening of the
Gregory county lands, four years ago,
was one of the largest and most impor-
tant land openings ever held by the
government, and attracted great deal
of attention, 100000 people having been
registered.
From present indications the Tripp
county opening will be even larger
than the Gregory registration, since a
much larger area of lands are to be
opened. The plan adopted for this
registration and drawing is similar to
that used in the Gregory opening, but
certain objectional features which caus-
ed hardships on applicants for registra-
tion have been eliminated. At the
Gregory and former openings appli-
cants were required to appear in per-
son and stand in line, often for con.
siderable length of time, until officers
of the government examined into and
determined their qualifications and reg
istered them, while at the approaching
Trip county opening no line will be
formed, and the people will be permit
ted to send in their applications by
mail, or otherwise, to the superinten-
dent, after they have been sworn to
in one of the towns above mentioned.
Soldiers who served for three months
during the civil war, the Spanish-A IL
erican war or the Philippine insurrec-
tion will not be required to visit the
towns mentioned for the purpose Of
registering, but may register through
an agent. Information as to- the man.
ner Of registering and drawing, and
blank applications which enable sol
diers to register by agent can be OBJ
tanned by writing to Judge Witten, at
Washington, D. c., prior to September
25, but after that date applications
should be made to him at Dallas, s.
D., or to the person who is placed in
charge of the blanks at the towns
named. After October 4, all blanks
needed by persons who are not soldiers
will be furnished by the officers in the
towns named, who are authorized to
administer oaths, and persons who are
not soldiers Will not De required 10 pre-
cure the blanks in advance.
Persons who are successful in this
drawing will be permitted to make en-
try of one quarter section, or less, un-
der the homestead laws, at some date
after March 1, 1909. and may obtain
title by making the required residence
and cultivation and payment of $6 an
acre for all lands entered prior to
June 1. 1909, or $3.50 for lands entered
under the presidents proclamation, af.
ter that date. One-fifth of the purchase
money must be paid at the date Of
the entry, and the remainder In five
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