The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-09-11
TRIP COUNTY LANDS.
How the Newly Opened Lands are to
be Entered.


How the Newly Opened Lands are to
be Entered.
AS numerous inquiries are
being made as to the mode of en-
tering the lands in Trip county
recently opened for settlement
BY proclamation of the president
the following statement by Judge
Witten, chief law officer o. the
general land Office, who has been
selected to attend The drawing,
will be of interest, as there are
800. OOC acres of these lands:
Persons who desire to be registered
for Shis drawing must go to the towns
of Chamberlain, Dallas, Gregory or
Presho in South Dakota, or to
O'Neill or Valentine, Neb., between
October 5 and II, and there sign and
swe ar to an Application for registra.
ton which will be 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, DC.
tober II. Drawing will take place the
following Monday, October 10, at
Dallas.
These lands embrace 1913, 900 acres,
a portion of which have been allotted
to Indians and are located on the
south line of the state of South Dako-
to, and adjoin the lands in Gregory
county which were opened in 1894.
They are said to be very desirable for
farming and s~tock-raising purposes,
and similar lands in adjoining coun-
ties are selling for good prices. The
opening of the Gregory county lands
four years ago, was one of the largest
and most important land openings
ever held by the government, and at.
tracted a great deal of attention,
LOG, 900 having been registered.
From present indications the Trip
county opening will be even larger
than the Gregory registration, since q
much larger area of lands is to be
opened. The plan adopted for this
registration and drawing is similar to
that used in the Gregory opening, but
certain Objectionable features that
imposed hardships on applicants for
registration have been eliminated. At
the Gregory and former openings ap-
plicants were required to appear in
person and stand in line often for q
considerable length of time, until
officers of the government examined
into and determined their qualifca
tions and registered them, while at
the approaching Trip county opening
40 line will reformed, and the people
will be permitted to send in their APP
p~lications by mail or otherwise to the
superintendent, 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 American al or the Philip
pine insurrection, will not be required
to visit the towns mentioned for the
purpose of registering, but may regis.
ter through an agent. Information as
to the manner of registering and
drawing, and blank applications that
enable soldiers to register by agent
can be obtained by writing to Judge
Wltten at Washington, D. c., prior
to September Is, but after that date
application 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 oftic-
ers in the town named, who are au-
thorized to administer oaths. and per-
sons who are not soldiers will not be
required to procure the blanks in adj
vance.
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 /, 1909, and may obtain
title by making the required residence
and Guilty alton and the payment of
Sc an acre, for all lands entered prior
to June l, 1909, or 81. SO an acre for
lands entered under the presidents
proclamation after that date. One
fifth of the purchase money must be
paid at the date of the entry, and the
remainder in five equal annual pay
ments, without interest. If an entry
man chooses to do so, he can obtain
title after four moths actual residence
and cultivation by paying all of the
deferred payments.
There are no settlements on any of
these lands, and several townsites will
De located in suitable places, and re-
served from homestead entry before
March l 1909.