The Washington times., 1908-12-09
Government Carves Out
HomeSteadS From the
Old Bad Lands.
AMERICAN DESERT
MEETS A SAD FATE
Uncle Sam Crowds the Unfertile
Land Clear OF the Map of
United States.

Uncle Sam is no longer rich enough
to give us all a farm, but last session
OF Congress he made preliminary ar
rangements to give farms to over 1900
OF us, and the people OF South Dakota
want them just as soon as possible.
They will be carved out of the Stand
ing Rock and Cheyenne River reserva-
tions in that State. and 2,6O0OOO acres
OF good land VIII be given away Just
as coon as the preliminaries can be
attended TO. They will not be actually
donated; the land must be appraised
and sold; but In fact IL will amount to
almost donation.
The opening OF this immense tract
said TO be the last great area which
the Government will have at its dis
posal for homesteading purposes-iIlus-
trates the sad fate Of the Great Ameri-
can desert
Two generations ago everything west
Of the Mississippi was the desert. Then
it moved along. and everything west OF
the Missouri as far as the Cascade
Mountains was desert Then States grew
up in the desert, and great cities -four
ished, and the desert was driven into
close quarters.
Finally the Bad Lands OF South Da-
kota became a sort OF last stronghold
of the theory that a great American
desert really existed Parcel by parcel,
these were taken uu and turned into
thrifty farms.
Regarded Hopeless.
Still. the Standing Rock and CHEYENNE
reservations. inhabited by some thou
sands Of Indians, were regarded as
hopeless. One day the Chicago, MIL
waukee and St. Paul road announced
that il would build TO the Pacific coast.
and that its line would pass squarely
through these lands ThereupOn. people
began wondering IL they were worth
while The result was that II was sud
denly discovered that they. too, we:e
good lands. and that they needed moth
ing but attention.
Last session, Congress passed an act
for opening 100000 acres Of these re-
servations to settlement The Govern
ment must buy them from the Indians
and then in turn sell them to settlers.
AS soon as the law passed. the desert
began to gain popularity with home
steaderS- II developed that these were
excellent agricultural lands. lying along
splendid streams 1t was an unexplOr-
ed region, witt a bad reputation. be-
cause it had ro2g been set off as an
Indian reservation.
Produces Great Wealth.
With about 10000 people. the state OF
South Dakota has for a number OF
years been credited with producing a
larger per capita Of wealth than any
other State In the Union. It's lands have
been coming into corresponding de-
mand, and when 1t was announced that
this big domain was to be opened, in
ouiries came from all sections.
1t is now expected that the lands will
be opened for the registration Of would
be homesteaders In the autumn of 1909,
and for entry OF the lucky ones in the
spring of 1910. The opening will be py
the accepted process of registration and
lottery drawing; the man with the first
number having first choice of plats. The
best tracts viii be worth from $1,000
downward.
F A Brown. representing the Aber-
deem. S. D., Commercial Club, is here
in the effort TO hurry along the opening
arrangements with the Interior De-
partment-
Senator Gamble is taking the greatest
interest IN the matter, having been the
author Of the legislation for opening the
lands. It is expected that within the
first two years after they are opened
these lands viii have added $1,000 TO the
population Cf South Dakota.