The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-10-23

titles the holder to his choice of an,
one of the 160-acre tracts in the
broad Tripp reservation. The frs
prize is jim-dandy, and thousands
of others are just as good. All are
distributed according to the order
drawn.
The land is not distributed abso
lutely free. Eack lucky man OF
woman must pay Sc per acre for hi:
tract, and live upon it Ia months, as
required by The homestead laws.
"Yu bet tn government a bunch
NV money against 100 acres of LAND
tibet yu kin live on tn land for four.
teen months, an tn government bets
you We can't" is the way Mr.. Dool,
ey's friend, Mr.. Hinnessy, expressed
TO him the plan of homesteadins
land, such as the one which will be.
gin Monday in the opening Of Tripr
county, South Dakota
Trip county is more than a county
as one would be accustomed to re-
gard it. 1t comprises nearly mil
lion, or $4,000 acres. 1t is the coun-
ty directly west of the land OPENED
in 1904, the drawing Of which was
hgenerally known as the Bonesteel
drawing. The development Of the
lands which were. opened before
shows the value of the lands includ-
ed in the present opening. The farms
have been developed and the occu-
pants have prospered. The quarter
section which were drawn, and were
purchased for 50 an acre, are worth
upwards of $50 an acre, and some
OF them as high as $50 an acre, Tripp
county has not had much identity
until now. 1t has been only a part
OF the great Rosebud reservation
the home OF the Sioux Indians.
Uncle Sam concluded that intelli-
gent farmers of the white race who
would take the land and use it would
be willing to bet him that they would
make good, and get their money back
besides. The Indians had their
chance, and most OF them would have
lost their bets, had they been bet
ting even, but they were given. back
their money as fast as they lost it.
The Indians are not being depriv-
ed of their homes by the opening of
their lands. They are being cared
for The lands which are now being
oUened in this instance, are sold for
the sum of 5000 per acre. The price
OF the lands opened at Bonesteel was
$4.00 an acre. These arrangements
are made by treaty with the Indians.
In the present one, nearly two years
was taken up in the perfecting and
concentrating the treaty. The money
received from the sale OF the lands
ls put into fund from which the
Indians receive the benefit.
Everything possible is being done
Tor the development of the Indians.
They are given opportunity for edu-
cation. Government and religious
schools dot the Rosebud reservation.
Embroidery made by the girls is seen,
which would startle her white sisters.
Sturdy youths, who played foot ball
and graduated at Carlisle and Has
kell, advise and guide the old chiefs
who know about the Custer fight and
Wounded Knee.
The influence of the new genera
ton is shown in the frame houses
which the Indians have in many cases
erected, and in their wearing of m Cd
ern clothes. Their knowledge OF
land values has developed. When
they make a selection for an allot-
ment now, they do not pick rough
land which would have delighted
them as home when they were saw
ages. They select a tract of land
from a commercial point of view.
They rtck out good farming land.
They may not farm the land, but
they have learned to realize its val
lue. They cannot sell the land with
out the permission of the government,
which is not given unless they have
acquired complete title, and are judg-
ed capable of caring for themselves.
Uncle Sam will not let go his charge
of the Indians until they show that
they are capable of themselves. 1t
is looking after their interests that
the great drawing of the Tripp coun-
ty lands takes place.