The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-09-24
LAND OPENED
ON OCTOBER 4
Chance to Get A Good Homestead in
Cheyenne River and Standing
Rock Indian Reservations

Department of the Interior,
General Land Office, Was hington,
D. c., August 81, 1909.
Dear Sir: You are informed
that the Presidents proclamation
issued August l9, 1909, directs
that certain lands in the Cheyenne
River and Standing Rock Indian
Reservations in North Dakota and
South Dakota be opened to settle
ment and entry under the general
provisions of the homestead laws
in the following manner.
l The lands to be opened are
bounded on the north by the Cam
non Ball River, on the west by the
lO2d degree west longitude and
are about 80 to ITO miles west of
Aberdeen, South Dakota. ,Fhe
Missouri River forms q part OF its
eastern boundry. The tract is
about 80 miles long and varies in
width from east to west, from 30
to 81 miles. About 2,Ol9,68O acres
are in South Dakota, and about
2l7,360 in North Dakota, making
9 . ~
total Of approximately 2,2S7 ,O4O
acres. OF this area about l24,3l4
acres are embraced. in sections l6
and 36 which have been granted
to the states for school purposes,
and allotments have been made to!
about 5000 Indians. Other por-
tions have been reserved for
churches, schools and agency pur-.
poses, and otherwise disposed of,
and there will perhaps be some-
thing over 100000 acres which
will become subject to entry.
Commissioners appointed by
the President are now at work
classifying the lands into agricul-
tural land of the first class. agricul-
turalr land Of the second class,
grazing lands, timber lands and
mineral lands. The agricultural,
grazing and timber lands are be-
ing appraised at from so cents to
$5 per acre. The mineral lands
cannot be entered under the home
stead laws.
I cannot at this time furnish
maps of these reservations or give
any definite information as to the
character Of the lands, the kind of
the quality of the soil, OF. the kind
of crops to which they are best
adapted, further than to say that
they are generally prairie lands,
and I am told that improved farms
in that vicinity are selling at from
SO to $25 per acre. One line of
railroad has been completed thru
the northern part Of the reserva-
ton and at least two other lines
will soon be constructed, one thru
the central and the other thru the
southern part.
Il cannot give any information
as to the annual fall Of rain and
snow in that. locality, or as to the
temperature or other climatic con-
ditions further than is contained
in the attached statement COM
piled by the United States wealth
er bureau from records made by it,
at its station nearest these lands.
About March /, 1910, I will fur.
nish to each person to whom q
date for making entry is assigned.
complete map showing the al
lotted lands, the school and re-
served lands, and the classification.
and appraised value Of each quar-
ter section subject to entry, but
until. that map has been compiled
no officially authentic map can be
obtained from me or any one else.
The Method Of Registering
for these Lands. All persona
qualified 70 make homestead entry
who desire IL acqnire title 70 any
pf these lands nlust SO 1Sin person,
20 Aberdeen Pierre; Lennon
LeBeau 81 obridge, South ua-1
kota. .orI Bisma alok North Dakots.
between October and )ctcberl'