Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1909-09-17
LAND OPENING
Some Information Regarding the
Cheyenne and Standing Rock
Reservations Which Will be
Opened in October.

Great preparations are being
made by both government officials
and those located at the various
registration points for the opening
of the Cheyenne and Standing
Rock reservations, and it is ex-
pected that the rush in October
will be something unprecedented.
As the public lands in the U. S.
become less as the years go by the
interest on the part of the people
becomes more and more intense,
and it is expected that fully 20O,-
900 people will be ready at the
opening. The News has received
so many inquiries about the mat
ter that we have been at some
pains to find out as much as posi-
BILE about If, the information con-
tanned in the following para
graphs being CLEANED from various
sources.
The country to be opened has
been held by the Sioux Indians as
their choice next to the Black Hills
country, which was their first
choice of location in the Dakota
territory, but out of which they
were forced by the gold discover
les. From that section they went
to the beautiful valleys of the
Cheyenne, Moreau, Grand and Can
non Ball rivers, where they have
been allowed to remain until the
closing in Of the white man has
demanded these lands. While the
older Indians let go with reluc-
lance the younger and more pro-
gressive ones are perfectly willing
that the surplus lands, after they
have taken their allotments, shall
be sold to the whites. The allot-
ments have all been taken and
while a portion Of the reservations
has been retained to please the
older Indians, it will be only
question of time when all will be
white mans country. The portions
they retain are along the Cheyenne
river, and in the northern part of
his stste and southern North Da-
kota, along the Missouri. The
portion of the reservation to he
opened comprises practically
2,000,0 900 acres after the Indian al
lotments have been taken, and will
make homes for over $4,000 white
families in the northwest.
While up to the present there
is but one railway in active
/ operation across any portion of
the tract-the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul running thru the north
ern end Of it--by the time the set
tiers get located they probably will
find plenty of rail facilities for
hauling their goods in and their
products out. The Chicago. Mil
waukee & St. Paul appears to be
4 making the greatest effort to cover
Z this section. Besides the line
they have in operation they have
surveys both along the southern
line Of the territory and another
thru the center Of it, reaching
out for the Thunder Butte coun-
try. On these lines grading is in
progress and work is being pushed
as fast as possible. The Chicago
4 Northwestern is reaching for the
same territory. with surveys from
Phillip and Belle Fourche, and
work is already under way for the
4 Belle Fourche extension, and by the
time settlers get located on thei,
lands that system will be getting
in their reach and be ready to hau
them The Minneapolis and st
y Louis, with its present termina
at LaBeau on the Missouri, ha.
its survey completed across thu
southern part Of the territory, com,
peting with the Milwaukee 70
the rich Fox Ridge country. Al
Of these lines will be ready i
handle land seekers carly mex
# year.
In topography the territory t
be opened which is approximate,
100 miles long in the two states
and forty miles wide, is bordere
on the south by the Cheyenn
river, and on the north BY til
Cannon Ball, and is divided int
I. three sections BY the Grand an
Moreau rivers. The southern sec
tion contains the noted Fox Ridg
country. which is heavy loan i
the east and changes to a sand
character further west. North {
this is the Moreau river, with il
deep valley we'll supplied wit
timber and q clear running stream
The valley is marrow and the bluff
are high and steep, it being neces
sary at places to 20 mi les to find