Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-26
MILLION ACRES FOR FARMS
Grand Rush is Expected for Cheyenne
and Standing Rock Lands.
OPENING TO BE IN OcTOBEH
Railroads Busy Extending Lines Into
the Territory, 60 he Ready
for settlers when They
Come.

Tor Settlers when They
Come.
PIERRE, s. D., Aug. s5.-(special)-A
half dozen Dakota towns will see the next
grand rush for registration for a chance at
a drawing on the next indian reservation
to be opened to settlement. Five Of these
will be In South Dakota and one In North
Dakota, the list having been selected for
registration points being Pierre, on the
Northwestern road; lie Beau. on the MIN
~neapolis & st. Louis. and Aberdeen, Mo-
bridge and Lennon on the Milwaukee.
Bismarck, on the Northern Pacific, is the
only North Dakota point which will be
able to secure any Of the favors OF registra-
ton. Aberdeen gets by far the best Of
the situation, as the drawings for prefer
ence right Of filing will be at that city,
which will hold a crowd longer after the
registration is completed. The registration
dates will be from october 4 to %, in which
time anyone who desires can register at
any Of the points named above, and with
his registration win go his name and post
office address, and on the 18th Of October
the drawing will at Aberdeen,
and the holders of the numbers up to the
full number Of claims on the reservation
will be notified Of the number drawn and
the date when they shall appear to make
filing. While most Of the land lies within
the present boundaries of the Pierre land
district, a strong effort is being made to
secure a new district covering the terri
tory before the filing begins.
II the number Of registrations for reser-
vations which have been opened in the last
few years are to be taken as a criterion
for the rush for Cheyenne River and Stand
ing Rock lands, the number will be close
to 2OO,000 before the registrations are closed.
The heaviest registrations will be at Abb
erdeen, Pierre and lie Beau, as these will
be the first towns to be reached by the
eastern traveller on one Of the three roads
on which registration places have been To-
Gated. Lennon will probably catch most
from the west, with Mobridge taking what
overflows past Aberdeen and Lennon.
FavOrite Lands of Indians.
The country to be opened has been held
onto by the Sioux Indians as their choice
next to the Black Hills country. which
was their first choice OF location in the
Dakota country, but out of which they
were forced by the gold discoveries. From
that section they went to the valleys of
the Cheyenne, Moreau Grand and Cannon
Ball rivers, where they have been allowed
to remain until the closing in Of the white
man has demanded these lands. While the
older ndian let go with reluctance, the
younger and more progressive ones are per-
feotly willing that the surplus lands, after
they have taken their allotments, shall be
sold to the whites. The have.
all been taken and, while a portion of the
reservations have been retained to please
the older Indians. 1t Will be only a question
OF time when all will be white man coun-
try. The portions they retain are along
the Cheyenne river and in the northern
part OF this state and southern North Ds-
kota, along the Missouri. The portion Of
the reservation to be opened comprises
practically 2,0OO, 900 acres after the Indian
allotments have been taken, and will make
homes for over 1900 white families in the
new northwest.
While up to the present time there Is but
one railway in active operation across any
portion of the tract-the Milwaukee, run
ming through the northern end Of it,-by the
time the settlers get located they will find
plenty Of rail facilities for handling their
goods In and their products out. The Chi
cago, Milwaukee & st. Paul appears to be
| UlAhlIlk liz RItAlGbl SAAOAN9 " i've lAC
section. Besides the line they have in
operation they have surveys both along
the southern line Of the territory and an
other through the center of 1t, reaching out
for the Thunder Butte country. On these
lines grading is in progress and work be-
ing pushed as fast as possible. The North
western is reaching for the same territory
with surveys out from Philip and Belle
Fourche and work is already under way
on the Belle Fourche extension, and by
the time settlers get located on their lands
that system will be getting in their reach
and be ready to haul them. The Mime
apolis & st. Louis, with its present terminal
at LIE Beau, on the Missouri, has its sur
vey practically completed across the south
ern part of the territory, competing with
the Milwaukee for the rich Fox Ridge
country. All Of these lines will be ready
to handle land seekers early next year.
Character of Land.
In topography, the territory to be opened
which is approximately 100 miles long In
the two states. and forty miles wide, is
bordered on the south by the Cheyenne
river and on the north by the Cannonball,
and is divided into three sections by the
Grand and Moreau rivers. The southern
section contains the noted Fox Ridge"
country, which is a heavy loan In the
east, and changes to a sandy character
further west. North of this is the Moreau
river with it's deep valley well supplied
with timber, and a clear running stream
The valley is, narrow and the bluffs are
high and steep. Il being necessary at places
to 20 miles to find a practical roadway
down into the valley. North of the horeau
is a broad plateau. which grows the native
wheat grass" which Of itself Is almost
euuai to oats for feed, and I'm It's growth
shows what can be done with the land
when II is cultivated to grain. North OF
this pleateau is the broad and beautifui
valley OF the Grand river, with It's gently
undulating hills far back from the river
on either side. and a somewhat sandy SOIL
all along the valley. North Of the Grand
Is another plateau between that and the
Cannonban. which is equal In fertility TO
the noted Morton county lands In North
Dakota, which has in the past few years
been converted into thousands Of homes
for settlers.
The territory to be opened covers IN south
Dakota portions OF the counties OF Arm
strong, sehnasee, Dewey and Corson and
in North Dakota the county OF Morton
In this state the only organized county II
Irorgop which lies along the nOrthern