The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-30
Facts About the Fort Berthold
Land Opening to Be Held Soon

washburn. N. D., June 2s.-The
choice land to be thrown open to set
Element at the Berthold opening will
attract many homeseekers. even
though the number Of claims to be
taken UP is not great.
With the coal land reserved, as
present federal laws provide, the num-
Der Of quarters to go to lucky ones
will be 200. But in the event that
present measures before congress are
acted upon favorably there will be
more than $50 claims to be given out.
There are 100000 acres in the Bert
hold reservation. or this area at
least 10000 is coal-bearing lands and
come under the present government
provisions regulating coal land.
The reservation is located on the
north side of the Missouri river in Nc
Lean and Mountrail counties, and
for the most part In the former. The
registration points designated, be-
sides Bismarck. are Minot, Plaza and
Ryder.
Those who care to go to the expense
of seeing the land before registering
WA1 AAAuOuRAGQ1y 81 W ANyAG "a Gtc@L6
to register, but as there is really
little to be gained by seeing the land
before one knows the result OF his ven-
ture in drawing. the majority of those
who register will choose the Bismarck
agency Of the government.
The Missouri river flows along the
south side of the reservation, but
most of the river land has already
been selected by the Indians as their
allotments, so the bottom land to be
drawn will be scarce.
There is only one stream flowing
through the land and that is Shell
creek. which touches the reservation
for only a short distance.
The Berthold reservation is the home
of the Mandan, eros ventre and Ari-
karee Indians, there being LOO of the
aborigines on the tract.
There is no timber on that part OF
the reservation to be thrown open for
settlement, the Indians having taken
up all of that land.
Eighty per cent of the area to be
opened Is good farming land. The
other 20 per cent is fit for grazing
purposes only.
The drawing will be conducted
along the same lines as that of the
Standing Rock reservation. August IA
is the date set by the department of
the interior.
The government has headed of the
promoters In the townsite business.
Uncle Sam has already decided upon
the locations Of six towns and their
location has not yet been given out
but nobody with a ground floor propo-
sition is going to get on the scene
with his Autographs q moment soon
ar than our above referred to uncle
intends that he shall.
OF course, in the years to come there |
are boundIess opportunities for the
man with the blue prints of towns
and railroads, but ii will be at least |
fourteen months after the opening be- |
fore he can get action on them.
Clear title to the land must be had /
before any paper towns can be laid |
1ut, and doubtless by that time the
settlers will have made their own se- /
ections and decisions regarding their
future cities, without having consulted /
my promoters.
The earliest title that can be se- /
sured comes through the communication
system OF proving up TO do this the
settler must live fourteen months on
he land and then pay $1.25 per acre
IA addition to the appraised value
Il the land. and the regular fling I
ees. The land is appraised at values /
angling from $3.50 to $3.50 per acre.
rhere are three grades or land In the i
reservation and tho appraisements are
made accordingly
The 500 line has already opened
lew town between Plaza and Ryder
i a point on the edge Of the reserva-
ion. This town is to be called Ma I,
soti. Undoubtedly It VIII become q
own OF importance, at least during
be enforced fourteen months residence