The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-07-20
RESERVATION LANDS
IN MELLETTE COUNTY
RANK WITH THE BEST
The Rosebud Country Opening
to Settlement Affords
Rare Opportunity.

|
that the local sentiment is correct
| measure of the Importance of any event
| the registration for lands in Mellette
and Bennett counties. South Dakota, is
| the greatest scheduled event on the
| public calendar for this fall. Regard
| less of opinions that may be held in
| other quarters the residents or Greg
DRY and Trip counties. where land is
selling at $50 to $50 an acre, realize that
| 1t Is something of situation to be able
10 acquire contiguous lands. or the
same general character, at rs cents to
Sc an acre.
A Rec,rd Breaker Promised.
In view of the emphatic manner in
which Gregory and Trip counties have
made good on the agricultural question,
the opinion is general in this section
that the big opening this fall Will be
a record breaker IN point OF reglstra-
ton. Dallas had the distinction Of be-
inE the principal registration point for
the Trip county opening in 1908, which
drew out 10000 applicants for home-
stead lands. Dallas is again the regis
tratiop point nearest to the lands to
be opened and preparations are In pro-
gress for the rush expected during the
registration dates, October to Il, in
elusive 1t is predicted that the total
registration for this opening will reach
governments land lotteries.
New System OF Drawing,
Those who are fortunate In the land
drawing this fall. to take place few
days after the close OF the registration,
will find much more equitable system
of land selection in force than prevailed
in the previous openings. Many hard
ships have been caused. in the past,
through mistakes OF locaters, but the
a rrnt Cat ony,t otN LOFT
lection to the entrynlan. All of the
lands to be opened have been carefully
classified and appraised by a competent
crew and each person. at the time of
filing, may select any class of land de-
sired and pay only the appraised price
on that classification. AS further
protection, the entryman is allowed Is
days after reserving the tract before
making his payment. which in each
class amounts to one-lifth Of the ap-
praised value Of the land. The re-
naming fouc-fifths is made in five
equal annusl installments.
According TO the official schedule,
there are exactly 466,562.59 acres sub
sect to homestead entry in Mellette and
Bennett cornties. or this amount APP
proximately 10000 acres are classed as
very choice agricultural lands and will
be subject to entry at $3.50 SO an
acre. about 100000 acres are designated
as second grade (good) agricultural
lands and will be subject to entry at
81 to 81 an acre. The balance is classed
as grazing land and is priced at rs
cents to 81 an acre. All tracts must be
selected substantially in accordance
with the appraised and classified out
lines.
Rules of the Game.
In the rules formulated for the COM
ing opening, comparatively few changes
have been made from those that gov
erned similar events of the past. Each
registration applicant will subscribe to
q slip giving his name. age, weight and
general description. These slips Will be
enclosed In envelopes and deposited in
large steel tanks. and held until the
day OF the drawing. On the eventful
day--set for October 24-all of the en-
velopes will be dumped on huge plat
form and the drawing will begin, the
first 100 envelopes to be selected by lit
tie girls. The order in which the en-
velopes are drawn establishes the mum.
bers. or filing rights of the applicants,
and the lucky one will be notified of
the day. hour and place on which this
right must be exercised. The number,
In itself. gives no negotiable right, and
cannot be transferred. A number hold
select any land then open, to the eX-
tent OF not more than $50 acres. pro-
Vided he has valid homestead right
A Civilized Younsster.
The young city Of Dallas is one of the
incidents OF the opening to settlement
of western Gregory county. The town
was established four years ago and now
Is thriving, sedate country village of
l,500 people, with gambling and other
border features thoroughly eliminated.
You should see Dallas" is the slogan
that has been adopted and the inten-
ton Is to emphasize the statement SO
thoroughly that any pilgrim will hest
tate to come up in this section and go
back with the admission that he did
not see it.
Railroad Facilities.
The Northwestern people are improv-
Ing their terminal facilities at Dallas,
with view of being in readiness for
the rush. When the opening came on
three years ago the road has been built
In here but a few months, and the
situation was a difficult one to handle.
At that time the Northwestern ran as
high as 10 special passenger trains in
to Dallas in single day.