Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-03
A sAGEBRUSH LOTTERY.

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The opening to settlement under
the homestead laws Of 1,345,000 acres
Of land in the Fort Peck Indian reser-
walton. the lottery drawings for which
are now about to begin, will undoubt-
edly attract a multitude OF land seek
ers. Their number Will naturally be
swelled by the fact that this is the
last extensive tract Of public land that
can be so offered.
1t Is difficult TO say just what the
opportunities are for the average man
looking for a farm home. considered
from a purely practical standpoint.
and from the fact that at lest three
years residence will be required and
from IS to 81 per acre must be paid In
instaliments or otherwise. The tract 10
situated in northeastern montana
along and north of the Missouri river.
and SO is distinctly far west OF the
region Of abundant rainfall. The land
is said to produce wheat, oats and the
other small grains of fine quality In
great abundance In seasons when rain
does not fail. 1t is not corn country
except for fodder purposes.
But the question of strict business
prudence will not count for much.
There viii be great rush for chance
at this land Just because 1t Is land
There is no reason to expect that the
scenes at the drawings from the Fort
Peck wheel of fortune will be diner
rent from preceding ones, or that the
experience. of those who, getting the
Winning numbers, go upon the land as
homesteaders will be different from
those who have in like manner
heretofore gone out far beyond the
region of good rains. They will Ger
tainly not find life there bed OF
roses. There will be hardships, fall
ures and in many cases. 1t is to De
feared suffering. And many VINO go
thru with it to title and unencumoeFeo
ownership will find that upon the
whole they have paid a pretty stin
price.
Tho contiitivTis are materially dlI-
ferent from those encountered py
westward moving settlement across
the well watered country from the
Alleghenies down the Ohio valley ana
over the Mississippi and Missouri
rivers to the 3sth meridian. Farm
ing is. Of course, the main busl-
ness of pioneers. From stage to stage
in this journey no great chanee o'
farming methods had to be made.
Those who now go out from rainy
country far into the subhuInid region
have much 10 forget ana much 10
learn. AS population in the latter in
creases and local markets grow, ana
as uses and methods proper to the
land are learned. there will doubtless
ms thriving agriculture there. But,
all this takes time. involves costly ex-
perimentation and must be ground out
no which GYtna9
slowly. That is what the average man
~ small means or who has no home
of his own here is up against when ne
GOES ou, there TO sagebrush quarter
section to establish a home and I'VE
for at least three years and pay out
rho government price. The least that
prudence dictates to such a man IS 10
look carefully before he leaps
Pioneering in the good rainy coun-
try was hard enough, goodness knows,
3, we may believe what the old settlers
tell US Opportunity for farm homes
under the like conditions are gone.
and gone forever. But opportunity
for farm homes right here in the wen
wa.ered west is not gone Dy any
means notwithstanding the advance
IN farm prices. There is still mucn
fairly good land that is not much I'm
n-oyed or that has been poorly
farmed. which can be got hold OF al
reasonable prices. Many who actual
IL went thru the experience OF pioneers
believe that ownership OF such lano
can be actually acquired today Win
less effort and hardship than were re,
ou,red when the government onereu
the best of the land as an unquai'ieu
eift. II may, at least. be questloheu
whether the same effort. money si,'
and wit required to obtain inoepeno,
ence out on a sagebrush homestead
win not win as much back nere-a'o