The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-11-20
INDIANS MAKE
Big Land SALE
ROSEBUD RESERVATION SIOUX
SELL TRACTS TO AMOUNT
OVER MILLION DOLLARS.

Gregory, Nov. 20.--The Rosebud
Sioux Indians of South Dakota have
just sold $1.08O,0O0 worth of their
reservation to individual white peo-
pie. 1t was the largest sale of In
dian lands the United States govern
ment ever held and in the three days
OF the sale more than 10000 acres
of the reservation passed into the
possession of the white people. The
lands are located in Todd, Mellette,
Trip, Lyman and Gregory counties.
and constituted that portion of the
reservation which is not needed for
the use of the Sioux themselves.
The $1,O0O,000 will be used by the
government for the benefit of the
tribe.
This portion of the country was
once alluded to as ''the great Ameri-
can desert" One-half section of the
'resert," near the town of Colome.
sold last week for $4,000.
Defenders of Poor Lo" used to
write and talk about how the Rose
bur Sioux had been placed on reser-
walton where the land was so poor
they could even raise fuss. They
used to say that twenty acres of the
land was required for single steer
to Craze upon. They used to say the
Indians could not possibly produce
enough on their land to feed them
selves. And last week the entire 4O.-
600 acres brought an average price Of
$25 per acre. -.
The state of South Dakota tried to
purchase 10000 acres of the land for
the purpose of presenting it to SOL
diers from South Dakota where were
in the big war. But the price was
too high and the state could not af-
ford to buy.
Mr.. Her-Horse-Sick sold his 100
acres for an even $1,000, and let it
50 on long time payments, at that.
But Mr.. -Badman was paid
$4,000 for his farm of the same
size.
Red-White-Row-Tacks Him had
800 acres, the appraised value of
which was $2,115; but he was actual
ly paid twice as much for his farm as
the government appraised it. Hurri-
cane-Chasing-in-the-Timber received
$4,000 for his quarter section.
Look-at-Her had 339 acres, ap-
praised at $500, while old Every
where's farm of 800 acres was worth
$500. Girl-who is a man, not a
female-was paid $4,4O0 for his
farm.
Smoking-Woman, another man,
had 160 acres that was appraised by
the government as being worth only
$500, but the actual selling price was
nearly three times that amount.
Annie White Hat. who never wore
hat in her life. probably was paid
$4,000 for her property of 160 acres.
Observation-Disclosures sold out
for $40 an acre, but Follows-the-
Woman was paid $4,000 for 100
acres.
= The list of property sold contains
some OF the proudest names in the
Sioux nation. Regardless of the
smiles which come to the face of the
white man when he sees these names,
each means something in the life Of
the Indian. The red man didn't in
herit his name from his father. He
got it for himself. Sometimes the
name was given the baby as the re-
suit of the first object to see the eye
of the medicine man after the advent
OF the pappoose. Later in life an
other name was given, denoting a
very important event in the bearer of
the name.
Maggie-Points-at-Him was the own
er of one of the Todd county farms
that was appraised at $1,000.
LlOyd-Seach-the-Enemy and Mary
Louise Kills-the-Enem were another
couple of neighbors whose properties
were sold.