Rosebud Lottery
There are many newspaper articles and writings concerning the Rosebud Lottery. Below are just a few of the newspaper articles I found. I've probably posted too many, but I wanted to save a few of these for future reference.
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Below is transcribed from The InterOcean newspaper from Chicago, Illinios - May 8 1904.
You can see the actual newspaper clipping, 1 of 2 by clicking HERE, and 2 of 2 by clicking HERE.
"UNCLE SAM'S BIG LAND LOTTERY.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa, May 5 - Going at a great sacrifice, 2,600 fine farms; practically given away; land the finest in the Missouri valley; must be sold; worth from $25 to $75 per acre; all going at the uniform price of $4 per acre. Sale at the Chamberlain land office, on or about, July 1.
If the general land office had to advertise its business its next great bargain enterprise would be set forth in something like the foregoing words. And they would have the merit of being true. The Rosebud or Lower Brule reservation, in southern South Dakota, which has just been ordered opened by the act of Congress after a contest lasting for ten years, is probably the richest piece of public land that the government now controls. It is doubtful if any reservation ever thrown open by the government represented so high an actual average value for its lands, on the day of opening, as does this tract.
This little reservation - though it is half as big as some states in the Union - has lain fallow, as it were, because the white man could not break into it. White men living around its borders on every side have been able from the roofs of their immense red barns to look over into the promised land which they might not enter. And now they are to enter it and take possession - and 50,000 of them are standing in line for a heritage that can only accommodate 2,600.
On Bank of the Missouri.
The Rosebud reservation is about thirty miles long from north to south, and not quite so wide east to west. It lies on the west bank of the Missouri, in the southeast part of South Dakota, occupying almost all of Gregory county, one of the largest in the state. Some fine streams water i; the rainfall has averaged twenty-eight inches for twenty years; the soil is exactly like that which a few miles away in Northwest Iowa is worth $80 per acre, and the surface is perfect from the viewpoint of the prairie farmer. Along the small streams there is just enough fringe of timber to solve the fuel and fencing questions for new settlers. In short, it is as near perfect as a bit of new country well could be.
There is, indeed, a wide, even a painful discrepancy in estimates of the value of these acres. President Roosevelt objected to the bill first introduced to sell the lands to settlers at $3 per acre. He was sure they were worth more. The SOuth Dakota Congressional delegation brought to bear in rebuttal a wonderful array of evidence showing that the lands were poor and it was doubtful if they were worth $3; but as a mark of special favor to the President, especially as he announced he would veto the bill, they would make it $4 per acre.
They wanted the President to know however, that they were losing money on every acre at such a price, and wouldn't think of doing it if it wasn't that they rather liked him. So the President signed the bill, and the land will go at $4 an acre.
The real estate men and land "sharks" who are waiting to buy out the "commuters" interests, manifestly have plenty of money. They advertise that they will give $20 to $50 per acre for any of the lands when title can be passed. That will take fourteen months from the opening. The homesteader who draws a quarter section must pay $1 per acre cash; at the end of three years 75 cents more, and 75 cents more at the end of the fourth, fifth, and sixth years. That makes the $4. But if after fourteen months he wants to commute he can pay up all the deferred amounts and add $1.25 per acre to it, and take a patent for the lands; net cost $5.25 per acre.
Bonesteel the Capital
Bonestell is the capital of the Rosebud reserve. It was founded by the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad company for this express purpose. It had no other excuse for existence, and for nearly four years after it was started it didn't have this, for there were discouraging delays about opening the lands, and meantime the boomers at Bonesteel waited and starved and petitioned their delegation in Congress.
The railroad company extended its line to the edge of the reservation, expecting the lands were to be opened at once. But first the Indians were obdurate. They didn't see why the white men should be so anxious to pay more than their lands were worth, and steadfastly and repeatedly refused to sign the contracts for sale to the government. Then, when at last clever agents secured the aboriginal consent, the President stepped in. He used to own a Dakota ranch and flattered himself that he knew something about land values out there. He caused another long delay.
Bonesteel had nearly 5,000 people, three bank, brick blocks, big stores, two newspapers, and a guaranteed future before it was six months old. As its future receded Bonesteel shrank, till it got down to 700 inhabitants. That was its size when, a fortnight ago, the bill to open the reservation passed on terms that assured it would be signed. Then Bonesteel looked up again. The saloons reopened, the big frame shacks of hotels resumed business, stocks of goof that had been locked up were displayed again, the real estate agents got busy, the price of cocktails went back to a quarter, beer rose to 10 cents a drink, and final and unquestionable evidence of the return of prosperity, the poker ante was in a night boosted from apologetic penny of penury to the dignified dollar of affluence. Bonesteel was itself again!
Big Lottery
The opening is to be about July 1 - exact date yet to be announced by the powers of the general land office. There will be no "rush." It will be by lottery, which doesn't cost so many lives, but otherwise has just as many possibilities of disappointment and heartburnings. Fifty thousand people are expected to register for the drawing. They are coming from all over the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska - even from Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri, for there isn't a real estate speculator in the Middle West who doesn't know of the good thing awaiting the lucky ones in the Rosebud lottery.
The nearest land office now is at Chamberlain, but the general land commissioner, Mr. Richards, has practically promised to open a new one at Bonesteel to accommodate the rush. That will mean as high as 15,000 at a time, for weeks together, to be cared for in this prairie mushroom town of pine shacks and tents. But they will be cared for. Three years ago, when the first boom was its height, circus tents were erected for hotels, and hundreds slept in them. They will be raised again now.
It is said, although arrangements are not yet announced, that a variation will be adopted in the drawing methods, which will make them more satisfactory than in the earlier land lotteries."
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The Daily Herald - Chicago, Illinois, May 20 1904.
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Nearly 2,000,000 Acres to Be Made Available for Settlement.
Four of the greatest lotteries that the American people have ever participated in will be conducted this summer in the Western States. They will be conducted under the auspices of the United States government, and the seekers for prizes will be the people to take up homesteads in the Western States.
These lotteries will be memorable events and will eclipse the great lottery in Oklahoma, three years ago, when 13,000 quarter sections of land were dangled as a prize before ore than 300,000 anxious applicants.
During the last session of Congress bills were passed providing for the opening up to public settlement of four Indian reservations. One of these reservation is in Montana. One million one hundred thousand acres of land, rich within its boundaries, are to be thrown open to public settlement. The prize winners must pay the Federal government $1.25 per acre. In this reservation a homesteader many acquire 640 acres. The opening will take place in August.
The other tracts to be opened are the rosebud reservation in South Dakota, the Devil's Lake reservation in North Dakota, and the Red Lake reservation in Minnesota. These are attracting particular attention at this time. Only 104,416 acres of land in the Devil's Lake reservation in North Dakota are to be opened to settlement. This land is very rich and has for many years attracted the attention of western people who are anxious to acquire possession. The successful applicants must pay the government $4.50 per acre for the land if they settle upon it. If any of it remains untaken for a period of six months then the President may, in his discretion reduce the price to such a figure as will permit the sale of the entire tract. The opening of this reservation is set for July.
A little more than 416,000 acres of land in the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota will likewise be thrown open about the same time at $3 per acre. There will be a great rush when the time comes for opening the reservation. The successful contestants will be asked by the government to pay $4 per acre for each quarter section taken up.
The Red Lake reservation in Minnesota hold out to the public a little more than 400,000 acres of rich land.
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Fishing for husbands?
This article from the Belvidere Daily Republican - Belvidere, Illinois, from August 22, 1904.
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In the recent land lottery in which in which twenty-five hundred pieces of property in the Rosebud reservation were raffled off Nebraska had 24 per cent of the lucky ones, Iowa 22 and South Dakota 18. There were 106,000 registered applications. It was an odd feature of the affair that women were amazingly favored by fortune; school teachers, stenographers and other working girls were successful in a long list of instances. Now that they own farms the unmarried possessors of land can easily acquire husbands if, they care to resort to annexation of that kind."
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Below is transcribed from The Carroll Herald - August 10, 1904.
You can see the actual newspaper clipping, 1 of 3 by clicking HERE, 2 of 3 HERE, and 3 of 3 by clicking HERE.
"ROSEBUD THE LAST BIG LAND LOTTERY
Uncle Sam May Go Out of the Business After This Experience
COME ANY TIME; NO RUSH
Old Motto of the Land Boomers Has to Be Made Over to Fit the Conditions of the Present Day Openings.
F. A. Miller, in the Saturday Evening Post: When President Roosevelt signed the proclamation opening the Sioux Indian lands of the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota, he made possible the transfermation of 382,000 acres of wild and uncultivated land in one of the most productive and thickly populated sections of farm land in the United States. That this possibility is already realized and that all previous records for travel to a new "land of promise" will be broken by the Rosebud movement, in July of this year, is clearly apparent from the great number of inquiries received by the United States land office at Chamberlain, South Dakota and by the western railroads.
Probably never before in the history of the northwest has there been an equal interest in the opening to settlement of any other tract of government lands.
Uncle Sam, evidently imbued with the spirit of the times, has provided that the sale of these newest bargains shall be made upon the modern installment, or "easy-payment," plan. A dollar down and 75 cents a year on each acre for four years, in a general way covers the advertisement of this federal installment offering. No fee whatever is require to register for on of the quarter section land bargains; but those who are fortunate in the drawing and make "final entry," must pay the land office fees, amounting to $14 for 160 acres, in addition to the first payment of $1 an acre.
No Great Race
In the opening of the Rosebud reservation there will be no picturesque and chaotic race from the border line, with horses, bicycles and automobiles as pacemakers. Uncle Sam has tried this undignified and barbaric experiment in opening other reservations and has decided to submit the question of selection to chance rather than to speed and violence. To those who anticipate a mighty rush and a quick grab for the best lands he will say: "Back to the land office! There will be no race today!"
When the reader considers that the Rosebud lands are bounded on three sides by splendidly developed farm lands, with communities of well-to-do farmers owning substantial and permanent homes and farms valued at $15 to $30 an acre, he can best judge of the rich promise the immediate future holds in store for the settler on the Rosebud reservation lands.
Gently undulating prairie land forms about half of the tract to be opened: the other half is rough and broken. The bottom lands along the Missouri river and the lands near the numerous large creeks are narrow and the land is rough. Back from the river the uplands are 700 to 800 feet above the lever of the Missouri river, or almost 2,000 feet above seal level.
With the exception of about a dozen sandy sections, all of the 382,000 acres are well adapted to farming. Near the Missouri river the soil consists of a loose but rich black loam, free from sand or "grit" and underlaid by a loose yellow clay. The entire reservation is well watered from numerous creeks, rivers and many permanent springs. On the uplands an abundant supply of water is furnished from tubular wells, and flowing artesian wells have been sunk along the Missouri and Whetstone rivers. Along all the streams considerable timber is found. Rainfall is ample, and the climate is most delightful, being identical with that of the eastern parts of South Dakota and Nebraska and northwestern Iowa. As a rule, little snow falls before the holidays, and cattle and horses find green grass until December. The long Indian summer gives opportunity to care for all crops during pleasant weather. The heavy falls of snow during midwinter are followed by sunshine. No greater tribute could be paid South Dakota climate than to state that thousands of cattle subsist through the entire winter without shelter of without food other than the grass of the prairies.
South Dakota's Wealth
It is natural for the prospective settler to indulge in the fancy of drawing first choice in Uncle Sam's last big lottery and prospectively to build not merely a castle but an entire city. And yet there are populous towns and cities already built on the land recently opened to settlement in the territory of Oklahoma. Those who are fortunate enough to secure at an initial cost of $1 an acre the sites on which the towns of Rosebud tract will be founded undoubtedly will win a rich prize.
South Dakota is long on wealth, short on people. For the sixth consecutive year South Dakota in 1903 led all other states in the union in production of per capita wealth. This is a good sign for the prospective settler, who naturally prefers to avoid communities that are crowded and lands that do not yield rich and profitable returns.
South Dakota is larger by one-fourth than the area of all New England states, but its population is only about 500,000 people, or approximately six to the square mile.
In studying the 1903 crop report of South Dakota one is impressed with these returns of new wealth produced: Live stock, $35,950,164; wheat, $29,422,900; corn, $15,819, 200; hay and fodder, $13,840,000; minerals, stone and cement, $10,000,000. The fact that the 1903 table of products amounts to $14,939,264 more than the 1902 total shows by what bounds the Sunshine state has been leaping forward. With the development of lands now held by the Indians, and with the anticipated increase in population this year, the production of new wealth during the next five years will undoubtedly make even the rapid progress of the last few years appear slow by comparison.
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The Rosebud Lottery was serious business. Here's a clipping from the Dixon Evening Telegraph - Dixon, Illinois, from October 24, 1904.
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Rock Island, Ill., Oct. 24. - Clark J. Darin, aged 45, a former resident of Henry county, Illinois, is dead at the Watertown insane hospital, where he was sent two weeks ago. His mental condition was attributed to disappointment through being unluck at the Rosebud land lottery. Starvation, the result of a paralytic jaw, caused his death."
