206 



THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



GOVERNMENT HOMESTEADS AND HOW TO 

 SECURE THEM. 



Millions of Acres of Good Farming Land Open for Home- 

 stead Entry. 



CHARLES S. YOUNG. 



, If I were a young man or woman looking for a 

 good start on the highway to independence today, I 

 would investigate the opportunities in the Dakotas, Mon- 

 tana, Idaho and Washington. There are four separate 

 propositions that are well worth the careful study of 

 those who would separate themselves from their land- 

 lords and from those who own land of such high value 

 that a reasonable return is almost impossible. The 

 propositions I would suggest are as follows : 



1. Government homesteads in South Dakota and 



perous growth. Less than six months ago the sites of 

 these towns were open prairies. A man who bought 

 some town lots at Bowman last October for $250 each 

 has just sold them for $500 each. Since then the new 

 line has pushed steadily westward and the following 

 towns will be opened during the ;nonth of May: Reed- 

 er, N. D., May 14; Ismay, Mont., May 15; Haynes, N. 

 D., May 21; and Scranton, N. D., May 22. 



The opinion prevails to a certain extent that the 

 homestead law has ceased to operate because so little 

 agricultural land is now owned by the Government. 

 This opinion is erroneous. There yet remain millions 

 of acres of good farming land open for homestead entry, 

 but until recently this land was useless for farming, 

 owing to its great distance from a railroad. So far as 

 certain portions of western Dakota and Eastern Mon- 

 tana are concerned, this condition has changed. The 

 Pacific Coast extension of the Chicago, Milwaukee & 

 St. Paul Railway opens to settlement thousands of acres 



Farm Scene in Hettinger County, N. D., on Line of Pacific Extension of C-, M. & St. P. Ry. 



Montana and the early opening to settlement of four 

 Indian reservations, Standing Rock in South Dakota, 

 Mathead in Montana, Rosebud in South Dakota, Coeur 

 d'Alene in Idaho. 



2. The purchase of low-priced farm land in these 

 States, just made -accessible to the great central markets 

 by the construction of the Pacific Coast extension of 

 the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. 



3. An investment in the fruit lands of the State 

 of Washington, where fifty thousand acres of irrigated 

 and sub-irrigated land is being made tributary to the 

 new transcontinental line, and 80,000 acres more ad- 

 jacent are capable of irrigation. 



4. For the workingman, for the merchant, for the 

 professional man, for the investor, there are excellent 

 opportunities in the new towns that will be opened this 

 year and next along the new Transcontinental Railway. 

 At Lemmon, Hettinger and Bowman, N. D., there are 

 over 500 people each today and everything shows a pros- 



of the best farmnig lands. When patented this land is 

 worth from $10 to $18 per acre, and will constantly in- 

 crease in value. 



HOMESTEAD LANDS IN SOUTH DAKOTA. 



In Butte County, South Dakota, south of the towns 

 of Lemmon, Hettinger and Bowman, are thousands of 

 acres awaiting the enterprising homesteader. The 

 country is rapidly being settled by a good class of farm- 

 ers. The soil is a chocolate-colored loam of great fer- 

 tility, with a clay sub-soil. The rainfall is sufficient to 

 raise crops, and the drinking water is good. 



CLIMATE AND CROPS. 



The climate is most healthful, and settlers suffer- 

 ing from any nose, throat or lung trouble are invari- 

 ably benefited. Although corn is raised, this section is 

 primarily a small-grain country. Spring wheat, oats, 

 barley and speltz are raised to perfection. The grain 



