The Beatrice Daily Express

Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota Thrown Open to Settlement.

Thief River Falls, Minn., Nov. 10.-

At 9 o'clock this morning the land in the old Red Lake reservation was thrown open for settlement. At that hour there was the novelty and excitement of two rushes in opposite directions-one from Thief River Falls to the land and one from the land to the office of the United States commissioner in this city. That confusion will undoubtedly result developed when it was learned that there is considerable misunderstanding among the homeseekers as to the requirements of the law. A large number are from southern Minnesota, Iowa and points in North and South Dakota, and a big percentage are Scandinavians.

Although every means possible has been taken to inform the public that the free lands are to a large extent "swamp" and almost worthless, the average seeker for land will not take the government's statement as being absolutely truthful, and, imbued with the "get land" craze, is doing all in his power to get a filing.

There will be a fierce struggle over the right to file on lands along the Rainy river, and a dozen men are doing some tall fighting to secure filings on each townsite.