The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-11-10
THE INDIAN TERRITORY.

The Indian Territory liessQpth of Kan
sas, west of Arkansas, and north OF Texas.
It Is 382 miles long. and 208 miles wide.
tr contains 7O,456 square miles, and has
about 1000. 600 acres of land. 1t would
make seventy States of,the size of Rhode
Island. ten States of the size sofrMassa-
chusetts. seven States Of the size of Yer
mont. and is about twice the size of New
York. There is scarcely quarter section
Of this magnificent domain that is not
susceptible of cultivation. 1t is far supe-
rior to Kansas, Nebraska, or Missouri, az
a stock and fruit-growing and grain-pro'
duclng country. The Indians have made
good progress in agriculture, and having
the good sense>to keep down the great
annual prairie fires, more timber Is found
in the Indian Territory than in the other
Western States and Territories The
prairies are usually small, the streams
frequent and belted with timber Coal
has been discovered in various parts OF
the Territory. The Cherokee vein crops
out in the sounhern part Of Kansas ~
vein about two feet it thickness, and IN
creases in depth as it proceeds south into
Indian Territory, where It reaches a
thickness of from four to six feet. Mines
have been opened on the Verdigris and
A kansas rivers, which show inexhausti-
bic coal deposits of superior quality.
Salt springs are innumerable, having
great volume and strength of brine. The
Indians have for years., with their rude
methods of manufacture, supplied the
surrounding tribes and the people OF
Western Arkansas and Northern Texas.
Tee rebel armies were in large parts sup.
piled with salt from the springs on the
Illinois, Grand and Canadian rivers. In
the extreme western part of Territory
the great salt Is scraped up by the
bushel and wagon load
The climate of the Indian Territory 10
delightful. There is but little weather
that could be called wintry. The grass
remains green all winter on the bottoms,
and by Che first of March planting CON-
mences In February the small garden
seeds such as onions, radlshes, lettuce,
ETC., are put into the ground. The SOL is
well adapted to corn, wheat, oats, cotton,
and tobacco AS a fruit country the In
dians have as fine peach-olchards as are
seen anywhere, and the flavor and quail
ity OF their apples are unequaled Pears,
plums, and cherries bear profusely.
Wild grapes grow abundantly, and In
size and quality are nearly equal to cul-
tivated varieties. The flowers are beau
tiful beyond description; the pralrles are
one vast conservatory blooming with
every variety Ct wild flowers - - ~
Lands in the Indian Territory are held
in common. Settlements are not allowed
ono nF
Children inherit, In one sense, the estate
Of the parents-that is they are allowed TO
remain upon the lands settled upon and
improved by the parent; but all lands
are owned by the tribe or nation at large.
Seyeralty in real estate is not acknowl
edged. the settler can not acquire a
vested title to his lands,sand no white
settler or other than member Of the tribe
are allowed permanent occupancy in the
country The several tribes are very
cautious in granting rights OF citizen
ship" or membe rship of the tribe. This
is done-and it is rarely done-by acts of
Legislative council. Citizenship is also
acquired by marrying a member of the
tribe. The tribes have Il legislative
council, governor or principal Chief a.
written or printed constitution and laws
similar to those of the States, schools and
seminaries Of learning, and larger
church membership IN proportion to pop
ulation than any OF the Western States
The Cherokees are now conducting q
very creditable and good sized weekly
newspaper, published at Talequah. the
capital of the Cherokee nation; it is
printed partly in the English language
and partly III Cherokee. They have
courts and civil officers of the law, SINH
lar to those in the States Peace, quiet,
and good order, the observance Of Law
and safety to person, and protection in
the rights of property are guaranteed and
secured. Life and property are as safe
in the Indian Territory as anywhere in
the United States Western N0nthtq for
November
NJ,