The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-08-31
An Error Corrected-lhe Pan handle
Lost Land.

To the Editor of the, HERALD:
In Tuesdays issue, in an explanation OF
The existence of strip of land between the
Panhandle of Texas and Kansas, which is in
cluded in no state or territory, you fall into
a radical error in supposing it TO refer to
Greer county, Texas. Greer county, while
on some maps shown to be part of the
leased Indian territory on the east, (embrac-
ing Fort Sill and sundry. reservations
whereon the wild tribes are located) ia as
truly part Of Texas as treaty language,
with maps attached, can establish tac,-a
boundary established by the United States
and Spain in 1919 and ratified by Mexico in
1881.
But this strip of public land stands on an
entirely different basis, Just as any other un.
organized territory of the United States
would stand, nnd as all the lands now in
Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, etc, stood be-
fore their erection toto territorial existences.
Tho explanation of this singular fact, or
rather congressional oversight, may be intor-
estiDg.
In the first place the northern boundary
of the Indian territory from the west line OF
Missouri was fixed on latitude 81, running
|
tude on the east limo Of Texas. SO it stood,
when, under the compromise of 1900, Texes
gave up the Arkansas river, (Irom longitude
100 west) ss her boundary and agreed to fix
IL on latitude $3.50 from the Tooth to the
l03d degree of longitude, distance Of lsO
miles, now the north boundary of our Pal
bsndle. So far all. is plain. The trouble
arose later.
When Kansas uas created territory 10
1854, its northern boundary WAS fixed, from
Missouri west, on north lnc of the In-
dian territory, being latitude. 81 Now, \
on reaching the northwest corser OF the ln'
dian territory, on longitude 100, the lini
had run south half drgrce or thirty mileC
to the northeast corner of the Texas Pan.
handle and then west 1870 miles to the 1880
degreesof longitude. This strip OF land
would have formed q part OF Kansas, bu
congressional ewes were otherwise occupied
The pslpable.. fact was overlooked and
territory 30 miles wide and $50 miles long
embracing 6,400 squaIe miles, with w
North fork of the Canadian river trsyerslDf
it from west TO east, was LETT out IN the colo
as a monument of legislative carelessness sno
so allowed to remain until now when lis vaiu'
8 as pastoral land has been brought TO view
doubtless by their jealousy of green eye
selishness on the part OF the "outs" toward
, the "ins," or fqusiters on the peoples lane
with their yssi herds, becoming cattle king
without owning in their own right graz
i enough for a tenth rate prairie dog village
Bnt as there are 3,456,000 acres involved !
now seem, the government is aboul.hsvins
!, sectonized.
s Some colored men it is saiC
desire its erection into territor,
for the colonization of such Of their race 9
:. may desire 10 migrate. IL now has one o
. moro railway connections. The Atchisor
u Topeka & Santa Fo road passes through
part of 1t, and the road from ST. Louis vii
cut it from east to west, or nearly so. Henc
, Il is evident the government must soon fur
nish 1t some sort of government.
n HB