The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-02-24
on for Texas.

In my last letter 1 said that in my
next would write about Oklahoma.
Up to this writing have only 'stood
where Moses stood, and viewed the
landscape DER" When we went into
camp on the south side of North Fork
Canadian we then concluded to keep
on south and cross the South Cana
dian. Our road lay over the red sand
hills that make the divide and also
makes very bad roads. In the 80 miles
there are about ten miles of prairie of
fair fertility. The land in this country
that is covered with timber is thin
land and the timber is the only valu-
able thing there is about it except the
thin coat of grass which makes nutri-
tious feed. In this region the valleys
are very wide and the soil of a deep
red; some of it good and some of no
account. In crossing the Salt Fork
we saw couple of nation boys that
had lain down side by side to sleep;
but, from hunger or cold, it was to
them the sleep of death. The hogs
dying off very rapidly on account of
water. After crossing the South Ca
madam we camped and again turned to
the west, and our course lay some
times on the hills aud sometimes in
the valleys of the Canadian. We
went into camp on small stream and
had to "skirmish" for water. found
it at house about a mile distant. In
passing a colored mans house his dogs
came out as if they would tear us
limb from limb, but young Noble
looked so much like a colOred man
that they followed us off and nothing
will induce them to leave us. Noble
says I am the man, as the dogs can
not see any kink in his hair. All
night long fell "the beautiful snow ;"
very silently, but in the morning
about four inches lay on the ground.
We drove to our neighbor, William
Ellison, where we got the water, and
he kindly took us in, gave us hay for
our mules and gave us place by his
fireside and at his table. We took
the dogs and went out rabbit hunting
and brought in thirteen, and in the
afternoon We went out to get wild
cat. Our dogs run one to tree and
the second shot from my revolver and
his hide was mine and I shall keep it
as trophy.
This morning, the last day of JAN
uary, the sun rises without cloud.
But the air is cold and the snow still
covers hill, vale and forest. We are
now in the country of the Chickasaws.
We find great many colored people.
and Sunday attended sqpday-school
which consisted solely of colored chill
dren. The teacher was a white man
whose head was frosted by time. I
guessed that he was missionary; he
seemed to be labOring with zeal and
earnestness for his charge. No white
men are allowed here unless
they are tillers of the soil, and man
who wants to rent land can do very
we'll:
The Chickasaws only number about
1000 and they have very large coun-
try. We say great many cattle in
our last two days travel. To-day,
Sunday, we are in camp in Oklahoma
and intend to stay in camp for some
time. Capt. Payne and his colony is
myth, but the U. S. and her soldiers
are an established fact. A person can |
pass through Oklahoma without be-
ing molested but he must do like he |
does OH the quicksands Gifts rivers, he
must keep moving. fwish to say that |
Capt. Payne is doing great harm to
many citizens by leading them to be- |
lieve that Oklahoma will soon be set
tied. They give two dollars to become
members of his colony. And then |
many of them move into the Territory |
only to be be removed by the soldiers.
I had an interview with Capt. Ran
dals, commander of Fort Reno, aud he !
informed me that he had taken men
out of there who said that they ex-
pected to hnd town, saw mills, ETC., !
when they got there. There are no
white men settling in Oklahoma.
This I know from personal observa-
ton and reliable information. And 1
would like to say further that while
there are good lands in Oklahoma tn,
poor land greatly predominates and if
the country is opened for settlement
there are men enough in the Indian
Territory who are acquainted with the
lands to enter every desirable tract.
Those who stand tip-tOeing it to look
over into Oklahoma will not find it a
land to be much desired after they get
possession. High, dry, sandy plains
more sandy bottoms. stirred by the
high winds will give them visions of
the Great Sahara. I can now under
stand why the Cheyennes left for their
old homes and died with their faces
to the mountains. The timbers in the
eastern part lend beauty and charm
but in the west only the naked plains
meet the eye.
At Fort Reno I found two Allen
county boys, Charles Wareman and
Frank Smith, who are i'm the army.
They are patiently waiting for their
time to expire SO they can again get
back to Kansas; and they think if
L l.