Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-03-30

3.
UNION AGnNey,
NusKoeEE, / T., March, |, '83
sir-Referring to cattle letter
dated January 6. 1888, l have the
honor to report that / have visited
the lands known As Cherokee land
west of 96, and End there large
number Of cattle, estimated At
about SOC, 900, ranging on the Strip
About 100000 are there by and
with the consent Of the 6herokees,
and on which there was paid = |
grazing tax to the Cherokee au-
thorities Of about s4l 900 during
the year. About 100, 600 cattle on
these lands belong to citizens of
Kansas who turn them loose on
these lands and pay no tax.
After careful investigation I
have to answer the questions sub
lnitted in the above official letter
as follows:
No. !. How much fencing has
been done? Answer: $50 miles.
I'd. To whom do the fences be- |
long? Ans. TO citizens of the
United States and a few citizens Of
tho Cherokee Nation.
3rd. Name each and all COM
panics or organizations claiming to |
own fences and the quantity of
wire in each. Ans. Comanche
Pool, IS miles; Ballinger &
Schluppe, 60 miles Drumm 4 |
snyder, so miles Miller & Pryor,
z5 miles; B. II. Campbell, 30
miles; George Thompson, 40
miles S. and r. Tuttle, So miles
Bridge & Wilson, IS miles; Bates
& Co., 80 miles Hewins & Titus,
go miles; Cobb 4 Hutton, 56
miles; C. II. Moore, a miles
George Miller, 70 miles +; II. Hodg-
son, 35 miles; Dean Bros, 10
miles Z. N. Ford, 81 miles; G.
H. Mcclellan, 70 miles G. Greev-
er, 60 miles T. Mayhem, 81 miles.
This fencing was commenced DUR
ing the spring OF 1882.
4th. How long since fencing
was commenced! Ans. During
the spring of 1882.
5th. What effect has such fenc-
ing had upon legitimate travel and
upon mail routes? Ans. There
are bat two mail routes through
the lapd in question; from Cald-
well, Kan, to Ft> Reno and points
beyond; from Arkansas City 10
Nex perces Agency. There are no
fences within two miles Of either
road. There are no other roads
for legitimate travel across these
lands. Pastures are supplied with {
gates for the use Of parties travel !
ing through. The fences do not @
interfere in any manner with lcgi- {
timste travel or mail routes. :
9th. What effect has the wire h
fence On the preservation or de- a
structicn Of timber on said lands? 4
Timber extended only along the G
water courses, aAd for miles into 0
the Territory along the state line 9
Of Kansas it bas been destroyed by J
parties from Kansas who have used n
il for fuel and fencing. Much Of Il
this valuable timber has been tax O
en- from the Cimarron river, a dis G.
.snee Of sixty miles from the Kan u
sas line. Unless this wholesale y
destruction Of timber is stopped it b
Is safe to state that all timber on h
these lands will be destroyed with c.
in three years. o.
While The value Of this timber
10 those who steal it is not great,
It's value to the country can hardly
be estimated. and whatever dispos- I
ition Is made Of fhese lands ulti-
tie supply Of water win
determine It's value for 1ny pur-
pose. The removal of the umber
vii cause the countless streams to
dry Up, and so lessen the supply :.
Df water. that much Of this land :.
rill be worthless. =
There i no Law in the statutes A
II the United States to punish for Il.
!tesling timber from The re~erva- be
ions Of any Of these Eve tribes, an
nd il IS very evident there never h,
iii be any. and these people from RI.
be states viii continue to destroy nv
lis timber rs they are now doing II
mt, II i al gone 70
Who're ranges have been fenced lei
he catlIe1en neither rut timber tls
5elaseires or permit any one else of
Q Do %, aud in my Judgment if ws
be <enees now on these lands are an
.efnsi.sed to remain and others are Or
'srm;tted % fence under proper ha
nssrsstIons il viii put an ef7ectuaI Co