Wichita eagle., 1888-11-20
OKLAHOMA NOTES.

Mr.. Anthony Befel, of Oklahoma Sta
come up to attend the convention. He
| is well posted as to the situation in that
country and very hopeful for the future.
There are quite good many families IN
the country, who are quietly occupying
claims they expect to file on and make
their permanent homes as soon as the
way is open by act of congress. Okla
| homa Station is On the north bank OF
the North Canadian river, about twenty
five miles east from Fort Reno. with
which point there is stage connection.
| There is a postofhce established at that
point and Indian Agent Stillwell has his
headquarters there.
/ Mr.. Beffel says there is no trouble in
procuring plenty of good, soft water at
depth Of from ten to twenty-five feet.
The rainfall is fully equal to the average
of any section of the country. Plenty of
timber, and productive soil for all kinds
of vegetation so far as has been tried.
Mr.. B. tells of a white man, who has an
Indian wife, living within q few miles
Of the station who raised corn crop
this year that yielded sixty bushels to
the acre. The climate is equable, more
so than in the more settled portions Of
the country in the same latitude east
about an inch of snow fell there during
the recent heavy fall in this section.
OF course everybody in that part Of
the territory is anxious that the Springer
bill or a similar measure shall be enacted
into law, and great expectations are
based upon the proceedings of to-day S
meeting in this city. The interest mani
tested by Wichita in the current move
ment has given everybody increased con-
fidence in its success, and the action of
the convention to-day will no doubt forti-
fly the city in the position of leader, a
position it will maintain in every respect
as far as locality and exertion are con-
cerned.
Hundreds of interested people have
written letters of inquiry to us and in al
most every letter comes the inquiry,
what assurance have you that the gov.
eminent will permit you to perfect title
to the lands you now occupy as squat
ters?" To these inquiries we make an
swer that there is a statute law covering
our case. Away back in the early settle
ment Of Ohio people settled on govern
ment land before it was offered for sale,
and when William Henry Harrison was
sent as delegate to congress from
Northwest Territory he worked diligently
to secure the passage of law giving set
tiers upon the unoffered lands the first
right OF purchase, but not till 1888 was
such a law enacted. When the present
law was enacted the ''prior rights pro-
vision was not extended to the home
steader, but the squatter was given three
months after the land was offered in
which to file presumption papers Oh his
claim. This provision was afterward, in
1888, extended to the homesteader also.
Townsites are proved up under the
government townsite law, which pro-
vides that owners of improvements shall
pay for the lots improved at the govern
ment price, which will be about five
dollars under the Oklahoma bill. "a
squatter's tItle," SAYS ex-Commissioner
Sparks, sis the best title one can have"
The following which we clip from the
Phoenix is the "Oklahoma Act" as re-
Gently passed by the Creek Council:
''Be it enacted by the national council
of the Muskogee Nation that it is hereby
declared to be the purpose and policy of
the Muskogee nation to negotiate final
disposition and settlement of SO much of
the land known as Oklahoma as the Mus
kogees have an interest in, and the ma
tionai delegates who shall be elected by
the present session of the council are
hereby clothed with full power to nego-
tiate with the government of the United
States for such final disposition and set
Element as in their judgment shall be to
the best interests of the Musllogee Ma
ton; provided that such negotiation and
settlement shall not be of any force I'M
til the same shall have been approved by
the national council of the Muskogee
Nation.
From reports all through the eastern
states, we will enjoy lively immigra-
ton this fall and winter, the presiden-
tial election has kept a great many at
home that otherwise would have been
here before this. The action of the
Wichita board of trade has restored faith
in numbers who had given up all hopes
VI oil Sdiiy etStAoh ia WI VI OhAeiicii-o'
A herd of buffalo was reported in the
neighborhood of Coldwater last week.
and some Of the boys got after them and
killed a few of them. There are now
very few of these kings of the prairie
where once they roamed in countless
thousands, and lucky is the man who
runs across a herd.
A rousing post G. A. R. will soon be
an institution in this city. The Strip has
been Joined to the department of Kan
sas, and the proper officers will be here
in few days to organize post and
muster in the old boys. of whom there
are a good number in this city and
vicinity.
Corn planting began here about the
middle of March, and UP to November
Sth the melon vines on the upland were
still growing nicely. Nearly eight
months of growing weather gives this
country the lead over any other portion
of the United States.
From the Beaver City Associate.
Great prairie fires have swept oyer a
large part of the country between here
and Liberal during the past week, de-
stroying thousands Of acres of winter
range.
THE NEWEST EXPLOSIVE.