Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-02-28

The government agreed to settle
them there and the government
would be satisfied If they would 90
there; but they went of for some
reason or another. There never
was any contract with us. We
would not want to live with the
Comanches at that time any more
than you would. We derive from
this land a revenue of 100000 n
year; it is what you would call an
internal revenue. The land is not
leased; there is no contract for a
lease in existence.
Senator Cullom. You have some
sort of an arrangement with the
cattlemen who occupy the lands2
Yes, we collect tax there and
have done so for twenty years, and
have been using that money.
Senator Cullom. You have made
q contract, have you not2
We have not made any contract
at all; they have paid us a good
deal already, and there is no con-
tract in existence.
Senator Davis. When and whore
was that agreement made2
At the capitol of the Cherokee
nation; there was an act of council
passed authorizing me to make an
agreement with them. | have not
made the contract yet.
Senator Davis. You have come
to some understanding, have you
not2
Yes.
Senator Davis. Who is that un-
derstanding with2
The Cherokee Live Stock asso-
citation.
Senator Davis. They we're to pay
you 100000 year2
Yes.
Senator Davis. AT what inter-
walls or in what installments2
One hundred thousand dollars
every six months; they pay us in
advance.
Senator Stewart. Who is the
agent or person representing the
capitalists with whom you had the
understanding
a man named Blair paid me the
money.
Senator Stewart. Is he the only
man you saw?
No; | saw several men.
Senator Davis. With what man
did you come to an understanding;
what man on behalf of the Chero-
keo Live Stock association
The national council passed a
law authorizing me to make a con-
tract. There are a good many
men in it. There are nine or ten
directors. There are 10i pastures,
all fenced in.
Senator Davis. You came to
that understanding by authority Of
the act Of council?
Yes, sir; this act Of council au-
thorized me to make the contract.
Senator Stewart. You say it is
fenced in; who fenced it?
The cattle association fenced ii;
when we first had the land we used
to collect the tax; we used to have
the treasurer go there and collect
the tax. Finally it got so that we
could not get our money; we would
collect il sometimes and sometimes
not. They formed an association
and that association says: "Now
we will take the land and pay you
for it in advance; we will pay you
for it six months in advance so
much, and you will have no troub-
le in collecting the money"
Senator Butler. This is paid in
to your treasury, as understand?
Yes, it is paid into the treasury
and is used for school purposes and
general purposes; we have expend-
ed this year nearly $4,000 of it to
build female seminary.
The chairman. Is the gentleman
you have been talking with, gen.
tleman who lives up near Cedar
Vale, in Kansas ?
Yes; he is in the organization,
I think. There are n great many
men who belong TO that organiza-
ton. They claim that there are q
hundred persons that own the |
pastures that live on it. We have !
rented the pastures TO them.
The chairman. How long has
there been cattle on them?
For twenty years right along.
Under the old arrangement we |
could collect the money part Of the |
time and part Of the time not. We |
had to get authority from the gov
ernmen to force them to pay.
Senator Cullom. Did they come |
there by your consent?
Yes sir.
Senator Cullom. You rent them
the laEd2
Yes, sir.
The chairman. What do you do |
with the money!
We use it for school purposes
and general purposes. We built
a female seminary with it this
year. Our female seminary was
burnt down and we rebuilt il this
year. That will cost us, sup
pose, 100000 when finished and !
all complete. The contract for
the building alone was s63, 900. |
We are also building a colored |
high school. Tho contract was
let for 10000 and it will take Sl0,- |
600 to finish it.
Senator Cullen. 10000 more,
do you mcan2
Yes, sir; $4,000 more. We use |
a great deal Of the fund FOR gener-
al purposes-to carry on the insli- |
tuition and the government.
The chairman. This 5000, 900 is !
an income 70 Your poYernment2