Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-13
THE OKLAHOMA PUZZLE.
An Official Contribution to
Its Solution.
sToCKsLAeER STATES THE LAW.
Probability That the Cherokee Out
let Will Be Seized Upon
By the Surplus.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.

| Associated Press Dispatches TO the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-The Commits,
sioner of the General Land Office made
public to-day several letters as being OF
general interest to persons contemplating
settlement in Oklahoma. Commissioner
Stockslager in replying to letter from
| o. M. Wilson, at Arkansas City, Ark.
says in part: "I have to state that the
lands in question are to be disposed of to
actual settlers under the homestead laws
only. A party desiring to become an ac-
tual settler under the homestead laws,
may initiate his claim by entry at the
district land office, after having properly
examined and selected the land desired,
in which case he is allowed six months
from the date of entry within which to
establish his residence on the land or, on
pretext, he may initiate his claim by
actual settlement on the land, which
must consist of some act or acts, to be
equivalent to an announcement OF such
intention, and from which the public
generally may have notice of his claim.
Therefore, he is allowed three months
within which to make his claim of record
by entry in the district land office"
Another letter to Senator Ingalls, from
Commissioner Stockslager reads as fol-
lows; 81 have had the honor to receive,
by reference from you, and herewith re-
turn the letter addressed to you by G. T.
Sommers, dated Oklahoma Station, Ind
ian Territory, 29th ultimo. In reply, l
have to state that the act of March
3, '89, to which Sommers refers, provides
as he says, that no one shall be permit
ted to enter or acquire any right to any
of the Oklahoma lands, to be disposed of
hereunder, who violates it's provisions
by entering upon and occupying the
same prior to IL o'clock, noon, April %,
the date fixed in the Presidents procla
nation of March %, for said lands to be-
come open to settlement. The statute |
makes no exception to this provision. l
am inclined to think, however, that when |
q person was already within these lands |
at the date of the approval of the act by |
the proper authority, his presence there |
should not be regarded as violation of |
this provision of the act.
"The primary jurisdiction to act upon
applications to enter rests with the dis |
trict land officers, and Sommers may |
present his application for entry to the
land with proper proof Of his allegations.
Should they refuse to permit his entry,
he may appeal from this action"
Commissioner Stockelager to-day ex-
pressed the opinion that one hundred
thousand persons would enter Oklahoma
within month after the 22d of April.
Tor these one hundred thousand people |
here are only about ten thousand hop, !
leads, and the inevitable roos::mit of this
tremendous influx, the Commissioner
hought would be a great many con-
ests and personal conflicts. A further
esuit, ne feared, would be the spreading
u tnls pLmense surplus over the adioin-
ng JCIhdian lands, from which it would
% difficult to dislodge them with
out much trouble, and possibly some |
oloodshed If the commission appointed |
70 treat with the Cherokees for the ces-
sion of Cherokee outlet could complete |
heir labors within the next few months,
so that a new tract might be open to |
settlement before Congress again meets, |
his might, and probably would, relieve
The pressure; otherwise he feared matters
would become complicated and equilib- |
rum be restored with difficulty.
WINFIELD. Kan, April 12.-Hundreds
Of Oklahoma boomers. camped along the
Walnut river here, are rejoicing at the
order of Secretary Noble, allowing them
to drive across the Cherokee strip before
the 22d. Most of them will break camp
next to go in camp on the
border of Oklahoma. The final rush has
set in and every train brings in scores of
men from all parts of the country to
await here the Oklahoma opening day.
No less than 5000 strangers are now in
tho citv waitino for the ODD