The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-07
THE OKLAHOMA BILL.
The Amendments Agreed to Re
lating to Indians.
WILL BE OPENED TO SETTLERS.
A Land Decision of Value to the Arizona
People, Affecting 100000
Acres of Land.

! WASHINGTON, March EN- the confusion
attendant upon the closing hours of con-
gres, the exact nature and effect of the
amendments to the Indian appropriation
bill have not been clearly understood. The
impression has gained currency that all
provisions of the bill organizing the terri
tory of Oklahoma, in effect, We're en-
bodied in the Indian appropriation bill
This is not the case. The amendments
agreed to relate to the Seminole and Cher
okee lands, and are as follows:
THE APPROPRIATIONS.
The sum of $1,912,243 is appropriated to
pay IN full the Seminole nation for all the
rights, title, interest and claim they may
may have in and to certain lands coded by
the treaty of 1866, claiming 203, 142 acres; of
this sum 81 100000 shall remain in the
treasury at per cent. interest, to be paid
Semi-annually to the treasurer of the ma
ton, and S4l2,S43 shall be Immediately
available for distribution.
! This appropriation is to become operative
upon execution, by duly appointed del
| egates of said nation. of release and con-
veyance to the United States, of all right,
title, interest and claim of said nation of
Indians in and to said lands, in manner and
| form satisfactory to the president of the
United States.
| NO RAILROAD SNAPS.
It is further provided that such release,
conveyance and extinguishment shall not
inure to the benefit of, or cause to vest in
any railroad company any right, title or in
| tereSt whatever in or to any of said lands
and all laws or parts of laws, so far as they
conflict with the foregoing are repealed, eX-
cept rights Of way and depot grounds.
| The lands as acquired shall be part of the
public domain, two sections in each town
ship to be reserved for the use and benefit
of public schools, to be erected within the
| limits of said lands thus acquired; except
| school sections, to be disposed of to actual
settlers under the homestead law only; eX-
cept as herein otherwise provided.
And provided further. that any person
who, having attempted but for any reason
failed, to secure title in fee to homestead
under the existing laws, or who made entry
under what is known as the committed pro
vision of the homestead law. shall be quail
fed to make5a homestead entry upon such
lands.
And provided further, that the rights of
honOrably discharged Union sailors and
soldiers in the late civil war, as defined and
described in the revised statutes, shall not
be abridged.
THE LIMIT OF ENTRY.
And provided, further that each entry
| shall be in square form as nearly as posi-
BILE, and no person be permitted to enter
more than One-quarter section thereof
But until such lands are opened for settle
ment by proclamation Of the president, no
person shall be permitted to enter upon and
occupy the same; and no person violating
this provision shall ever be allowed to enter
any of said lands or acquire any rights
! thereon.
The secretary of the interior may after
said proclamation, and not before, permit
the entry of said lands for town sites. But
no such entry shall embra> more than one
half section of land.
THEIR APPLICATION.
All foregoing provisions shall apply to
and regulate diSpOSas of lands acquired
from the Muskogee and Greek Indians by
articles of cessiOn and agreement of Jan
uary 49, 1882.
TO APPOINT COMMISSIONERS.
The president is authorized to appoint
| three commissions to negotiate with the
Cherokees and all other Indians owning or
claiming lands lying west of the ninety
sixth degree of longitude, Indian terri
tory. Cherokee outlet for cession to the
United States, all title, claim or interest.
submit to the Cherokee nation the PROPOSE
ton that the said nation shall cede their
lands to the United States upon the same
terms as to payment, as provided in the
agreement with the Creeks.
If the Cherokees shall accept the said
lands thereupOn became public domain for
the purpose of such disposition as provided.
OPEN TO SETTLERS.
The president is authorized as soon there
after as he may deem advisable, by procla-
nation to open said lands to settlement in
the same manner and to the same effect as
provided concerning the lands acquired
| from the Greeks.
The president may, whenever he deems
necessary, create not to exceed two land
districts embracing the lands which he
may open to settlement by proclamation, as
hereinbefore provided, and is empowered
to locate law offices for the same, appoint
ing thereto in conformity to the existing
laws relating to registers and receivers.