Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1889-04-12
From Indian Territory.

Muskogee, city bounded on the
mol tn by a treeless plain, on the
south by the same, on the east by
vast praries, on the west by still
vaster. A city where hundreds OF
people live and yet no man owns n
foot of soil. Where the deer
bounded and prairie dogs dug, now
is heard the swift rush of engine
and stand massive, br lex build
ings. Where the wild savage once
swung his scalping knife now IS
heard the anthems rising from
nea. churches and the shout of
merry children:
Like the sunset sIosy hue,
Like the falling drop of dew;
Like our fading hours of time,
Or the evening IS distant chime;
Like all NOR tal things say,
Pass the Indian tribes away"
The prairies are covered with
wild flowers, the peach bloom has
long since fallen off and corn is
coming up nicely in many places.
Mus-ko-gee or as it is spelled
by the Indians Mus-co-hee was
the name of tri be of the noble
red men of the forests. This town
has been here many years and has
now about 1000 inhabitants. 1t is
situated on fine level prairie a
few miles south of the Arkansas
river on the line of the M. X. q L.
railroad.
Were it town in the states it
would build up rapidly into a city.
But under the present circum-
stances it cannot improve greatly
in the line of permanent buildings,
as none but Citizens of the ma
ton can get possession Of land
and they can only hold the simple
possession of the improvements,
as the land is held in common by
the Indians as nation.
| The new Federal court which is
located here will open Monday
April first, and an immense rush
of business is expected, as also a
rush Of lawyers to divide it up.
You can now sue any man in the
Territory for any debt or contract
amounting to over S100 dollars
The court will also have criminal
jurisdiction of all cases except
those punishable bydeath or hard
labor.
Two churches are well attended
and each have mission school in
connection. They are of the
Methodist and Presbyterian de.
nominations.
About three miles north of tow
the Baptist denomination has {
, fine school. The building is Of
brick and much larger and fnel
than the business college at Kirks.
vile.
Your correspondent went out OF
} a hunt over the fine prarie expect.
; ing to find game abundant
Though the black bird, lark and
turtle dove suffered severely and
one poor solitary quail was seen al
a great distance, yet no other game
was found in a trip of ten miles
The great hunting fields of the
west are thing of the past. In
stead of game we found nice
houses and well TILED farms own
ed by Indians of wealth and edu-
cation.
The opinion Of every one is that
the opening of the Oklahoma
country and the establishment of
the federal court here at Musko-
gee are only entering wedges to
the final opening up of the whole
country here, and its admission as
a state within the next five years.
Whole trains of wagons are pass
ing. through here every day on
their way to the Oklahoma coun-
try. This territory will be under
the civil jurisdiction of the Mus
kogeo court. A host of lawyers
will be here at the opening of the
court on April 1st.
More will probably locate here
at first than will stay permanent
ly. d. G.
Adair County, Cilcuit Court nncl-et