Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-28
OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.
Information to Those Contemplating
Settling in the Territory.
The Proper boundary, as Vow Outlined, Has
No Connection With the Territory
Opened In April, 1889.
NORMAN. o. T., Dec. 10, 1890

| NORMAN. o. T., Dec. 10, 1890
| Editor Gazette.
| For the information of those who ma >
/ desire to settle on the lands soon to be
| opened for settlement in this territory
the following Is submitted:
Oklahoma, as now outlined, is by no
opened for settlement by the proclama-
ton of April, 1889, but includes full half
| of the Indian Territory. and may be de-
| scri5ed as follows: Beginning where the
| ninety eiShth meridian crosses Red river
thence north with said meridian TO the
South Canadian river, thence down said
river to the east boundry of the Pot
! tawattamis lands (Which is between the
| ninety-seventh and ninety-sixth merid-
ians). Thence north to the northwest
corner of the Creek nation, thence east
with the north boundry of said Creek
nation to the ninety sixth meridian.
thence north with said meridian TO the
southern line of Kansas, thence west
with the southern line of Kansas aud
Colorado to the northeast corner OF New
Mexico, thence south TO the norIhwes I
corner of Texas, thence east to the
northeast corner OF the Texas Pan
handle, thence south and east, following
the boundary of Texas to the place of
beginning.
From the above it will be seen that the
only portion OF Oklahoma which borders
on Texas is that west of the ninety
eighth meridian. facing the counties of
Clay, Wichita, Wilbarger, and others to
the westward. No person owning 100
acres of land in fee simple will be al
lowed TO pre-empt or homestead land in
this Territory hereafter, and those who
are qualified in this respect will be re-
quired to pay to the government sum
equal to that which the government pays
to extInguish the Indian title. and this
cannot be known until the commissioners
effect settlement with the various In
dian tribes now occupying the country,
hence 1t will be apparent that there
is no more free land in Oklahoma. 1t
has been supposed that previous to or
by this time ct any rate large district
would be opened for settlement, but the
late congressional election SO "tumfuZ-
Zied - the administration that Oklahoma
has been entirely forgotten, but there is
hardly doubt that the opening will be
pr0olaine cd during the winter.
As to the local government OF the ter
ritory it may be eptly compared to the
provisional governments established Ia
the South after the war and during the
reconstruction era. 1t is carpet-beg
throughout, and all fat offices are held
by political adventures who don't care
continental for the country or the
people.
10 tn hn
territory admitted as a state during the
present congress, because-as Republic
cans say-the Democrats will go into
power efter the 4th of March next, and
the chances for a rotten borough state
will be evsrlastlngly lost. There is JUST
one thing only that will prevent the con-
Summation of this consplracy-for it is
nothing else-end that is, that OKLA
homa in q general election will certainly
go Democratic, aud the result would be
two Democratic senators.
A statehood convention meets at Pur-
cell in few days composed of
representatives from the civil
lied tribes and Oklahoma to
take into consideration tbs ACCESSIBILITY
of breaking up tribal relations, alloting
the lands and forming one state out of
the whole Indian Territory.
The first territorial legislature met
late in August and have spent most Of
the term in trying to locate the perman-
ent capital, but it seems as far distant
now as ever. The aspirants are Guthrie,
Oklahoma City and King6sher, with the
thriving little city of Norman thrown in
as dark horse. In the event OF the whole
Territory being brought in as state,
then Norman will cover the geographical
center, and will have claims SUD-
perior to any of her competitors.
The reports current in the states
of suffering and starvation here are GER
tainly wide of the truth. True, govern
ment aid has been granted in some quar-
tiers. but it 10 doubtful il it was not |
nesded in the western counties of Texas
and Kansas worse than here. Corn can |
be had on the Canadian and Washita |
rivers for from As to 80 cents per bushel,
and other supplies in proportion. Tie |
cotton crop yielded beautifully, consid- |
ering the newness of the land and the |
protracted drouth, but Notwithstanding |
this, family without money here is in |
hard luck. Parties desiring to locate In |
this or any other new country, should |
count their cash and see that it is sufficient |
to improve q farm and furnish supplies |
for two years, or until farm can |
be made self-supporting. A poor man
with the usual quota of children and I
logs should keep as far from a new
country as possible, while rich people |
have no need to emigrate. 1t is only the |
middle class that can profit by the