Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-19
LIVESTOCK NEWS.
John A. Blair Renpws the Offer Of $780,
100000 for the Strip.
Chief Nayes Asks n the Offer Was Male In
Good Faith and the Reply lie that
1t Was-Othrr Notes.

al have just received dispatch from
Chief Maves asking II my offer of $50,
600 600 for the Cherokee Strip was made
in good faith, and l have wired him that
il was.' remarked John A. Blair OF
Caldwell, Kan. to a GAZETTE reporter
yesterday. Mr.. Blair is secretary of the
Cherokee livestock association, and the
$40, 900 600 offered by him for the Strip
has been widely published throughout
the United States. With party of
friends, including L. P. Williamson Of
Independence, Mo-, c. F. Bennett and
a. N. Vale of Caldwell, Mr.. Blair is
visiting Texas for the purposs o buying
big ranch. They have been as far
south a the RIO Grande river, and ar
rived in Fort Worth yesterday morning.
do you think your offer will be ac-
cep;ed by Chief Mayes?'
81 do not expect the government will
allow us to purchase the strip from the
In dians. For several years my firm has
had standing offer with the Cherokees
of $50 900, 200 Tor the strip, and when
we saw Maj. Snyder's offer of $40 600, =
was decided to renew our old PROPOSE
ton.
The reporter suggested that $40 600. 900
was considerable money, and that it
might put a crimp in MIR. BlaIr's firm
to pay out such a sum in one lump.
''1f our offer should be accepted, we
can raise the money easily. We Will
issue bonds, running fifteen or twenty
years, aud at the end of that time the
property could be sold for from s. to $40
an acre. But l think we have small
chances of getting a good title to the
vast territory.
''ls the title which the Cherokees hold
to the land Questionablel'
'.Not Ill the least. They have clear
deed in fee simple to the property. l
have seen the deed myself. 1t is written
on piece of buckskin which is fully
three feet in length and ID signed by
President Buchanan. What l mean
about not getting u good title to the land
is this: The government will not sane
ton the purchase, ii it be made, and
unless this should be done the title would
be invalid. The time has passed, in my
mind, for an individual or corporation
to buy the Strip Although the Indians
hold good title to the land they will
not be allowed to sell it unless the United
States should be the purchaser. The
government has not offered as much for
the Strip as l have, and just at present
do not see any prospect of n speedy sale
for the Indians will not let loose of 1t un.
less they get all 1t is WORTH
''Are you looking for ranch in
Texas?'
''That is the purpose Of our visit to
the state. We have been down to the
Rio Grande looking at pasture which
had been offered US. but it did not ill
the bill. We will go west Tomorrow
and try to find a suitable place. We de-
sire to buv q ranch that will accom- mo-
date Is, 900 or 20 900 cattle.
Regarding the statements which have
been published that the Cherokee live
stock association will bring snit against
the government for driving the stock
men out of the Strip, Mr.. Blair said that
no decision has been reached as to W hat
will be done. This association will hold
a meeting on the 9th of January, and II
is expected something will be done about
the proposed law suit at that time. TtP
Cherokee Indians have lost heavily in
rental money and it is said they con-
template suing the government also.
MIR. Blair and his associates depart to-
morrow for the western part OF the state.