The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-08
Oklahoma.

On the 29d day Of April. 1889. the first
white settlers entered the tract lying along
the Cimarron and Canadian rivers. In the
heart Of the Indian Territory, called Okla
homa; and in August. 1880. train load of
wheat raised on these lands was delivered
at the elevators in Chicago. as the first
fruits Of the food expectation Of thriving
population Of $4,000 people.
This exhibition Of enterprise was the more
remarkable. since. as the recent report OF
the Interior Department notes. the dry
weather of 1890 had been generally disas-
trous to the growing crops. 80 that the
resources Of the newly founded commu-
nifty were almost exhausted. But Congress
gave aid. and the Atchison and Rock Island
railroad companies furnished seed wheat to
settlers along their linea at sctual oest, to
be paid for without interest from this years
crop. Such were the circumstances under
which Oklahoma made its first contribution
Of agricultural produce to the markets Of
the country.
Since then. as the Governors report
shows. the crops have been prosperous and
Industries Of various sorts have fourished.
Unlike some newly opened regions in the
pended upon the thrush Of prospectors in
search Of precious metals or of minerals.
Nor does it possess resources as a timber
region like those which attract lumbermen
to the more northern ATTITUDES. Even stock
raising. the great industry Of Wyoming. is
hardly Of consequence there. except In No
Mans Land. now known as Beaver county.
where there is said to be too small q supply
OF rain for much farming. But what is more
important. In Oklahoma there has already
been promising agricultural develop
ment. The wheat sown last year under the
circumstances already noted yielded. &C
cording to the Interior Department. from
twenty to thirty bushels to the acre. and
this was but one item OF the following
array of statistics:
"Corn cotton and other crops have yielded bounti.
fully and the country is admirably adapted for rais
ing fruit and berries The agricultural statistics show
that during the current year there have been under
cultivation In whea: about $4,000 acres; 85675
acres: cotton. O86 oats. ITO acres; Hun
garan grass and milet. 5125 acres sorghum. 1880
potatoes 1000 acres; rye. 1917 Besides
those cultivated castor beans tobacco
bucxwheat, peanuts. &c. Several hundred thousand
fruit trees and vines have been planted. and many
acres already set out In berries
From February. 1890 to February 1891. the value
of the wool marketed S2A. 200 and the valuo Of
the animals fsttoned and sold was S5l .237."
Eut the growth Of Oklahoma in other re-
spects is, quite as interesting. The land
ceded by the Creeks and Seminoles amount
cd to only,1 1851. 80l acres. This was very
small area for q new Territory. being not
twO-thirds as large as Connecticut. But to
the northwest lay tract nearly twice as
large. called No Mans Land. and although
the two were separated by strip set apart
for Indians. they were combined In one Ter
ritOry, under the act of May Q. 1880. On the
ed Of September. 1891. anothertract. COM
prising nearly 100000 acres. was opened
for homesteads. having been acquired
from the Iowas, the Sacs and Foxes, and
the Pottawatomies and Absentee Shawnees,
on the eastern border OF Oklahoma. There
was a rush Of settlers as when the original
Oklahoma lands were opened. and before
sunset. it is said. every available quarter
section was taken. 1t was. as Secretary
NOBLE puts 1t, "a society created between
noon and dark" while within few days
the county seats were also occupied. and
now the towns OF Tecumseh and Chand-
Ter, although only few weeks old. are
known to the business world. Meanwhile
farms have been allotted to Indians. ATS
iu number. covering 3s2.s6s acres.
But there are other lands. as the Secreta-
RVS report shows. ready for homestead ad-
dition to Oklahoma. Some Of them. like
those of the Cheyennes and the Arspahoes.
amounting to 100000 acres. have already.
by agreement with those tribes. been in
cluded In the Territory. And during the
last few months contracts have also been
made with the Wlchitas. the Kickapoos.
and the Tonkawas for other additions. so
that to the original area of Okla
homa there has been added. includ-
ing the tracts already opened to settlement
aud those alout to be opened, 1854 .SO5
acres. 1t Is practically certain that In one
way or another 6.O22.OOO acres will soon be
added from the Cherokee lands. Then the
area Of Oklahoma win have crown TO I'M