The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-30

bracing about one-third of the reservation,
slopes gradually toward the Cimarron
river, and it is a fine agricultural country.
The uplands are chiefly dark brown and
| red loan, easily titled, very fertile and
adapted 70 grain, cotton, grasses, fruits
and vegetables. The bottoms and table
lands along the streams are as flne agrf-
cultural lands as can be found anywhere.
the soil being a deep black loam- The
timber is of better quality than is usually
found in Oklahoma, there being an abun-
dance OF burr-oak, spotted-0ak, spanish
oak, walnut, elm and cottonwood. As IN
the south half, there is plentiful supply
of good water from the rivers, creeks and
springs, and an abundance OF building
stone, both Of lime and sand formations.
Adjoining the Iowas on the east are the
lands OF the Sac and Fox Indians, embrac-
ing an area Of Az, 900 acres, of which 1872.
600 were opened to homestead settlement
by treaty in 1890. This reservation extends
fifty-two miles north and south, and about
eighteen miles east and west. Dividing
it through the center east and west, the
south half is admirably adapted to grazing
and fruits, the only real good grain and
cotton lands peing found in the valleys
and bottom lands along the streams which
are usually narrow. The uplands are
mainly broken, yet their general features
are not inviting for diversified farming.
There are several quarrieS of good building
stone, mostly of the sandstone variety.
Like the Iowa country adjoining it on the
west, it is abundantly supplied with good
water. the Deep Fork or the North Can
adian and its various tributaries flowing
through it from west to east. The north
half is chiefly prairie country with up
lands well adapted to the various kinds of
grain, cotton and the grasses. The
valleys are broad and the soil
is dark and rich, and embraces
both the red and brick loans. 1t is
fairly well wooded, the timber being chief
ly burr-oak, spotted-oak, Spanish-oak, elm,
cottonwood and some walnut. Like the
south half it is admirably watered, the
number of springs being especially large,
all furnishing wholesome and pure water.
The elevation is about the same as at
Guthrie; the climate IS inyigorating and
delightful, the rainfall fair. The health Of
the country excellent. Here are found in-
exhaustiable quarries of as fine limestone
as can be found in any of the western
states, and is destined to become one of
the chief building stones of the territory
as soon as railroad facilities are secured.
The old survey of the St. Louis and San
Francisco road passes through this reser-
walton, and when built, as it undoubt-
eddy will be in the near future, the
Sac and Fox lands will be among the
most desirable in the Indian country.
Minco Minstrel Two of the COM
mission, Judge Wilson and Gov.
Jerome, are here holding coun-
Gil with the Wichitas and affiliated bands.
1t is the general programme followed
more or less closely as occasion suits, to
hold one council per day with the Indians.
Cora West, formerly Cora Caruth, is in
terpretor for the Wichitas and Bob Dun
lap for the Caddos. Councils are held in a
loug, open building near the agents office.
Near one end of the room table and
chairs are provided for the use of the COM
mission and their busy StenographerS who
gather up swiftly each word of the speeches
made Behind the commission are seats
of boxes crates, planks, agricultural i'm
plements and so on, for the use of the
honored spectators; and in front Of the
commission are regular tiers of seats for
the Indians. Gov jerome was talking as
the scribe entered the building at one end
and forced his way through to the other to
find a seat with Agent Adams and the fat
clerk of the commission, Charles King,
Gov. Jerome's was to the effect that the
United States government bought wild
lands at a fair value and sold them to citi-
Zens for what price the lands would bring.
Sometimes the United States sold land for
Sl.25, and sometimes it was sold
for 1919 cents per acre. The COM
mission had examined the land
in the Wichita country and their
DtSC Judgment Oh the ulaUCeF WAS IudL III
was worth about 80 cents per acre and no
more. The commission was simply an
agent of the government to try and buy
the surplus land for what they thought it
was worth. The Indians would be allowed
to select allotments of 100 acres each, and
the government wanted the rest at 30 cents
per acre to sell to white citizens for what
ever it would bring. To this the Indians
replied in one direction that there were
several important points concerning the
rights of these tribes that were not being
considered by the commission, and that
when these points were fully developed
congress would certainly give them better
terms than had been accorded tribes who
had once or oftener, sold their possessions.
In another line Of policy they represented
that in the TT. Arbuckle treaty of 80 they
were expressly given the lands they now
occupy as an Inheritance forever safe
from the entertainments of the white man,
while their lands south of the Washita
(now occupied by Kiowas and Com
manches) were duly recognized as theirs,
but subject to a possible treaty. Their
present home was never to be treated for
and they had understood that from their
chiefs who had made the treaty or agree- |
ment at FIT Arbuckle. These speeches
closed the council for today, to be re-
sumed from day to day until some agree |
ment is reached, or until deadlock occurs
in the negotiations.