Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-02-11
THE CHEROKEE LANDS.
An Interview With Congressman
Mansur OF Missouri.

Mansur or Missouri.
No man in either house is better
qualified by research and exper-
ience TO speak of territorial matters
than Representative Mansur, OF
Missouri, and he is the house au-
thority in such matters. Speak
ing concerning the Cherokee lands
he first referred TO the results Of
the commissions work on which
he commented as follows: "This
would make the lands of the Cher
okees west OF the Arkansas river
and not otherwise disposed OF,
1922, 900 acres in round numbers,
cost 81 .43 plus per acre, and to se-
cure ratification of this treaty
requires an act of congress. 1t
might be remembered that in the
original act crea ting the Cherokee
commission they are authorized to
pay the Cherokee nation 81. 25 per
acre fer these lands whereupon If
accepted the president by procla-
nation can throw the lands open
to settlement. The eighteen cents
additional per acre is reported by
the commission to be compensa-
ton to the Cherokee nation for all
reversionary interests of every
kind in and to the lands of the
east end of the strip heretofore
conveyed to the Cherokee nation
in trust by separate conveyances
TO the United States for the use of
the Osages, Kansas, Missourias
and other tribes there located. 1t
is hardly probable that the presi-
dent will submit the matter to con-
gress for several weeks yet. Con-
sidering the amount involved and
the slowness with which congress
acts | see no prospect for settle
ment of these lands prior TO the
summer season. The best think
the settlers can now hope for, is to
enter in time to break up the sum
mer sod and have have it become
iallow for fall wheat sowing"
"What, in your opinion, can be
done to prevent so much specula-
lation and contesting of town lots
and to secure better location and
reservation of town sites?"
These questions have been
given considerable thought and in
any bill to ratify the agreement
made by the Cherokee commission
or to throw open the lands of the
Cherokee strip for settlement. our
committee will secure provisions
in the bill substantially as fol-
lows:
"The secretary of the interior
shall cause all the lands of the
Cherokee strip hereby opened to
settlement, lying west of the nine
ty.seventh meridian of longitude,
to be laid off into counties as near
ly as may be made thirty miles
square, and all that part of the
land hereby opened to settlement
lying east of said ninety-seventh
meridian of longitude and south of
the Arkansas river shall be and
constitute one county. and all that
part lying east of said meridian of
longitude and west of the Arkan-
sas river shall be attached to and
form a part OF the county adjacent
on the west, He shall select
and reserve for settlement 800
acres in square form, as nearly
in the center OF each county here
by created as an appropriate and
good location for a town site which
can be selected, which, when so
selected and located shall be re-
served and become the county seat
Of such county. The secretary
shall cause the same to be survey
ed and plated and shall, under
suitable rules and proportion,
cause the lots in each county seat
to be sold at auction, not more
than three lots to one person or
firm. The proceeds shall be ap-
piled to the erection of county
buildings and any surplus be de-
voted to school purposes. Proper
shall be made for pub
lie purposes-parks, etc" "