The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-14
THE APPRAISEMENT OF THE LANDS
IN THE CHEROKEE STRIP.

The following is summary of the re-
port of the commission appointed by
Secretary of the Interior Schurz to ap.
praise the lands of the Cherokee strip
| which will be read with interest by the
settlers of Oklahoma as well as those in
| tending to settle on that beautiful strip
of country contiguous to south Kansas.
SIR:-The commission appointed by
the honorable secretary of the interior to
appraise the Cherokee lands in the Indian
Territory have the honor to submit the
following report:
We reached the Indian Territory south
of Arkansas City, Kan, on the 18th of
April, and on the following day began
| work.
In general, the fractional townships
lying along the right bank of the Arkan
sas river, within our work, are much
broken with little low bottom land and
not much timber. The slopes of the hill
are generally too abrupt for cultivation,
and are additionally untitled by frequent
outcropping lodges of limestone rocks.
This common character extends to from
six to eight miles from the river, beyond
which the slopes became more gentle,
with less outcropping stone and deeper
SOIL
The valley of the Shakaska river, with
the country drained by its tributaries, is
exceedingly rich, and the shape Of the
surface is almost perfection. 1t is quite
we'll supplied with timber of good quail
itv, principally burr and post oak, pecan,
hack berry, walnut and cottonwood. In
range east, stream runs south through
townships %, 81, 90 and 25 north, called
Bodoo. The country drained by it is
fine, and along the stream there is a fair
supply of valuable timber. Probably 30
per cent of the country drained by the
Shakaska river and Bodoc creek is
prairie.
1.-The country between the Salt Fork
of the Arkansas river and Red Rock
creek, east of the road which runs south
west from Arkansas City to Fort Sill and
west of range east, is quite similar TO
the valley of the Shakaska. but not so
we'll supplied with timber. In township
81 north, range l east, the country is
more rolling. with occasional outcrop-
pings of sandstone.
The country between Rock creek and
Black Bear creek IS quite rolling; some
what TOO much so. The quality of the
soil is not quite so good as that north of
Red Rock. The supply OF timber Is bet,
ter; probably 10 Per cent OF the land is
forest.
From the west side of townships %
and % north, range / west, going east,
the country becomes somewhat broken
By occasional lodges of sandstone The
Pawnee lands are quite rolling, abund-
antly timbered. and well watered. There
are many varieties OF fine buildings
easily accessible, in all sections. Por-
tons are rough and rocky, and insult
able for cultivation.
1.-THE country east of the Pawnee
lands lying in the fork of the Arkansas
aud Cimarron rivers. Is quite billy and
rocky. much OF ii Is very little value. 1t
Is we'll watered and timoered probably
80 per cent. of the country is forest.
''WeS, OF range east, as far as and IN
Guiding range west, the country be-
tween Black Bear creek and the south
bound,y of the Cherokee lands is gener-
ally OF inferior character. Ii a. mojer-
atelv Well supplied with water, timber
and stone, and IS better adapted to stock
raising than general farming Some
portions rear the Indian meridian aie
quite broken.
The country drained by blackberry
and Skeleton creeks is principally OF far
quality, smooth surface, with very little
timber or stone of value. Much of the
land is moderately we'll adapted 10 gem
eral farming. Tie country about the
heads of Black Bear aud Red Rock
creeks and That drained by Nine Mile
ana Sand creeks. is almost wholly de-