Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-02
CHICKASAW COUNTRY.
Only Few FuIl-Bloods Left-Good Dep
uty AIarshRIs and Bad-Churchcs
and Schools
Sneo;a1 to the Gazette.

ARDMoRE, 1. T., Feb. IL have just ar
rived in s-city frem the Lone Star state,
and am greatly surprised at the rush of
business and the appearance of things gen
orally. The first thing that Texan will
notice here is the absence of Indians.
There is but handful of full-blood Chick
asaws left, and they are huddled together
in the vicinity of Stonewal and
Tishomingo, living in small cabins and
living a life of incidence and poverty.
There are about seventy-fve thousand
white people in the Chickasaw Nation.
They have opened farms, built school and
church houses, and it is difficult for one to
realize that this is the Indian Territory.
Ardmore has a fine cotton compress, flour
ing mills, United States courthouse, a col
lege ice factory, and more than a hundred
business houses, aud has received to date
about thirty thousand bales of cot
ton grown by farmers in the sur
rounding country, every bale of
which was grown by non-citizen tenants.
Immense quantities of corn, wheat, oats
and barley are grown and marketed here
also.
The idea that the people of the Territory
are desperadoes, cut Threats and thieves is
quickly dispe lied by associating with them.
A more prosperous, enterpriSing and IN
dustrious people l have never met, and the
old-time hospitality OF the pioneer days is
met with on every hand. Within the last
five years this country has been completely
changed from stock growing to an agri-
cultural country, the soil yielding bounti-
full harvests to the plowmau. The stock
business is relegated to the past and can
never thrive again in the boundary of the
tive civilized tribes.
Two Federal courts have jurisdiction
over this portion of the Indian Territory.
The Paris court has jurisdiction in all
H.
ArdmOre court having concurrent lurisdic-
ton with that at Paris in cases of
introducing whisky and few others. The
two courts are conducted Oy United States
marshals and their deputies, the officers be-
ing paid fees for their labor. The mar
shal'S fees for arresting man for bringing
a quart of whisky,into the Territory is about
$50 If the prisoner makes the required
bond IN some cases, which is usually from
$500 to $500 he is lucky, indeed, for if the
deputy marshal can spirit him awayAto
Paris before he has time to see his
friends and make the bond it adds
several dollars to his fees. Many
4 farmer. living fifty or sixty miles ipffhe
country, having occasion to visit reladveS
in Texas, or having business in the state
on returning home with flask of whisky
for family use is arrested, taken before q
commissioner at Ardmore, his bond placed
at an enormous amount, and if he fails to
make it is hurried of to the Paris
Jail aud a blank bond forwarded on
10 his home for his friends to
fill and procure his release, Many of the
deputy marshals are clever and accommoz
dating, doing what they can to suppress
crime, but there are others, armed win
Winchesters and six-shooters, who are fhe
worst type of deSperadoeS and will StooH to
anything for a small fee. This class of Af-
ficers have done more to give the IndmR
Territory bad name than all things else'
combined, and the people are of
the opinion that complete jurisdiction
for the Territory courts is the only
remedy for this pernicious evil And it
requires but a short stay here for one to
fully realize that their grievance is real
Work is being pushed on the Rock lslSnd
southward from Minco. twill cross Red
river near the ComanchSEfine, and VII go
by way of Henrettyrto Fort WoRth and
will be constructeSfEs rapidly as Possible.
CHICKAsAW.