The sun., 1892-09-22
The Red Mans Real Estate.

The Commissioners who have been bar
gaining with the Kiowas and Comunches
for the purchase Of their surplus lands an
hounce the readiness OF the Indians to sell
and the probable opening OF more than
10000 acres to settlement.
The kiowas and Comanches occupy the
tract between the Wachlta and Red rivers.
west Of tho Chickasnw reservation. 1t Is
mountainous In the neighborhood ot Fort
Sill. but generally we'll watered. Under
any agreement fixed upon the Indians will
have severalty alotments. like the Chey-
ennes and Arapuhoes. their neighbors.
The area now to be acquired is a little
larger than tho original Oklahoma pur-
chases from the Creeks and Scminoles. and
about two-thlrds the size OF Connecticut:
yet it Is not moro than Il sixteenth part OF
the land which the various tribes have sold
or set aside for sale to the Government
within three years.
The Sioux lands in the Dakotas yielded
about 1900. coo acres. we believe: the Chip
pewa lands. In Minnesota. about 1000 900: 4:
the Grow lands. in Montana. about ,soO. 900 /;
the Colvilie reservation. in Washington.
about 100000 the Fort Berthold region. in
North DakOta. about 100000: the Sisseton
and Wahpcton reservation. in South Dakota.
about 100000: the Crur dAlcne. in Idaho,
1S4.9G0.
Coming to what was once the Indian Ter
ritory. but now is in large part included
within the territorial limits OF Oklahoma.
we find first the Creek and Seminole re-
lease. aggregating 1887. .sol; thcn the Chey-
cnne and Arapahoe sale, about 5000, ,OOO; !;
the Wichita. close by. $4,000; the Sac and
Fox. 39l .1s5: the Iowa. 2l944G: the Kicka-
poo. $780, .4G6: the Tonkawa. $1,000; the Pot
tawatomie and Absentee Shawnee. 2Ss. .S9o ;
the Cherokee Strip. over 60O0. 900; and now
the Comanche and Apache. about 1900. 900.
All these transactions date either in their
primary or final stages within tho last two
and half years. The aggregate exceeds
33.0OO.O0O acres. and while possibly in some
cases the severalty allotmcnts may not DO
deducted, in nearly or quito every instance
the reckoning OF areas open to settlement
are exclusive of those set apart for Indian
occupation. Wo may safely say that an ag-
grcgatc Of over $1,000 square miles has thus
been acquired by purchase within this short
period. For some tracts ST an acre has
been paid. In n few instances. for special
reasons. the price MAY have fallen lower.
but for many million acres as high
rs sl.25 has been paid. while the price
agreed upon for tho Cherokee Strip is still
higher In some cases the lands arc to bo
sold for the benefit of tho Indians, SO that
the cxuct yield will not 10 known for n
time. or the Puyallup reservation less
than 1900 acres are to he sold. but it lies
near the city OF Tacoma. and, according to
Secretary NOBLE. who recently visited it,
somc parts are worth $500 or 81. 900 an acre.
SO that 1t is serious problem how best to
sell IL for the Indians. who want to turn it
into money.
The main point is that these various
agreements. which may yield the Indians
more than $50. 100000. have been arranged
at fair prices. considering that good land
and bad are taken together and that tho
Government must wait long time for re-
turns from large proportion OF what it
pays for at once. In no case, also, has tho
complaint been made that the red men do
not retain enough for their own use. Tho
allotments In severalty are liberal, and will
increase In value through the opening of
adjoining lands to white settlers, while tho
law wisely prevents their alienation during
long PERIOD before the end OF which tho
owners or their children may be able to
takc care Of their interests.