Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-06-16
The CHEROKEE STRIP.
Salient Features Of the New BiIl Opening
the Land to Settlement.

I
the Land to Settlement.
WASHINGTON, June 14-The bill open
ing the Cherokee strip 10 settlement,
which the committee ON Indian affairs
reported favorably 10 the house yester-
day, differs very much from Chairman
Peel's bill, which he first introduced.
Concerning It, Mr.. Peel said 10 cor
respondent:
"The committee suggested report
just such a bin as / thought best and
when | gave the matter attention
made many changes and backed 1t with
n report which | am proud Of ! have
blocked all sooners, land grabbers,
town lot grabbers, claim jumpers and
have made it possible for an honest
homeseelSer TO get a home without be-
ing disturbed by this class Of individ-
uals. No person can take a claim who
has ever taken claim any place else,
unless he lost such claim by contest
THE president IS required to give
thirty days notice before opening 20
settlement, and any one going on the
land before the date fixed not fDnly for
feits all right but is subject TO fine and
imprisonment, and government officials
are prohibited from locating on land
Any one attempting 10 take land who
is not legally entitled TO is subject TO
fine and imprisonment
"It is opened TO homestead settlers
only, and they are allowed to make pay
ment Of one-half at the end of the Sec
ond year and one-half at the end of the
fourth year. The east one-third Is sold
to the settlers for $3.50 per acre; the
middle third $3.50 per acre, and the
west third, 81 per acre. This is to re-
imburse the government for money
paid the Indians
"'rhe bill provides that before the
country is opened TO settlement the
president shall appoint commission TO
locate all county seats, survey all towns
into lots and blocks and appraise the
same. When the country is opened to
settlement these lots are sold TO the
highest bidders at public auction. The
proceeds are turned over to the county
treasurer in the respective counties TO
be placed in the school fund"
The bill has nothing TO say about
creating new land Offices and Mr.. Peel
expressed the opinion that the business
could be done at Guthrie and King
fisher. The bill viii now go upon the
house calendar and be called up posi-
bly, within month.
Mr.. Peel leaves in few DAYS for Ar
kansas to look after political matters
and says he is assured by the commit
tee on rules that he will be given time
as soon as he returns for the considera-
tion Of the bill. While in Arkansas
few weeks ago looking after renom-
ination he found a strong feeling in
favor of opening the strip to settlement
This caused him 10 take the matter up
and place it before the house. lie says
it will pass the house with little opposi-
tion and meet with practically no oppo-
sition in the senate.
The Indians and whites living in the
country covered by the Quapaw agency
do not want the bill TO pass which opens
their country to settlement and at
taches it to Oklahoma as county j.
=. McNaughton, of the Peoria country,
arrived to-day with petitions from citi-
zens there requesting that the country,
when opened, be annexed TO Kansas or
Missouri but not TO Oklahoma The
petitions viii be presented to the com
mittee having the bill under eonsidera-
tion, and MeNaughton will go before the
committee in behalf of those opposing
this feature of the bill.