The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-03-31
GRAND RUSH.
Prospective Settlers Ready For 1t
in the Cherokee Strip.
A NEW PLAN To be TRIED.
The Free-For-AlI Scramble an Acknowi-
edged Fsiiure-Sooners still Being
Seat to Prison For Perjury
Delays Expected.

1
| ARKANSAS CITY, Kan, March Ell.
| w. Gillingswater, representing the in
terror department, and ]. III. Cisney, OF
the Indian land commission, who were
sent to the Cherokee border to investi-
gate the conditions existing, have just
| completed their first tour of the Indian
lands soon to be opened. The govern
ment officers went directly from here
to the Oklahoma side and made the
! circuit of the entire western division.
| They found the same conditions pre-
vailing everywhere which exist here.
More prospective settlers have located
on the southern border than on the
Kansas side and have everything in
readiness for the grand rush for a
homestead.
There is very little difference in the
character and wealth of the settlers, so
the officials say. They are with few
exceptions very poor and have used
what little means they brought with
them in providing food for their fami-
lies and stock. Few, if any, of them
have taken any steps toward renting
land and putting in a crop, for
all expect the new lands to be
opened this spring Every small creek
that flows into the strip from either
the Kansas or Oklahoma side is lined
with prospective homeseekers and
every day brings additions to the rest
less colonists. The prospective home
Staadars almost without axaaDfion ax-
pect to make rush for the interior
lands, just as was done when Oklahoma
was opened, but if this policy is pur-
sued by President Cleveland it will be
against the protests of nearly all the
government officers who have made
study of the conditions
Although it has been impossible to
get any expression from either Presi-
dent Cleveland or Secretary of the In
terror Smith regarding the plan which
will be pursued in opening up the new
land, the reports which have been for
warded to Washington are indirect pro-
tests against the free-f for-all scramble
which took place when Oklahoma and
other new lands were opened 1t is
thought by those who have been
charged with the investigation that an
entirely new policy will be pursued.
The plan which meets with the most
favor among the government officers
who have prosecuted offenders and
been in a position to Judge of the un-
satisfactory results attending former
openings, is to have all prospective set
tiers enrolled and all agents appointed.
n plan will then have to be devised by
which prospective homesteadcrs can
draw lots for their pieces of land. The
flee and United States courts have
been overhauled and it has been
found that contests nave been en-
tered against one-half of the lands
located upon. Only last week nincte0n
persons were sent to the penitentiary
for perjury committed in an attempt to
hold lands which sooners filed upon
and there are 1.5OO more cases on the
docket One of the government agents,
in speaking of the old plan of having
free-fOr-all race, said:
ut is admitted on all sides that the
Oklahoma opening was fiat failure
Secretary Noble SO recognized it and
am satisfied would never have consent
ed to Il similar plan with the Cherokee
Iands So far rs the coming opening is
the whole matter rests with
President Cleveland and he has given
no indication of the course he will pur-
sue"
Notwlths landing the statement sent |
from Washington that an ATTEMPT will !
be made to open the land in time for a
spring croo, many things have arisen |
which will cause a delay. Tuesday the |
Cherokee council will meet at Table !
1uah and adyices received here are that |
the sale will be ratified without much 1
but no end OF trouble Is be- /
ing experienced with the seventy /
Indian allOtmentS, which must be
made before the lands can be !
opened According to the provisions !
Of the bill, there were 20 Indians
who had improvements in the strip
each of whom is entitled to select 100
acres of land. 1t viii be necessary
appoint an agent or commission to
settle the controversies which have
tTlSSH. NlDTC Iud -UJ lnuid rs Will
contest for an allotment under this pro-
yision, each claiming to BE- one of the
original 20. Land Inspector Cisney
stated to-day that he did not believe
matters could be adjusted before fall.
Mr.. Gillingswater, who represents
he interior department, however, is OF
he opinion that after the Cherokees
lave ratified the sale everything can be
'ushed through, so that the lands NAV
De opened by May 90. An opening at
ater date would do little good SO far as
spring crop IS concerned The
boomers who have settled along the
border are daily becoming more rest
ess, but there is no talk of invasion,
Every section of land in the strip
S patrolled once day By United
states troops, and the steps taken to
IDENTIFY the sooners has deferred the
settlers from entering on
he strip lands. The company organ
zed here to invade the strip has been
dissolved and the boomers have svs-
gone about presenting the
necessity for an opening in time for a
pring crop to the interior department.
There are $4,000 farms of 100 acres
ach in the strip, including the lands
f the Tonkawas and Pawnees, which
will be opened at the same time.
--
Anti-Truck Law Unconstitutional
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, March 21.-The