Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-12-16
ON TO FORT SILL!
The Choicest of Indian Territory Reser-
yations Soon to be Opened.

vations Soon to be Opened.
After the Cherokee strip, the Fort
Sill country. People have quite gener-
ally got the idea that the strip affords
the last of the big openings of Indian
Territory reservations. This is mis-
take, writes Il Washington correspon
dent of the st. Louis Democrat. The
Fort Sill country is yet to be divided
1t is a far richer prize for the home
seeker, by all accounts, than the strip.
In round number of acres the Chero-
kee strip looks more imposing. But
the western third contains wastes of
sand hills. The western half of the
strip is fit for little else than grazing.
With the Fort Sill country the case is
different. The proportion of fine farm
ing land is much greater. ProSpectors
who have roamed over the Fort Sill
country since the COmanches became
quiet enough not to be troublesome
say it is a region that surpasses Okla
homa and the best of the strip. The
Fort Sill country lies in the southern
part of the Indian Territory. 1t Dor
ders on Red River Just across the
river are the Texas cities of Wichita
Falls, Iowa Park. Vernon and Quanah.
The famous Panhandle wheat belt of
Texas is along Fort Sill reservation.
The latter possesses the qualities of
soil and climate which have made the
former famous. In addition 1t has
more timber and water. There are
about 100000 acres of this Fort Sill
country. Those qualified to speak say
that there is more tirst-clasS farming
land in this reservation than in the
strip. In one valley, the Cache, is rich
land for 10000 farms. After the Co
manches and ApacheS are provided
with their allotments 100000 white
people can find homes in the reserva-
ton. The Fort Sill country has i'll
abundance what is so often lacking in
the Southwest, and that is plenty of
timber of good quality, and springs and
beautiful running streams 1t has
mountains and minerals, diversity of
climate and resources which the north
ern part of the Indian Territory does
not possess. Adjoining the reServa
ton of the Comanches and Apaches,
with whom the Commissioners have
already entered into an agreement for
the purchase of the surplus lands, is
about 100000 acres, occupied by
1000 Wichitas and Caddocs. This
minor reservation is nearly ready for
opening. In fact, there are those in
oklahoma who hold that no legal rea-
sons stand in the way of settlers NOV
ing right into the Wichita country.
When the Wichita and the Fort Sill
reservations are occupied there will be
continuous white settlement from the
Kansas line TO the Red River. The
great barrier between Kansas and
Texas will be removed. The same
pressure which forced the opening of
oklahoma and later the Cherokee strip
has begun to operate against the Wich-
ta tract and the Fort Sill country.
The longing eyes of the boomer are al
ready upon these two fairest regions
Of the whole Indian Territory. Organ
Zations of intending settlers have been
formed all along the north line of
Texas. Around Wichita Falls, Iowa
Park, Vernon and Quanah is a cOun-
try which raises millions of bushels of
wheat and is worth from $40 to $50 an
acre. Just across the river from this
great Southwestern granary is a coun-
try leased to cattlemen for about five
cents an acre. Before another spring
the cry of "On to Fort Silln' will be
heard from all parts of the border and
it will be irresistible.