The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-06-23


ing the entire length of the side of the
square; and back of these the stables,
where 800 magnificent horses are kept
in lighting trim" the year round.
On the south are the officers, guard
house, etc., and ON the east the of.
ficer's quarters, large one and hall
story stone structures with wide latte
ed porches; all built of blue limestone
and well calculated to defy the ardent
kisses of the southern sun. Peach
trees and grape vines loaded with
fruit, well kept walks and carefully
trimmed shade trees contribute to the
pleasant picture and altogether it is a
handsome spot and the inhabitants of
the post smile when you suggest that
life there might grow monotonous.
Army officers are, almost without ex-
ception, accomplished and polished
gentlemen and as there are few ladies
in the land who would slight an in
vitatiol. to visit an army post society
is seldom lacking.
There are at present about 400 men
at Fit. Sill; Col. Parker is in command
and Lieut.. Penn, a genial gentleman
as well as a gallant officer, Is Post
Adjutant.
A word, however, of the route to
this country. Crossing the South
Canadian River and the Rock Island
Railroad at Minco, ii miles south of
Fort Reno, we travel in southwest
erly direction through the Wichita
reservation. 1t is an ordinary prairie
country. \ good, somewhat sandy,
soil, probably well adapted to wheat
raising, but lacking timber and
streams. a few small lakes furnish
water for the almost countless thous-
of fine cattle that find splendid pas
turage in these waving oceans of lux
uriant grass. 1t is an ideal cattle
country; and it is little wonder that
the "barons" are not looking forward
with any great degree of impatience
for its opening to white settlement.
That time, however, is coming as fast
as the leisurely methods of congress
sional action can bring it about. For
years the Cherokee Strip has been
considered the great cattle range of
this country, and so it is. 1t is big
cOuntry-many times the size of the
Wichita, but in riding through both
sections it is no exaggeration to say
that for every steer seen in the Strip
hundred will be in sight here. And
they are grade cattle, and not the long
horned, Timber jointed bovine racer of
the Texas plains peculiar to the Strip.
The Washita river is the south line
OF the Wichita reservation, dividing
it from that of the Kiowas, Conan
ches and Apaches. 1t is without
doubt the finest stream in the Indian
Territory. The water is clear, it is of
uniform depth, the banks high and
very heavily timbered. The country
is still sandy, but the Washita valley
is evidently very rich and no where
can be seen finer corn than is produc-
ed in the small fields cultivated by
the government employees at the
Agency at Anadarko. A few miles
south of the river the sand suddenly
ceases and the black limestone soil
appears. The general contour of the
country is much the same but the
streams as you go further south, take
the character of mountain streams
clear and rapid and rolling over their
rocky beds with gurgle that is mus
ic and laughter to the weary ears of
the sun burned, begrimed traveller.
Handsome trout and black bass can
be seen lazily posing in the clear
depths and come eagerly to the bait.
The heavy woods are musical with
the twitter of birds-and the mos
quito is a holy terror.
This charming country continues to
Fort Sill, which is located at the sou tn
eastern terminus of the Wichita
mountains and in full view of the
highest point.
Twelve miles west of the Fort. and
over road that could easily be con-
verted into city boulevard, is Mount
Scott, the highest peak in the Wich-
tia Mountains. 1t rises abruptly and |
without foot hills from the plains, 1900 |
feet from base to summit. At first |
the ascent is easy, the gravelly, gras-
sy slope affords good footing and it |
seems a small undertaking to reach
the top. But further up it grows
more difficult; the gravel has changed
into stones and they are all set on
edge-then from stones to boulders
and from boulders to castles and cas-
tie walls whose formidable faces as
you approach them seem to cut off all
further progress. But here is a fis-
sure in the rock; a mass of granite ev-
identity fallen from a great hight, has