The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-09-27
Where and What the "Chero-
kee Strip" Is.

ern half Of this Western World is new
no longer. The name is cuigrown for
/ American uss.
TIE WEST NO LoNoFR WILD"
! The @wnining ofthe West as one his
torian has called it; the vast phenome-
non OF the movement Of the people O.
the globe, in which, as another historian
has said, the civil war was mere inter
/ lude, IS over. Uncle Sans long land de-
bauch, his riotous spending Of his acres,
/ has closed. The period in which he
must 30 battle on equal terms with the
elder nations IN the struggle for suprema-
/ cy Of race and survival has opened.
Therefore they are historic figures that
are now passing over the Kansas aud
/ Nebraska border and driving young Mr.
Lamar and his six land Office CLERKS in
70 incipient paresis as they clamor about
the booths for the certificates which Will
enable them to become free holders Of
/ the last American soil TO be given away
to settlers. They are the last guard Of
an army Of millions, which for quarter
of a millennium and more since Win-
thrcp planted his first post in Massachu-
setis and John Smith in Virginia, have
been marching upon the wilderness, till
now the wilderness has its separate land
owners as much as New York City.
THE PROMISED LAND.
The Cherokee strip IS valued q. s9,O00.-
600. Time was when the early land
spectators, Colonel Duer here and Rob
ert Morris in Philadelphia, lsnsuished
in Jail because their creditors would not
take such patches of Western lands in
payment for petty personal debts. The
strip is Il miles wide and lS5 miles
long, and though it contains 100000
acres, ani two-thirIs of this is as tic for
farming as New York State, the other
third viii require irrigation, which is 4
problem Of the future. The best Of the
land. however, will realize TO the success
fol boomers al that the IsTaelites prom
issd themselves IN their Csnaan Of milk
and honey afler their spies came back TO
them. The climate will allow Of farm
Ing for ten months in q year. The boomer
can, if he has cattle, let his land lie in
pasture, for it is covered with blue stem,
game, buffalo and other succulent grasses
II he has none he can begin with wheat,
corn and oats, and go on as he gathers
capital and experience and realizes the
value Of rotation into sugar beet and sor-
ghum, and even tobacco and cotton rais-
ing. There is magic in that soil Then
he can pass fIom f.rming into viticullure
for Ca.ifornians have said that the outlet
is as well adapted f3r f.ui; raising, and
therefore for wine making, as the south
ern portion Of their own favored State.
TIE boomer wall have the tremendous
advantage over previous settlers Of the
public domain in that the railroads have
preceded him with their facilities for
bringing products TO market. Three
lines cross the strip-the Santa Fe main
line on the east, a branch Of it on the
southwest and the Rock Island through
the middle section. In so small a terri
tory but few lateral feeders viii be nee
essary 70 bring every corner OF it within
reach Of tine produce dealers Of Kansas
City and st. Louis.
HOW To GET TIE LAND.
In order to get the land the boomer or
boomeress mast file an aiEi javit at the
Land Olice to the effect that be or she is
4 citizen Of the United States or has de
clsred intention to become such, and
that be o. she does not own 150 acres Of
land in any other State or Territory.
This process may be gone through with
either before or after settling. It is safe
10 say that nearly every boomer has gone
through with it before, for which pnr-
{ pose L. q. c. Lamar and L. D. Pace and
six Interior Department clerks set up
booths last Saturday iast outside Of Hen
messy, Oklahoma Territory. This done,
the boomers are ready for the grand
rush. Each can select bis 100 acres Of
land. lie mast then live five years upon
it and then pay the government SiG0,
SIPS, S1.J0 or = 90 an acres with Z per
cent. interest, according 10 its lection, as
indicated on the accompanying map.
Hundreds of the boomers are Of course
spectators, who Will sell their claims al
ter they have perfected them.
The last Of the public domain is boun-
ded on the north by Kansas, on the east
by the remainder Of the Indian Terrific
~, out Of which it is carved on the south
by the infant Territory Of Oklahoma,
and on the west b. the portion Of the
Indian Territory known as No Mans
Land. It's political structure at the pres
ent consists simply of seven counties,
named temporarily X, L, VI, y, o, and
q Elch has go acres Of land reserved
for the site cf 8 county seat. The rival
railroads viii lake hand in the early
creation Of Territorial capital out Of
one OF these sections.
UNCLE SAM PAID FOR TIE LAND.
The land comes to Uncle sam honest
Is. It was given to the Cherokees in
1891 rs a hunting ground, and therefore
called their Outlet They then claimed
1t ia fee, but the courts decided that they
could only use If fo- It's original purpose.
Nevertheless, Uncle sam gave them S.
100000 for their tight to hunt over the
ground, fcreseeing that the privilege
might be an aEk ward one to give up.
He was a small man, the conductor Of
an electric car, and she was Z large,
powerful looking woman.
Il want you 10 put me of at Concord
street" she said.
He viewed her msjestic figure for a