Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-11-08
8EtzIafg;MNS
s=zzS<=====-@
the FoRT SUI COUNTRY.

Three MIufon Acres Of Rfeh zrminE Lands
Yer Fsszrs BssueFs-
People generally got the idea that the
Cherokee strip affords the last Of the big
sueninzs Of Indian TerTitoEy rsserTa-
tons. This i a mistake. The FOT1 Stil
coautry Is yet 20 b divided II Il . far
rieher prize for the hOmesesker, by al
accounts, than the strip In rUund
number Of screz the CaerOkee strip looks
more imposing. But the western third
contains wastes q sand hills. The west
en- half Of the strip Is 6t for little else
than grazing. With the Fort Sill ooun-
try the case Is different ThepToportion
Of fine farming land l. much greater.
ProspectOrs who have rnamesi over the
FOrT Sill country since the Couanehes
became quies enough not 70 Be trouble
sOms say il Is q region that surpasses Ok
lshOma and the best Of the strip. The
Fort Sill country lies in the southern
part Of the Indian Territory. Il borders
On Red river. Just across the river are
the Texas cities Of Wichita Falls, Iowa
Park, Vernon and Quansh- The famous
| Panhandle wheat belt Of Texas Is along
I the Fort Sill reservation The latter
possesses the qualities Of soil and climate
/ which have made the former famous
K In addition IL has more timber aud wa
| ter. TEere are about 3,0O0, 90 acres Of
/ Fort SiH country.
Those qualified 70 speak say that there
| i mora first class farming land N this
reservation than IN the strip. In one
1 - - ~=~t- e. I'D III
/ farms After the Comznches and Apacbes
are provided with their allOtments 100,-
60 white people can find homes In the
reservation The Fort Sill country has
/ IN abundance what Is 50 often lacking IN
the southwest, and that Is plenty Of tim
ber Of good quality and springs and beau
| tIful running streams II has mountains
and minerals, diversity Of climate and
resources which the northern part Of the
Indian Territory does not possess Ad
l joining the reservation Of the COmanches
and Apzches, with whom the cOmInis-
sioners have already entered in.O an
agreement for the purchase Of IL sur
plus lands, are about / 900. 90 acres occu-
pied by 1000 Wichitas and Caddoes-
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 moving
right into the Wichita country. Whsu
the Wichita and Fort Sill reservations
are occupied, there will bs continuous
white settlements from the Kansas line
to the Red river. The same pressure
which forced the opening Of Oklahoma
and later of the Cherokee strip has De-
gun TO operate against the Wichita tract
and the Fort Sill country. The longing
eyes Of the boomer are already upon
these two fair regions OF the whole
Indian Territory. Organizations Of in
tending settlers have been formed al
along the north line Of Texas. Around
Wichita Falls, Iowa Park, Verona and
Quanah is a country which rsises mil
lions Of bushels Of wheat and which is
worth from 80 10 so an acre Just
across the river from this great south
western granaEy is a country leased 10
cattlemen for about cents an acre.
Before another spring the CRY Of ''On 10
Fort Sillr' will be heard from all parts
Of the border, and it will be irresistible.
st. Louis Globe-DemOcrat.