The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-03-30
ANINTEREsrING LETTER
From a Former Winstonian, Now in
the Indian Territory.

To the Editor of The Sentinel
TULSA, I. r., March 23.-It is quite
change from the towering noun
tains, secluded glens and fertile val
leys of the old ''tar heel' State to the
almost boundless prairies of the Indian
Territory. The eye unused to having
such vast field of vision spread out
before it, grows tired and strained,
and the head swims and grows dizzy.
The rolling prairie, carpeted with liv-
ing green, seems like q vast inland
ocean and the scattered cabins of the
Indians and settlers might be taken
for ships ploughing their way through
the watery main. The prospective
opening up Of the "Cherokee outlet"
has caused a large influx of home
seekers into this section. As the
strip is closed against them, they
are camped along the Kansas, Usage
and Creek borders.
This is certainly a beautiful country
and possesses all the natural adyan-
tageS that could be desired by the
most exacting. A surface just rolling
enough to afford sufficient drainage. a
soil the fertility of which is almost
ineXhaustible, a climate which is'a hap
by medium between the excessive cold
of the North and the enervating heat
of the far South. The heat of sum-
mer is tempered by cool breeZeS from
the snow capped summit of the Rock
les and the cold of winter mitigated
by balmy winds, warmed by their pas
sage over tropic seas, and yet redoIent
with the warm perfume of the pine
apple and orange flower.
The soil is limestone and produces
large crops of corn, wheat, rye and
other grains. Corn yields from fifty
to eighty bushels per acre, wheat from
twenty-five to fifty bushels, other
grains in proportion. Cabbage. tur-
nips, beets, onions and in fact all veg
etables commonly denominated gar
den truck grows to perfection and
yields proliffcally.
As fruit region this country is I'M
eXcellcd by any spot in the Union. If
the apple given by the serpent to old
Grandmother Eve, had been a Ben
Davis grown and ripened in this ter
ritory, any jury would have rendered
a verdict of acquittal, without leaving
their box, could they have been cajol-
ed into Sampling the luscious fruit.
This place, Tulsa, is in the Creek
nation and, of course, the ''pale face"
cannot hold land in fee-simple, as the
authorities at Washington long ago
ordained that these lands could not be
alienated from the Indians. How
ever, the Creeks offer liberal induce
ments to white men to settle among
them by system of leaseS-the most
liberal the oworld lever saw. Talk
about the liberality of "Uncle Sam,''
your uncle isn't sin it, with the Creek
Indian. Your uncle requires much
and gives but little, the Indian on the,
contrary, asks but little and offers
much. He possesses millions of acres
of the finest farming lands in the
universe, virgin prairie, fertile rs the
valley of the Nile, and which only
requires fencing and breaking up to
yield the most prolific crops.
These lands are useless to the red man
except for hunting purposes and he is
quite willing, for slight cOnsidera-
ton, to give his white brother a long
lease, rent free, which discounts own
erShip as there are no taxes to pay.
Many who came out with the inten-
ton of securing homeSteadS on the
Cherokee outlet upon seeing the
many advantages offered by the Indi-
an country, have concluded to aban-
don the homestead idea and take
leases here.
The only reason that can be assign
ed for these rich lands, lying idle and
uncultivated SO long, is the fact that
this country offers positively no in
ducements to the real estate agent or
boomer" There are no farms, no
corner lots to be dealt-in and a real
estate mans name here would soon be
Dennis.
Another reason that might be given
is the unenviable notOriety given to
this section by the exaggerated re-
ports in the press OF the dOings of the
Starr, Dalton ana other gangs of like
ilk, but let it be remembered that the
DaltonS were externinated at COffey
vile, Kansas, last year, ana the lead
erS of the other gangs have either re-
formed and become good citizens or
else are sleeping their last long sleep
with their toes turned up to the
daisies.
To those who contemplate removing
to this section, would say that no
where are life and property safer than
in 7the Territory. The humaniziug
influence Of the gospel has made its
way inbo these wilds, and neat church
es aud school houses are to be seen on
every side. Let no one be deferred by
reports of outlawfy from removing to
this country. The leases | have men,
toned will all be taken in the course
OF six months or a year, as many are
becoming familiar with the induce
ments offered by the Greek and Usage
Indians. G. f. MCGEE.
uvNcrCNu roDaCC0 rFaDUEr