The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
FACTS ABOUT THE FIVE TRIBES.
Their Numbers, Land Holidays, Resources,
aad FroEress Toward Civilization.

WASHINGTON, Dec. l5.-ln view OF the pro-
posed legislation upon Indian Territory, special
interest attaches to the report Of Mr.. Thomas
Donaldson, expert special agent. upon the 1--WE
tribes inhabiting that Territory.
These tribes are entirely self-supporting, four
of the five living on lands patented to them, and
deriving an income from their funds held by the
national Government. They have large herds
OF cattle and horses and some sheep and swine.
Their tools and agricultural implements are
about the same as those OF the average white
people OF Arkansas and Missouri. The land is
largely used for grazing, and heavy hay crops
are cut along river and creek bottoms. Enor-
nous areas are thus used by individuals. by
merely running a plough furrow through or
around the trace. and one such area contains
more than $4,000 acres. The five tribes have
well housed in brick, frame, or log houses.
Although these tribes are not under the control
for certain purposes, and have an agent at Mus
cOgee, at what Is known as Union agency, his
relations to the tribes being regulated by the
treaties and by the Secretary OF the Interior.
Many of the lands OF the original Indian Ter
rit9ry are now either in Kansas or Oklahoma,
and those that remain are made up of the lands
of the nve tribes and OF Quapaw agency. The
former consist approximately OF 5,03l, 35l acres
ChickasSw, 6,6ss 600 in ths Choctaw
lChahtal, S,o40,495 in the Creek, and $4,000
Ave tribes In Indian Territory are 10, 1878
acres, or 30,0l4.75 square miles. The area OF the
seven small reservations at the Quapaw agency
Is 2l2. 25S acres, or 33l. B6 square miles. These
include the Eastern avn Peoria, MOdoc, OF
tawa, Quapaw, Seneca and Csyuga, aud Wyan-
dotts. Adding the QuApaw agency To the five
tribes, the total area of Indian Territory be-
comes 10, O9s,O 30 acres. or 3l,246.4l square
miles. The Cherokee capital is Tahlequah; the
Greek, Okmulgee; the ChOctaw, TushkahOmA
the Chickasaw, T~ishomingo; the Seminole, We
woka. As nations within a nation these
tribes are an anomaly The CherOkees, Greeks,
and SeminOles have each a principal and second
chief and treasurer; the ChOctaws, a chief, sec
Rotary, auditor, and treasurer; the ChickAsaWs,
a chief, treasurer, and auditor. All have legis-
latuTes or councils. AS will presently be seen,
for every Indian there are two whites or negroes
In the Territory. and these, whether mere in
truders or licensed residents. can obtain no
land by purchase. The number OF the non-resi-
dents increases every year. Meanwhile this
Territory has no Territorial organization under
the laws OF the United States.
Indian Territory Is larger than South Caro-
lima. Its temperature Is said 70 vary from l2s
TO 99s, with . mean Of So. There 10 : great al
Versity Of soil, mostly alluviaL, OF much fer
tlity, with well watersd rolling prairie, plenty
Of timber, and numerous rich river bottoms.
The oak forests, known As the cross timbers,
thirty miles vide or more, run from Texas u
Kansas. and have magnificent groves Of eRor-
NOUS trees. The water supply rs abundant in
GLIDING the North and south Canadian. CimAr-
ron, little ATkAnAas, HeOshO or Grand. aud
fsSai<u4 EHes ~ LhslStsA e haAdARa