The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1894-10-25

and this time deposit OF se5 was re-
qnired with each application. This
effectuails eliminated bogus bids, aud
since then this rule has been strictly
adhered to and IL works well. The
work OF leasing in the Cherokee Out
let had TO be done largely by cores
pondencc, which greatly increased the
necessity for a larger clerical force.
AS high as two thousand four hun
dred letters have been received in
one day. -Four clerks have been kept
constantly and busily employed The
receipts in cash from leasing in tue
Cherokee Outlet were. in round num-
bers, S25, 600 and in notes Sl00, GOO, due
in December, "a, '9a aud 90 Every
prccautio has been taken to insure
the best security possible on these
notes, and all sureties have been re-
quired to make property sta cement on
the notes. However in view of the
high rents agreed to be paid, IL will be
extraordinary IL there is not consid-
erable per cent of bad notes.
The lands in the western counties
do not lease so readily as those in the
eastern portion, and the are not above
one hundred quarters leased in IN"
county. The lands in Beaver county
arc practically all unleased. There
seems TO be no demand, and at this
time there are. only twenty-five quar-
RS leased out of the one thousand
quarters in Beaver county. The main
pus pose for which these lands. as well
as the lands of many of the western
counties of Oklahoma, can be used, is
grazing. | am of the opinion that IL
| Axs,a aI, a.
sections to one person us he might de-
sire. In that way it could be used by
the cattlemen and a very considerable
fund derived therefrom.
The leases executed by Governor
Steele in 1891 expired in April and
July of this year. In the rule hereto
fore prescribed by the secretary of the
interior, no provision was made for
renewing leases that had expired, or
were bout TO expire.
1t seemed unjust to offer all these
lands to the highest bidder, thereby
practically compelling every lessee to
bid against his own improvements;
hence the matter was delayed hoping
that some more equitable law could
be secured.
BY act of congress approved May 4,
1894, this whole matter of leasing
school lands was transmitted to a
board for leasing school lands COM
! posed of the governor, secretary, and
/ superintendent of public instruction.
: Pursuant to this act, the board ordered
I these lands upon which the leases
! would expire during the year 1894 tc
= be released for term to extend from
p the expiration of their present lease
until the lst day of February, 1895. a
price to be agreed upon by the board
not less than heretofore paid. TIL,
} reason for this action was that the
: season had far advanced, and already
! the lessees had planted crops, and M
? change could we'll be made. BY tn,
S same act of congress, the legislator,
was authorized to make rules and reg
a ulations for the leasing of schoo
, lands; consequently, IL was though
a best to extend the leases until the leg
( isla.ure should meet The rent on tn
Y new leases was raised on an average
q of about so per cent.
y have endeavored to keep the ex
penses of tnis department at a mini
+ mum, but the vast column of busi
I ness passing through the offic
I he's con ,iderably raised the ex
t penses for the last year; beside
: records had to be purchased, and
n very considerable amount of advertis
T. ing had to be done. Prior to this ad
= ministration the records were very in
l. adequate. and an entire and elaborat,
e set of records had to be purchased.
= In the tables appended, | have en-
deavored to set forth the condition o
the office, and show the work of thi
y year as compared with former years
e The fund derived from these lease
: has grown to be most excellent hel
S to our common schools, and will prob
d ably reach SO per capita.
e BY the act of congress approved Ma
@ 4, 1894, the reservation by the presi
/. dent, of sections 10 and S3Ii n each con
l. gressional township for the use of col
= leges and public buildings, which wa
: confirmed, the board for leasing schoo
d land was authorized TO lease the sam
Is for three years. The board advertise
o for bids to be received until July Il
IS 1894, but as the leasing of these land
q does not come within the fiscal year
v they can not be treated here, eXcep
'e to say that the reservation of thes
o lands was very praiseworthy act o
" the part of the president and of cor
gress, and will do much to advance tn
M educational and public interests of tn
n Territory.
This increases the land under tn
!, control of the school land offiC
until now it has reached
round mum bers, l,250,000 acre