Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-29
DELAWARE DEIAWAR

got s12, 500. Small as this sum was
fhe principal established was the main
thing, and go pursuing this line the
Delawares, together with the Shwnees,
induced Congress in 1890, to grant
jurisdiction to the court OF claims to
Determine their rights as Incorporated
participants with the Cherokees with
respect to moneys derived from the sale
or lease of Cherokee lands.
Suit was brought in the court of
claims and a verdict secured two
Years ago by the Delawares and Shaw
noes. Following this last year the
Delawares and Shawnees brought
another suit to recover their interest in
the IS, 296, 600 due the Cherokees for
the sale of the Cherokee Strip, or Out
LET. in 1893. This suit the Delawages
won also and secured judgment for
about 1920, 900 as their respective share.
Appeal was taken to the Supreme
Court, and last winter the Judgment
was sustained. The money is, there
fore. now due out of the reserve provi-
IDENTIFY set aside by Congress in antici
patton of the Judgment Of the COURTS
and the Interior Department is max
| ing arrangements to pay it over to the
chief of the Delawares in a couple Of
weeks.
MOUNTING TO THE MILLIONS.
But much greater lump of money
has lately come into the hands of the
lucky Delawares. In 1891 tho sum Of
500, 600 was paid them on account Of an
old treaty provision touching lands in
Kansas, and in 1892 the further sum
of $40, 900 was paid them for improve
ments upon the lands they sold to the
Pacific railroad, while in 1893 the sum
of $500, 600, trust funds and interest
from the sale Of lands in Kansas, held
in the treasury, including $50, 500 in
Union Pacific bonds and $140, 600 in
Florida and North Carolina State
bonds, was paid to the tribe per capita
in pursuance of the mandates of Con-
gress in 1901 and 1893 Now it is hold
that the decision of the courts gives
the Delawares a proportionate interest
also in the old trust funds Of the
Cherokees, especially since by the
treaty of 1867 the Delawares paid the
Cherokees sl2s, 900 cash as their share
in those funds.
Those funds now amount to 81, COZ,
000 and are lying in the treasury, and
the Delawares' share in them, if made
good, as is probable, would be S73 1873.
Adding this to the foregoing amounts
of trust funds and independent pay
ments it is seen that the Delawares
have recently become possessed Of
| 81, 2s1, 63S, either actual cash in hand
or funds held for their benefit. But
beside this the DelawareH have S651, 69S
worth of buildings and houses with i'm
provements, stock, cattle, and grain,
and 81, S78 acres of highly fertile land,
worth 81, 1914, 600 at $50 per acre; and
in addition they are stated to have in
dividually not less than 81, 5S7 on ar
average per capita, previously invested
in trade or in ready cash in hand, de-
rived from licenses, intruder permits
and rents from lands, or in bulk APP
proximately 81, 1877, 00o So that count
ing in this amount with the others IRE.
spectively 81, 281, 63S and 1851, 1893 and
81, 1914, 000) the Delawares can be
credited with available wealth aggre-
eating 81, 524, 900, or SO, 600 per capita
for each of the 1854 men, women and
children Of the tribe.
They conduct number of mills and
factories, and all their prope. y is well
cared for, their houses being substan.
tial and their farms, orchards and
fences kept in prime condition. Over
200 of them are members of the Della
ware Baptist Church, and the children
attend the public schools.