The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-09-26


at Lansing, Kansas, under contract
with the state, whereby the territory
pays 25 cents per day for each convict |
and pays transportation, both for 1
officers aud prisoners.
The total number confined on June |
30, 1898, was seventy-four. Since then /
there have been additions and re
movals leaving i2s prisoners on June
80, 1896. Pardons were granted, but |
the largest part Of these merely al |
lowed the prisoners good time for
good behavior.
The total cost 10 the territory has
been S3,2ii.34 for transportation and
SIS, 403.s4 for care aud keeping. A
very interesting table is given below
showing the number OF prisoners con-
fined, the offense committed and the
term OF sentence From this il will be
observed that the largest number Of
prisoners are in confinement for grand
larceny and the next largest for bury
larry. Seventy are in confinement for
crimes against property and forty
three Tor crimes against the person.
Ninety-fve are in confinement for
term of five years or less, ty-three
for term exceeding Eve years and ten
are serving a life sentence There is
only one convict to every 9. t4s of pop
ulation which, iu view Of the fact that
the criminal laws are strictly enforced,
makes q creditable showing for the
territory.
1t is believed, however, that the
present number of prisoners could be
cared for more cheaply within the
territory and no doubt provision will
Ia m 10 for NAM ION ffnrw NJ n rlv
date.
Public Bindings
There are no public buildings be-
longing TO the territory save the three
college buildings. The territory is
compelled to rent quarters for its
officers at a very considerable expense.
Section 80 in the Cherokee outlet is
reserved for the benefit Of public
buildings and will in time provide a
very great help in this direction.
Most counties have court houses and
the territory is well supplied with
commodious school houses.
Agriculture.
Agriculture comprises such a wide
scope that, as brief a report as this,
| furnishes meager synopsis of the
agricultural interests of the territory.
There is great diversity in the crops
of the territory Wheat, Indian corn,
cotton, castor beans, Kaflir corn, oats,
] barley, saccharine, sorghum and the
great forage plants, alfalfa, clover
aud timothy in the eastern and central
portion Of the territory are the princi-
| pal products. Horticulture, with its
concomitants, within the short period
of little more than six years rivals
any of the states in the union. one
and one-half million fruit trees have
been planted; several millions Of
smaller fruit have found q home TO
stCy and are thriving under our pecu-
liar climatic influences 10 is not
claiming too much to say that the
Oklahoma peach has found its way
into nearly all Of the markets Of the
western world. 1t is recognized by
the rich red cheek and par excellent
flavor it possesses.
The Oklahoma watermelon and
muslsmelon are in demand in the prin-
cipal markets One small station alone
shipped, during the summer of 1895,
about 100 carloads Of this delicious
fruit, which bids fair TO be exceeded
in 1896. Potatoe culture is of
no mean Importance and should
not be lost sight of as
it too is Of great commercial value;
one hundred car loads of sweet pota-
toes would hardly consume the sur.
plus,
1t has been said that the best stock
country that can be found is the best
grain country. II this be true, okla
homa carries the banner. A conserva-
tive estime . gives Oklahoma, for the
year 1896, B'l millions of bushels of
Indian corn, and more than half that
amount of Kaiiir corn, to say nothing
Of the great wheat, oat and barley
crops.
Cotton and Castor Beans
Cotton, castor beans, fax and peanuts
are great money makers.
1t Is thought that the weather for
the last few weeks has been too humid
but with the hot winds that are TO fol-
low Oklahoma will market the great
est crop OF cotton and castor beans
ever produced. The cotton is Of OK
cellent quality, the best In fact, as
shown by the awards at the Worlds
Fair at Chicago There Is no higher
tribute to the excellence Of Oklahoma
agricul tural products than that paid
by the awards at that great fair,
where were collected the products OF
all nations. list of awards is given
below.
Columbian Exposition Awards to Okla
homa.
AGRICULTURAL.
c. G.. Jones, Oklahoma City, Flour.
c. G.. Jones, Oklahoma City, Wheat.
Oklahoma Territory, Cleveland coun-
ty, Corn, Oats Buckwheat, Grass and
Peanuts.
Oklahoma Territory, Guthrie, Red
Sorghum.
A. j. Seay, Kinghsher, Squashes.
Oklahoma Territory, Guthrie, Cot
ton.
Never were the prospects for cotton
better than AT present aud there Is
every reason TO believe that Oklahoma
will make creditable showing ia the
list of cotton producing states OF terri
tories
Guthrie, IL is estimated, win market
IL. 600 bales, whine Oklahoma City,
Shawnee and Norman viii each market
nearly that much.
There IS every reasc n 20 believe that
the ruling prices will be from seven tc
eight cents per pound. The average
crop will be one half bale per acre
This places the value Of the crop al
from sl7 so to SEQ 90 per acre.
The prin eipal cost in raising cotton
is the picking, which, IL the farmer
cannot DO IL all himself, he ear have il
done at about hity cents per hundred
pounds. A. this busy season the farm
/ l.. II =. h.fi