The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-19


Facts About Greer County of Oklahoma
Political News of the Territory.
Guthrie, O. T., March 1S.-Dennis
Flynn. the hero of Oklahoma, will be
home next week He will attend both
the congressional and territorial con-
ventions. He will be given an ovation
10y the whole territory.
The Guthrie Capital in speaking Of
his latest achievement says:
'eThe greatest piece of legislative
work accomplished for the people in a
quarter of a century was put half way
upon its journey by congress Monday.
MIR. Flynn, to whose able work the peo-
pie owe this victory, has exalted MIN
self far above his past splendid record
It is no greater victory for Flynn than
for the people-in fact, not nearly 50
great. If this bill gets through the SEN
ate and becomes a law the people will
have $1S,0OO,O0O saved to them.
mo one unfamiliar with the con-
dition of the settlers in Oklahoma can
understand the great necessity Of this
bill and the business of it. Many a
claim holder without the passage Of
this bill is almost certain 10 lose his
home. The process of extracting from
the soil profits enough in the next two
years to pay from $3.50 to $500 to the
government is very slow at best and
doubtful of accomplishment The saw
ing Of these amounts to the people will
fill the hearts of the settlers with re-
joicing and make Dennis Flynn and the
Republican party his idyls.
The people had small faith at first
that Flynn could get this bill through
He told them he could end that he
did not get II through the house at
last he would scarcely feel like asking
another nomination Just upon the
eve Of the nominating convention he
accompEshes the passage through the
house. The vote IN the house was over
wllelmingiy Republican The admin
istration Democrats voted against the
bill, hereby obey old antipathy Of the
Democratic party 10 the free home
stead law. The vote in the house makes
the measure essentially Republican
After March 4 the senate will be Re
publican 1t IS very probable the oppo-
sitfon in the senate will be confined to
those under the presidents bidding
Hoka Smiths unasked for report which
attempted to defeat this measure in
dictates that he has consulted the prest-
dent and the administration Is against
the bill II the bill passes the senate
Mr. Cleveland is almost certain 10 veto
st But there are ant-administration
Democrats enough in the senate and
plenty Of Republicans in the house TO
pass It over his veto
Certainly MIR. Flynn and thu people
of Oklahoma have reasons 10 feel good
If these s1S,0DD,00D can be saved they
VIII be added IN the way Of improve
rnents to the assessed vafua of OkIaho-
INA instead OF going Id the government
These saved dollars win mean better
houses, better barns and fences more
orchards, higher general fmprov gments
and more home comforts, and these
without hinderance TO the government.
(which within two years viii he in
charge of Republicans and running
prosperousfy and progressively under a
high protective tariff, with plenty Of
money in the national treasury-money
enough SO that settlers on the public
domain VIII not have To be plucked in
order that bon6holdeIS may flourish
ABOUT GREER COUNTY
The Guthrie Leader gives the follow
Ing on Greer county, lately added 10
Oklahoma
The people of Oklahoma are greatly
pleased with the present given them
by the supreme court OF the United
States Monday, the decision in the long
contested Greer county case adding to
tina territory principally as large
and as rich in resources as some whole
States in the union
Greer county, which by the decision
has become a part Of Okla hOma and is
now subject to the laws OF this terri
tory, Is 80 by 80 miles in size and con-
rains Ibll,5Ts acres, the greater part
of which is first-class agricultural land.
The great bottoms OF the TWO forks Of
the Red river are eXcelled In fertility
nowhere, and there are hundreds of
Jhousa nds of acres of rich prairie lands
as level as a. floor. A man could start
at the south fork of the Red river and
plow straight to Mangum, the county
seat, distance of forty miles. without
taxing the plow from the ground so
level and fertile is the country. Along
the eastern edge and the northwestern
corner ii Is more broken. With some
rugged hills, known locally as The Ma
vajo mountains, in which there are in
uications Of mineral deposits AT seY-
erai points rich specimens OF silver ore
nave been found and thsre are ruins
or several old Spanish villages. with
ash pits near which are believed to be
the remains or ancient Smelters. The
western half of the county is more
especially adapted to stock-raising. as
The growth Of native grass is Iuxlrfanr
and remains green throughout the year.
the crop being abundant even in the
dTyest years
The soil is mostly a rich. 5arlz-c0J-
ored loan and water in abundance can
be found in all parts Of the county at
an average depth of twenty feet. Cot
ton Is largely raised. the county having
marketed over five hundred bales the
present season Kaffir corn. cane and
milo maize are the principal crops rais-
Ell because Of the dry weather. but in
1892 the corn marketed over two nil
lion bushels.
AT one time the county had a noD,,-
ladon Of over II .00a but. like the resi-
OF western Texas, the 6routh Of '9S and
"a drove many Of the settlers ava
though there are stu in excess OF
5000 people in the county. all active
energetic and prosperous Many finely
improved farms are to be seen rbraur-
out the county and great herds Of fat
cattle roam over the pasture lands.
'Mangun, the county seat. is a ni>a
little city, with a fine court house. iail
and business blocks and q steadily
growing business. Altus and Navajo
are also good towns and there are forty
other poStoffices altered through tha
county The towns have excellent
schools and there are seventy-tv-o
school houses in the county where
school is held regularly.
The dispute about the boundary line
hrst began 10 be agitated in 1850 hut
as the county die not have any settlers
until twenty years later no further
Inougnt was taken Of il, except that
Iexas tried 10 make good her claim By
naming the county.