Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-04-15
THE TOWNSHIP PROPOSITION
or the Organization Of the ChOctaws,
ChlekasaMs and Whites.

The following is the townsite
proposal presented to the Dawes
commission at the recent Atoka
meeting:
To the honorable members Of the
Dawes commission, Choctaw In
dian commission and the Chick
asaw commissions:
GENTLEMEN:
At a meeting held in this city,
composed of representative men
from the various towns of the Choc.
taw and Chickasaw nations, the
following resolutions after being
thoroughly discussed, were unani-
mously adopted. These resolu-
tions, without going into details,
cover the particular points desired
by the townsite owners, and incoF-
porated in the treaty, would, we
believe, form the basis Of an equi-
table townsite law. Resolved that
the owners Of any improvements
on lot or lots shall have the pref
erence right Of purchase. That
where land is used and occupied
by an Indian citizen as a home
stead in accordance with the laws
Of his tribe aud a town has been
established or may hereafter be es-
tablished so near the land so occu.
pied by such citizen as a homestead
that it becomes part Of the town.
site, said citizen shall have the
right to purchase said property at
the same valuation as will be
placed on the lands Of his tribe
which are to be allotted, if the
same shall be valued with a money
value, and if not, said citizen shall
take the land so held by him as a
portion of his allotment. Resolved,
that the land covered by each
townsite shall be valued by a town
site board hereinafter provided for
at a sum not exceeding three hun
dred dollars aud not less than fifty
dollars per acre, the value to be
determined by its location, natural
advantages and population Of
the town. The payment shall be
made by the purchaser as follows:
twenty-five per cent Of the apprsis-
ed value to be paid in cash within
sixty days after notice Of appraise-
ment and notice that such lot or
lots are for sale, the balance to be
paid in three annual payments to
bear legal rate Of interest, provid-
ed, however, that a cash payment
may be made in foil at any time
before the time above named, on
which payment the title shall pass
to the purchaser.
Resolved, that oil surveys shall
conform as near as practicable TO
the present townsite plats, the size
Of the respective townsites shall be
regulated according to the CONNER
cIal importance and prospective
growth, with a maximum OF not
more than twenty-five hundred and
sixty acres for any one townsite.
The cemeteries TO be of sufficient
size to meet the requirements, and
these together with the convenient
right Of ways thereto, TO be reserv-
ed from allotment. Provided, how
ever, that no town shall be laid OF
or plated which has a population
Of less than two hundred inhabi-
tants and where no towns arc not
located. Resolved, that all relig-
ious, fraternal and school organi-
cations shall be placed on the same
footing in the matter of purchas-
ing property as individuals. Re-
solved, that q townsite board with
full and complete authority TO sur
vey, plat, classify, sell and transfer
legal title to the townsite property
shall consist Of five members, one
OF whom shall be a member Of the
Dawes commission, who shall be
chairman Of the board, two Indian
citizens 10 be appointed by the
governors Of the respective nations
who are residents OF the town Ia
be plated and surveyed as above,
or OF the immediate vicinity,
two United States citizens, TO be
appointed by the presiding judge
OF the United Slales court Of the
district in which'the town is local-
ed, these two members TO be bona
fde residents Of the town TO be
plated. The loWnslte board 10 re-