Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-12-30
Survey OF Indian I 1erritOry.

Secretary Gage has sent to con-
gress a recommendation of Chas.
D. Walcott, director of the geolog-
ical survey, for an appropriation
of $4,000 for the completion of
the survey of Indian Territory ex-
elusive of the Chickasaw nation.
In his letter of recommendation
Director Walcott says:
AT the extra session of the fifty
fifth congress there was sppro-
priated for this purpose 100000.
Of that sum there remained on
hand on December 1, s11, 761 05.
Thirty thousand dollars addition
al is needed for the completion of
the field and Office work, and, in
asmuch as the present appropria-
tion is SO nearly exhausted, a new
appropriation must become avail
able before the end of January,
1898, unless the work is to be
stopped. 1t is, moreover, highly
desirable that the work should be
continued without interruption, in
order that the surveyors may es-
cape the malarial fever in the
swamps of the Red river valley by
surveying that region during the
winter season.
There has been more work done
in the territory in the area under
consideration than was originally
planned. This additional work
includes iron monuments set at
every township corner, upon the
brass cap OF which have been
stamped the usual marks of the
township corners, and, in addition
the elevations above sea level as
determined by the running of lines
of spirit levels from the base mon
ument at Fort Smith, Ark. This
work, when completed, will have
necessitated the setting of 1900
posts and the running of 1000
miles of spirit levels. The cost
of the posts, transportation and
setting will be about $1,000, and
that of the spirit level lines about
1915 mile, or about s15, 600 for
the 1000 miles.
Instead of the usual number
three copies-of the land Office
plats, there have been transmitted
to the general land Office twenty
copies, thus providing for future
demands in connection with the
subdivision of land and the settle.
mert of land questions in the ter
ritory. The topographic map re-
sulting from the surveys in progress
in the territory will be one of the
best yet made in the central region
OF the United States, and, if it had
been undertaken independently Of
the land survey, would have cost,
at the lowest estimate, s120, 600
1t will, indeed, be one of the best
in existence of the entire area of
any territory or state in the union,
with the exception of the maps of
Massachusetts,, Conn ecticut and
Rhode Island and portions of other
states which were made on a more
detailed scale.
A detailed survey will have been
made of the changes in the SOUTH
ern boundary line of the territory,
caused by the shifting of the chan
mel of Red river, and all boundaries
have been surveyed between n the
areas claimed by the different In
dian nations.
In the memorandum which was
submitted to the secretary of the
interior and by him forwarded to
congress under date of March II,
1897, it was stated that, if the work
in the territory should be suspend
ed, it would be at a considerable
loss to the government. 1t was
suspended for nearly three months,
and the direct loss resulting from
the disbanding of parties and the
reorganization of the force aud
starting of work has been calcu-
lated by the surveyor in charge to
be fully $4,000, in addition TO
which there is the indirect loss
growing out of the loss of time in
cident to the breaking in of new
men upon the resumption Of opera
tiOns.