The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-05-05
RICH SALINE FIELDS
IN CHEROKEE STRIP.

valuable possession that is ulti-
mately to become the property Of okla
homa is the saline reserves Of the
Cherokee strip, known respectively as
the eastern, middle aud western re-
serves.
George ID. Orner, special agent OF
United states land department, has
just completed his inspection OF the
reserves, to learn TO what extent the
lands are unlawfully occupied by
homesteaders. The reserves belong TO
the United states, and no objection is
made to the grazing of cattle on
them. Many persons took advantage
OF this privilege however, to build
fences and homes. Mr.. Orner notified
all such persons to remove their inn
provements at once. lie will compel
his orders to be observed. Said he:
These saline reserves are a wonder.
ful sight, and one OF the greatest nat.
ural curiosities Of the west. The
eastern reserve lies in Woods county,
eighteen miles west OF Pond Creek,
and contains nearly 10000 acres. 1t
is mostly prairie land.
| About two-thirds OF the surface is
| covered with salt OF various depths.
| There are millions OF tons OF salt,
practically an inexhaustible supply.
| The land is marshy, and from the
| swamps llows saline water which is
condensed by solar evaporation. In
going from east to west | travelled
over a road about six miles long. As
far as the eye could reach was a vast
white sea, white as foam, glistening in
the sunlight and dazzlieg the eye.
Late in the afternoon, when the sun is
sinking low, its rays, striking the
crystals at an oblique angle, make
this white sea shine as IL covered with
jewels. The road is as level as a floor,
The middle reserve, in Woodward
county, is almost as large as the east
ern reserve. The western reserve,
near the Kansas line, in Woodward
county, contains about $4,000 acres.
The Cimarron river flows through the
middle of both reserves. It's water
becomes so heavily impregnated with
salt that great nauseau is is caused by
drinking it. The salt is hauled away
in wagon loads by cattlemen. IL is
easy TO find chunks OF salt weighing
900 pound each. Farmers claim that
il is the best salt obtainable for curing
meats, containing just the right pro-
portion salt peter. There are portions
of the reserves where buffalo and blue.
stem grass grows in abundance. Dur
ing the migratory flights of water
fowl, the marshes are alive with all
kinds of geese and ducks. The large
sand-hill cranes are frequently found. y
In 1852 congress uassed an act per
hitting the Cherokee Indians to lease
these Saline reserves for period OF
twenty years. 1t was because-of the
fact that this lease had not expired
that these referves were not included
in the purchase OF the Cherokee striT
$ lands from the Cherokee Indians. Mr.
Orner endeavored to learn to whom
. the reserves were leased, but failed
| The reporter for the Star received Q
letter several months ago from the
secretary of the Cherokee nation al
} Tahlequah, |. T., giving the names o.
the lessees, most of whom had died
since the lease was made. The lesseei
were citizens of the Cherokee nation
There was once talk of the building
2 of big salt works in the eastern re
4 serve. There is no method of com
putting the value of the salt deposits
but it is certainly enoi nous, as it il
claimed that the quality of the salt II
equal to that at Hutchison, Kans. Th'
Z territorial school land department il
J anxious TO have the reserves set asid,
e set aside for the benefit Of the publ,
] school fund.
Mr.. Orner has recommended to thu
} department Of the interior that the
= reserves be leased or thrown open tC
p settlement.