Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-09-29
The Katy,s AuuuaI Statement.

| luc Adtl>S Auuudl Stdttufeut.
In presenting the annual state
ment of the NJ, K. & T., President
Rouse con graduates the stock
holders upon its being the best in
the company's history. The gross
receipts weres12, ,047 ,236. so; expen-
ess IS. 1S2, 3S4 80; nets3, 1854, ,S4S. 80.
Regarding the land grant the re-
port says:
During the last two years the
five civilized tribes commission
(popularly known as the Dawes
commission appointed under au-
thority of the congress of the
United States, has been actively
negotiating with the several Indian
nations for the division and allot-
ment of their lands and for the
opening of the territory to settle
ment and the extinguishment of
the tribal relations of the Indians.
Numerous bills looking to the
same end have been before con-
gress for consideration. In 1897
congress passed an important act
materially enlarging the jurisdic-
tion of the United States courts
and practically abolishing the In
dian courts. Treaties have been
concluded by the United States
with the Chickasaw and Choctaw
nations: and a treaty is pending
with the Creek nation. Represen-
tatives of the company have con-
stantly kept informed as to the
proceedings in congress and before
the commissions, and the claims of
the company under its land grant
of 1866, and its views on the gen.
eral provisions of the proposed
treaties and legislation have been
urged at every step and stage by
written and oral arguments.
Finally, on June 23d, 1898, the
congress of the United States
passed an act providing for the d.
vision and allotment of the lands
to the individual Indian citizens,
which marks an era in the history
of the territory and will lead to its
early opening to settlement, to a
great increase in population and
wealth, and consequent develop
ment of commerce which will be
highly beneficial to the company.
This act of congress contains no
affirmative recognition of the land
grant of the company, but express
ly provides that it shall not in any
way affect any vested legal rights
heretofore granted. 1t preserves
the rights of way and station
grounds of the railway, and con-
tains provisions enabling the coal
companies to preserve and extend
their leases and to have the royal
ties adjusted by the secretary of
the interior.
Under the head of general r..
marks this paragraph occurs:
The business of the past year
was subject to two sources of in
terruption, sufficiently serious to
Justify the title of disasters; the
first being yellow fever, which
prevailed throughout the southern
territory in the summer of 1897,
greatly impeding the free inter-
change of business with connecting
lines and materially diminishing
gross revenues. The second dis
aster arose from an unprecedented
flood of the South Canadian river
in the Indian Territory, resulting
in the loss of three miles of main
track and entailing a very consid.
erable extraordinary expense; the
most serious feature of the occur
renee being, however, the loss of
revenue by the total interruption
for nine days of the handling Of
freight over the main line, and
necessitating the diversion of pass
enger trains via other roads. Un-
der special authority granted by
congress, plans have been ap-
proved for so diverting the chan
mel of this river and protecting
the tracks of the railway as to give
immunity from such trouble in the
future.