The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-04-07
APPRAISERS INSTRUCTIONS.
Full Text of Secretary fiItcheock's Ad-
vIcs to TownsIte CsmmIssIoners.

The ARDMOREITE can at last fur
nish its readers with the much
sought for instructions from tie
Secretary of the Interior to the
townsite appraisers of the Choctaw
and Chickasaw nations. They are
rather lengthy, and will be given
in two installments.
Continued from Yesterdays Daily.
Unless the commission IS notified
to the contrary, the person in poses
sion of the improvements claiming
the same by right of ownership will
be regarded as the owner and will
alone be entitled to such notice.
This, however, will not apply to any
person occupying improvements on
i lot under a contract for rent or of
lease, the landlord in such cases as
the owner and being entitled to the
notice. The personal notice which
you are required as above directed
to give to owners of improvements
must be made in duplicate, and the
duplicate thereof being left with the
party on whom it is served, the ori-
ginal showing thereon the date of
service, will be transmitted by you
to the United States Indian agent,
who will be charged with the duty of
collecting all sums due and payable
on account of town lots to be sold
under the agreement with the Choc-
taws and Chickasaws. Should there
! be two or more claimants for the i'm
provements on the same lot, you will
determine which is the rightful
owner of said improvements and en-
titled to purchase the lot in contro-
versy in accordance with the pro-
visions of said agreement. You will
give not less than ten days notice
to each of the claimants, in like
manner as other notice provided
for herein, of the time and place
when you will receive evidence in
support of the respective claims, and
at the close of the hearing, or as
soon as practicable thereafter, you
will render your decision in writing,
which shall be served on each claim
ant by you, either personally or by
registered letter,
The losing claimant or claimants
shall have the right of appeal from
your judgment within ten days from
notice thereof to the commissioner
of Indian affairs, and the same time
to appeal from the decision of said
commissioner to the secretary of the
interior, and said appeals shall be
made special and deter.nined as
soon as practicable. The procedure
in said contests, except as specially
modified herein, will conform to the
practice before the United States
local land offices in relation to con
tests before them. Contestants mus
file their claims with you within ter
days after the notice of appraise
ment herein required, and the sp
praisement herein required, and tht
! approval Of said plats and state
ments accompanying the same shall
not be held to be an adjudication o
the ownership of the improvement
= Oh any lot; and in case of any con
J test, no disposition of any lot il
contest will be made until final de
termination by you, or by the de
partment in case of appeal, of th'
the right of purchase thereof, wheI
the successful contestant will b.
notified of the right of purchase
and the sale of said contested lot
will be made as in other cases pro
vided in said agreement. AT the ex
piration of ten days after said motto
of his completion of said appraise
ment, you will transmit the book Of
books containing the record thereo
to said Indian agent, with a list o
the lots upon whic ownership there
of is being contested.
= In locating land to be purchase
by the several towns for cemeteries
the commission will consult tn
wishes OF the people of each town
and be guided thereby as far a
practicable, having due regard fo
the health of the inhabitants there
, of. The cemeteries should be sc
apart at the time the towns are seV
orally laid out, and when any tow
} shall have paid to said Indian ager
the sum of SIC per acre for the cen
etery located by you for its use sue
. town will be entitled to a patent fc
the same, executed jointly unde
their hands and seals by the primo
n pal chief of the Choctaw nation an
the governor of the Chickasa
nation.