The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-17
BOUNDARY LINZ FIXED
Puts Part of Mountain View
in the Indian Country.
TOWN COMPANY CHARGED
With Fraud, in the Govern
ment Agents Report.

Guthrie, o. T, Sept 1.-THE definite
location Of the Boundary line between
Oklahoma and tie Kiowa and Comanche
reservation, which has been in dispute for
a period of seven years, is likely to re-
suit in an order from the department. at
Washington for the forcible eviction of
the settlers on the so-called neutral
strip" and the partial abandonment, at
least, of one-half of the townsite of
2Lountain View, the hourishing little town
that was started few months ago on
what was supposed to be a section of
school land and leased for townsite pur-
poses from the Oklahoma school land de-
partment. II is surmised that even now
troops are on their way TO the disputed
country and that the work of eviction
viii be under way within a few days IN
less the authorities at Washington re-
consider their former orders. -Four years
ago there was a movement on foot 10
cvict the so-called intruders in the dis
pUted country, but action was stopped by
an executive order from President Cleve-
~
lands for the time being.
The whole trouble arises over the exact
location of the boundary line as above
etated, and the confusion of the settlers
IN this respect is doubtless due to the
fact that three different surveys. two of
them official, establish each a different
lire. What is known as the war depart
ment survey places the boundary line
along the Washita river. whereas the
land department survey places the line
eight chains farther north. The survey
made by the Rock Island railroad engi- |
nesrs places the north boundary line of
the Indian reservation still farther |
south. But it is the strip of land lying |
between the war department and land Of |
fee surveys that is nj dispute, and pend |
ing the exact and final location of the |
boundary line this so-called neutral /.
strip has filed up with a prosperous
class of farmers who have relied upon
the ultimate protection of the govern
ment in maintaining their improvements.
And it is possible that the matter might
have drifted along for an indefinite period |
without the settlers being disturbed had |
Il not been for the townsite rivalries en-
rendered by the extension of the Rock
Island railroad from Chickasha into
the Kiowa and Comanche reservations.
The Mountain View Townsite company,
composed of leading citizens of Ell Reno,
was one Of these enterprises, locating a
prosperous townsite upon section of |
land leased from the Oklahoma school
land department. The success of the
+lo n
of the rival concerns, but with this sue
cess came the revival of the agitation re-
gardiug the exact location of the boun-
dairy line between Oklahoma and the In
dian reservation on the south. The mat
ter at length reached Washington and
clerk was detailed from the general land
Office 10 make a resurvey of the north
boundary line of the Kiowa and Com
anche reservation with a view of ascer-
tanning whether the toTnsite Of Noun
tain View or any part thereof. is within
the Kiowa and Comanche reservation.
The government surveyor who was de-
tailed for this service subsequently re-
ported to the department that he had
found. identified and surveyed the north
boundary line of the Kiowa and Com
anche reservation through ranges Il and
i west, so far as locating the line and
setting temporary stakes. The report
shows that most of the townsite of
Mountain View is within the reservation.
and charges that the townsite promoters.
Is means of false maps and other false
p-etenses, have induced people 10 pay
them for lots and expend large amounts
for buildings on land which these pro-
motors knew 10 be within the Indian
reservation. The report also shows thel
cornerstone, the initial point for two
fundamental Indian boundaries. placed IL
the middle Of the Washita river. has been
removed presumably by the intruders
According to the surveyors report the
line runs ten feet north of the north line
OF Maple street in Mountain View, so that
Il cuts of the front of six or eight bust
ness houses which are at the extreme
north part Of the business part OF the
town. All the rest. including four lum-
aar yards twenty stores. five saloons
and a large number of dwellings, tents.
&C. are in the reservation.