The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-09-12


to inspire the greatest confidence of
Attorney General Griggs. While at
the department they brought up the
question of the construction of the
three jails in the Indian Territory,
authorized by the last Congress and
insisted that the work upon them
should be commenced without fur
ther delay. Marshal Bennett called
the attention of the attorney gen.
eral to the condition of the present
Jail at Muskogee, stating that it was
in not only an unsanitary but a dan
gerous condition and was not safe
and urged that the department
should do something Immediately to
relieve the situation. This led up
to the question of procuring a site
for the jail at Muskogee, which has
been the real cause of the delay up
to this time. The legal questions in
volved are complex in the extreme.
If the Curtis Law had not already
become operative the government
could acquire title by condemnation
proceedings, but under the provis-
ions of that law such action is at
least questionable. That law pro-
vided for the appraisement and sale
of all townsite property in the Terri
tory. and the manner in which it is
to be sold. In Muskogee, South Nc
Alester and Ardmore, the maps of
the towns have not yet been compile
ted, thus rendering the appraise-
ment and sale of land impossible.
When the jails were authorized by
Congress the Department of Justice
was led to believe that the cities in
question would provide sites for the
government without expense. Now,
it becomes apparent that the gov
ernment must not only acquire title
to sites, but must pay for the prop
erty, unless the citizens of the towns
should raise the amount by individu-
al subscriptions.
! Another conflicting law is section
355 of the Revised Statutes of the
United States, which provides that
before any government buildings are
erected, the attorney general must
acquire a clear title to the site upon
which the building is to be construc-
ted.
This has led to the question as to
whether the Creek Nation can legal
! ly cede to thu government a site for
Jail at Muskogee. 1t has already
been announced that a contest will
/ be instituted as to the legality of the
election recently held in the Nation
which will naturally result in much
/ litigation in the courts and months
of delay. But even if the election of
the chief is held to be valid a ques-
ton arises as to the right of the
Creek Nation to cede townsite prop
erty, either to government or to an
individual Here again the Curtis
law intervenes
All the various phases of the ques-
tion were discussed with the attor-
ney general, and as a result he has
left the matter to District Attorney
Soper for a judicial opinion, upon
which the government will act.
The situation at South McAlester
and Ardmore was also considered,
and while there are not so many ern-
barrassments in the way of acquir-
ing titles to sites In the two latter
cities, there are many problems
which must be carefully considered
before action is finally taken.
Attorney General Griggs, however,
assured Marshal Bennett that if he
could find any legal way by which a
site could be secured at Muskogee,
the work on the Jail would be COM
menced Immediately.
Messrs. Soper and Bennett then
visited the census Office and had a
long interview with Director Mer-
riam in regard to the new census
for the Territory. Their object was
to secure an allowance for travelling
expenses. Owing to the fact that In
dian Territory has never been divid-
ed up into counties and the
confused condition existing it is
practically impossible for the census
supervisor to complete the census
without resulting in an outlay con-
siderably in excess of his salary, to
say nothing about his time. Direc-
tor Merriam promised to take the
matter up and notify National Com
mitteeman Bennett at an early date.
Women at Work.
Guthrie, Okla, Sept. 1.-THE wo-
men temperance workers of Oklaho