Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-07-17
FREE HOMES FOR MANY.
Tract Of 1000, 900 Acres Soon to
Be Thrown Open.
DROUGHT PRACTICALLY UsKHowN

Part of the kfowa and ComAncne
Indian Reservation Has Been Pur-
chased by the United States Gov
ernment For Occupation by Home
steaders-SoiI Is Excellent
The west Is soon to witness another
race for free homes. When hundred
thousand people gathered on the lines
of southern Kansas and northern Tex
as seven years ago and made the race
into Oklahoma, then barren waste,
but now one of the finest sections or
farming land in the west, it was
thought that the last country had been
given away by Uncle Sam But his
generosity and desire to see the Indian
lands populated by the whites have
prompted congress to pass an act
throwing open to homesteaders 2,OOO,-
600 acres of valuable farming country
In the Kiowa and Comanche reserva-
ton, just south of Oklahoma
President Mckinley recently attach
ed his signature to the act, and within
the next few months the land will be
in possession of Industrious white
farmers, says a Wichita Qkan.) dis
patch to the Chicago Inter Ocean. The
race is open to all corners, and from
the present outlook it is expected that
100000 will line up on the borders of
this new Zion.
This land Is uneXcelled for grazing
purposes, and hundreds of thousands
of head of cattle have been pastured
there for many years. This pasture
was leased to the cattlemen of Texas
by the Indians for very small sums.
opening of the land and hired the In
dams to oppose the onward march of
civilization Affidavits by the hundred
were signed by the cowboys and In
dams telling congress that the reserya-
ton was unfit for farming, and In
dams went to Washington and made
long pleas for the retention of their
hunting ground. For years the open
ing Of this country has been thus de-
layed.
The government is to pay 100000
to the Indians for the 100000 acres
of land to be opened to homesteaders.
This means nearly $1,000 farms of 160
acres each. The Indians retain, aside
from this, $4,000 acres for their own
homes. The Indian population is esti-
mated at $50, of which 1,553 are Co
manches, 1,126 Kiowas and 1913 Apa-
ches. This does not include Geronimo
and his band of Apache warriors who
are prisoners on the Fort Sill reserve.
Most of the Indians wear citizens
clothing, but nearly all live in tepees.
They farm but little and yet retain
many of their wild habits, such as
dancing, making medicine and holding
powwows.
The reservation is bounded on the
south by Texas, ON the west and north
by Oklahoma and on the east by In
dian Territory. Streams of clear water
abound everywhere. Red river and
the Washita are the important rivers.
The Washita is one of the most pic
turesque streams in the southwest.
The valleys are richly productive and
the uplands equal to those of the best
counties in Oklahoma. Even in the
rough Keechi hills and the Wichita
mountains are valleys of great fertil-
ity. The valley soil is all good.
There are three kinds of soil on the
uplands-light sandy, dark sandy and
a dark, waxy soil. Hot winds and
drought are practically unknown. The
rainfall is generally sufficient for the
maturing of crops. The annual sum-
mary of the United States weather bu-
reau shows the average rainfall at
37.55 inches, which is much more than
in central Kansas, where the large
wheat and corn crops are raised this
year.
The Wichita mountains lie in the GEN.
trail portion of the reservation and COW
er an area of 1,500 square miles. Their
general trend is from the northwest to
the southeast. The mountain slopes
are well timbered with oaks and wal
nut. The parks and adjacent table,
lands are covered with mesquite. The
parks are well watered and have an
abundance of grass.
Gold and silver have been exhibited
as coming from these mountains.
Traces OF copper have also been found
These mineral lands may be had for |
$40 an acre. Many experts have visit
ed the Wichita mountains, but said
they were run out by the Indians be-
fore they had time to make a thorough
Investigation. They claim that the In |
dams guard their treasured hills with |
shotguns, but this is probably exag-
gerated. History relates that many |
years ago this land was settled by /
Spaniards, who were killed and their |
gold taken by the Indians 1t is said |
that many millions Of dollars worth |
Of gold was buried in the caves of 4
these mountains and has never been |
removed.
Business Uses For the Cinemato-
graph.