The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-05

or grazing lands. the principal grasses
being the gamma and mesquite, being the
most nutritious that grow. Cattle eat and
fatten on this, peculiar grass when it is
dry and brown as the northern grass is
| in the dead Of winter, and Of which cat
tie will not eat at all at that time. act
! tie are turned loose upon these mesquite
pastures and never eat anything Else,
summer nor winter.
Away from the mountains the land
opens out into undulating plains crossed
| and traversed with fine streams OF fine
flowing water skirted with more or less
timber. Often these plains are covered
with mesquite trees, a stunted bush OF
hard red wood, resembling cedar. 1t
makes excellent fence post and good
wood for fuel The tee has large root
Of more tangled and knotty growth
than the top. These roots are easily
worked and have great heating proper
ties. These mesquite flats are fine graz
ing, and make fine wheat lands when
cultivated.
Among so large a tract Of land must
! come lands that are higher. drier and
poorer. There are sand hills and brakes
in this reservation as in other places.
Some Of these are utterly useless. The
sandy sections are easier Of cultivation.
and better adapted to corn than is the
closer and harder soil Of the mesquite
lands
The water supply is abundant in every
part OF the reservation, being found in
springs. creeks and by digging to depths
| Of % to 40 feet The rainfall in this res
[ \ nv ha
countries adjoining, which would be from
30 to Sc inches a year.
The climate is all that one could ask
| for, the temperature in summer seldom
going above 100 and in winter rarely go
Fling to zero, and really cold weather
never lasting more than a day or tive
at time. The climate is such that the
sweltering heat Of other sections is never
felt here, while the nights are invariably
famed with a breeze that makes sleep
not onl possible but refreshing. But III
tie snow falls. and but seldom that ice
forms to keep cattle from drinking from
running streams.
Farmers along the Washita river are
this year gathering a crop Of wheat Of
| % bushels per acre, and corn will produce
20 TO 80 bushels. These are actual fig
| ures, and as the threshers of today are
verifying
There may be fear of settling among
| Indians in an Indian reservation. These
! Indians are virtually civilized-entirely so,
so far as going to war. or killing white
| people, and old habits are concerned.
They have many old habits Of tdleness,
| clinging to the native dress, and a bred
of labor of any kind, but they are peace
able. and many OF them are progressive
and industrious Many of the younger
men and women are educated, speak
English, and are doing a great work
in inducing the older ones to accept the
| inevitable and follow the white mans
| lead.
| To the person who chooses to settle on
| this reservation we can assure them a
! livelihood and a home with only the
! thrift and energy he has exhibited in the
! land he has left, and If he comes from
| Missouri, Nebraska. or other northern
states, of a milder climate. a soil as
rich and a people as hospitable. cult
waited and refined as those he leaves be
| hied.
In seeking a home in the new country
to be opened one point must not be over
| IDOheu-lHdL IS tne point lIom WHICH 10
start There are dozens OF them Of
| course. and each will claim a superiority
! While we state only facts. we ask investi-
| cation. Chickasha is the largest town.
is close to the border, and with the larg
est stock of goods to select from, can
! offer the lowest prices.
/ A write up of this country without a
word of the Chickasaw country, would
| hardly be a complete one. Don't confount
| this with the Kiowa and Comanche coun-
try. They are as distinct as Arkansas
| and Texas. No land in the Chickasaw
| nation. or the Indian territory, is for sale,
or will ever be opened to settlement as
will the Comanche reservation. The
! Chickasaw nation is rich in fine agri-
cultural lands plenty Of streams of run
ming water, and in a delightful climate.
The land belongs to the Indians in com
mon and in fee simple. While the land
| is not sold, it is rented to farmers at
oneSfourth to one-third the crop or for
! cash rent, and is largely cultivated. The
nation is crossed by three trunk line rail-
roads. and has large number of towns
and cities. The white people throughout
the nation outuunber the indians ten
to ore. A full-bIood Indian is rarely seen
in Chickasha. except they are from the
reservation. The lands of the Indian ter
ritory win soon be divided among its
people. and more or less of it finds its
way 10 sale. Until that time no land can
be had.