The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-26

ceSSful growing OF most of the crops
of the temperate zone. and good water
can be found at reasonable depth
In all parts of the territory. The alti-
tude ranges from 500 to 1000 feet, and
tory is pure and bracing.
For the last fiscal year the aug
sessed valuation of property in Okla
homa was $lS, S,3Ss,661, an increase Of
more than $6,0OO.0o0 over the preceding
year. The real wealth of the terri
stS5,000,00o. hut 81 per cent. of the
farm land of the territory, on which
people are taking abundant crops, Is
as yet listed for taxation, the balance
still being in the name OF the govern
ment The territorial tax is less than
tories of the Union. being but Sis
mills. The county tax rates are not
exorbtant, and are all being reduced
each year The territory has bond
ed debt of $4,000 and n general war;
ranty indebtedness of $3T9,o54.
represented as equal to those of any
state in the Union. There are 1000
school districts. Each has from four
to nine months school held in sub
stantial buildings and conducted. by
competent teachers. The school enum
Grafton for the past year was 114,73f,
the number actually in attendance be-
ing $685. and the number of teachers
in service 2,19l. The taxes collected
for school purposes during the year
amounted to nearly $750,O00. The te"-
ritory has five higher institutions of
learning the university, normal
school, Southwestern normal school.
agricultural and mechanical college,
and the colored agricultural and ncr-
NAL university. The total attendance
in these institutions during the past
year reached about 1000 students.
and twice as many academies and pri-
vate schools, conducted by either re-
ligious denominations or private indi-
viduas. There are Is Indian schools
in the territory, conducted by the gov
ernment. with an attendance of 2,l00.
There are in the territory about 900
church organizations, with a member.
ship of 10000, and owning church
valued at S500,G00. There are
1000 Sunday schools, with 5000 officers
and teachers and $4,000 scholars. All
of the various fraternal organizations
t41 ,1,a,,C hi
of nearly $4,000.
During the past year 602 527 acres of
government land We're filed on in the
territory by homestead settlers. There
are still vacant 5,733,3S5 acres of gov
ernment land, most OF it suitable for
stock-raising.
There are 10 territorial banks and II
banks in operation in Okla
homa. The banks are in good condi-
tion. and there has not been a failure
in three years. There are six building
and loan associations, having about
100000 invested in real estate securi-
ties, and paying dividends to their
of from II per cent. to 20
per cent. per annum.
There are nearly 1,OO0 miles of rail-
way, 200 miles having been built dur
ing the past year; every county but
two is reached by railway. Eighteen
railway companies, aggregating Sll,-
100000 capital stock, have heen char
tered during the past twelve months
The commerce of Oklohama is eXten-
sive, flour. cotton, cattle, wheat, and
corn being shipped to Europe. Asia
and South America. During the past
year there were shipped out Of the
territory $4,000 carloads OF cattle.
5000 carloads of hogs, -34 of sheep,
l?7 of horses, 14,567 of wheat, 5000 Of
los of cotton seed, 165 of hay, 2,225 of
-four 1.O23 of other mill stuff. 22O of
melons and 1895 of cotton The ship
ment into the territory included 1,010
of farm implements, $50 Of
vehicles, 735 of flour, 1,043 of immi-
grant movables and S,44O of coal.
The climate of Oklahoma is delight
full. The summer is hot, but the dry,
bracing atmosphere and the cool
winds which blow at night take away
any uncomfortableness of the season,
while the winters are short and very
mild. The mean annual temperature
for the past nine years has been 500
degrees; highest annual temperature,
i2 degrees; the lowest, 57.l degrees.
The wheat crop of the territory this
past year aggregated 25,000,000 bushels,
the average yield per acre being -
bushels. The corn crop last year was
about 60,00O,O 900 bushels. The territory
has grown successful cotton crop,
aggregating 125,O0O bales. The oat
crop of the present year is estimated
10 reach 100000 bushels. The terri
tory produces many varieties of fine
native grasses, and most of the tame
grasses do we'll. Thousands who have
-ried alfalfa and given it proper at
Lention have found it profitable. Kaf-
0r corn, broom corn, castor beans, |
potatoes, beets, and all vari-
,ties of garden truck do well. Fully
100 cars of melons were shipped to
market from Oklahoma the past year.
Oklahoma is developing rapidly along
lines. Peaches. apples,
pears, apricots, cherries, plums, and
all do well. The peach crop
IF the territory is estimated at one
half million bushels annually, and the
apple crop will reach about the same
figure.
The live stock interests are thriving;
'or the present year 2l3103 head of
norses We're listed for taxation, also
10, ,525 mules. 990,534 head of cattle, 49, |