The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-11
ROCK Island KICKS
On HitchcoCk'S KioWa and
ComanChe Lands Report.
INSPIRED BY AFFIDAVITS
Of CattIemen Alleging Unfit
ness for Farming.
INSPIRED BY AFFIDAVITS

island railroad has taken up the def
thown down by Secretary Hitchcock in
his recent report to the senate that the
lands in the Kiowa and Comanche coun-
try are not fit for agricultural purposes
As is we'll known the opening of the res
ervation has long been earnestly desired
bv the people of Oklahoma and Delegate
Flynn in recognition OF this demand in
corporated a provision in his statehood
bill requiring the opening and settlement
Of these lands. In opposition to this
movement has been the persistent efforts
of the cattlemen who naturally oppose
the taking away of this rich grazing
country, just as they opposed the opening
Of Oklahoma TO settlement ten years ago.
Then. as now. the catuemeh controlled
the situation at Washington by their re-
presentations that the country was only
fit for grazing purposes and it was not
until the railroad invaded the country
that the homesteader was able to secure
a hearing The Rock Island is preparing
To build through the Klowa and Conan
che country and is DESTROYS Of having
the reservation opened to settlement
Secretary Hitchcock in response to res
olution of the United States senate, SUP
nnitted report that of the 100000 acres
of land embraced in the Kiowa and Co.
manche reservations but 1900 acres are
fit for agricultural purposes, and IN this
report he submits the aff1davits OF some
half dozen men secured through the in
PREVENTION Of Special Agent Pray. In OPP
position TO this report the Rock Island
railroad is prepared to show that all OF
the afidavits submitted are by interested
cattlemen and it will be further shown
that as far back as 1852 United States
army officers made favorable reports up
on the fitness of these lands for agricul-
tural purposes.
In 1852 the United States War Depart
ment sent Colonel R. B. Marcy and Cap
tain (afterward GeneraD Mcclellan to ex-
pIore the country. These officers, with
their command, came into the country
from the east, and the following extract
from Colonel Marcys report begins with
the crossing of the present boundary to
the Comanche country some thirty miles
south of Fl. Sill:
During our march today we passed
small stream flowing into the Red river
and directly at the point of crossing, in
gully washed out by rains, we found
many pieces of copper ore of a very rich
quality lying upon the surface.
Cache creek IS a stream of consider
able magnitude, $50 feet wide, with cur
rent of four miles pa hour, flowing
though a valley one r-ile in width, of
rich black alluvium, and bordered by the
best timberI have seen vast of the cross
timbers.
soon after we reached the high prairie
ridge, upon which We Travelled today, we
came in sight Of the Wichita Mountains.
some twenty-five or thirty miles to the
north. the chain seeming to be made UP
of a series of detached peaks running
from the southeast to the northwest as
for as the eve can reach. Rising, as
these mountains do upon the naked prai-
re, isolated from surrounding eminences,
they form a. very striking and pronounced
feature in the topography OF the country.
we are encamped tonight near two
mountains, about three miles, from the
river and about one mile west of the
head Of the west branch Of otter creek,
near a spring of pure water, which rises
in the mountains and runs down past our
camp. Our road leads along near the
Creek valley which is from one to two
miles wide. with very productive Soil.
skirted with variety Of hard timber.
"Our course today was northwest from
head Of Otter until we encountered a
bold running stream Of good water, forty
feet wide and three feet deep. flowing
through broad, fat valley about two
nils wide. Of a dark alluvial soil, the
fertility of which is obvious from the
dense vegetation which It supports"
n ba awe CO1O
says:
Passed along the borders of a swift
running rivulet of clear water, which is
sues from springs in the mountains and
is filled with multitude of fish. We also
passed near the base of a very prominent
and symmetrical mountain, which can be
seen for twenty miles upon our route and
Is a most excellent landmark Several Of
the gentlemen assembled this peak with
the barometer. and its altitude as there
by indicated, is $50 feet above the base
Captain Mcclellan has called this Mt !
Webster. in honor Of our great statesman
The valleys lying between many Of these
mountains have d soil which is arabic in
the highest degree. They are covered /
with grasses which our horses eat greed !
lily. There are also many springs Of cold. |
tie rocks of the mountains and flowing |
down through the valleys. thereby afford !
ing at all times a most delicious beverage,
where we were led to believe from the re-
presentations Of the Wichita, We would /
find only bitter and unpalatable water
by following up the course OF a ra- |
vine in the side of the gypsum bluffs. |
there were detached pieces Of conner ore. !
We 4 az ~ !
proved to be the green carbonate but /
not Of so rich a character as that we had |
seen before. AT this point wevpre nearly I
opposite the western extremity OF the (
chain Of Wichita Mountains
LAS we ascend the river. we have con- !
elusive proof Of the fals.ty OF the repres- |
enJauons Of our visitors. the Wichitas 4
It viii be remembered they told ms that
the entire country was a desolaJe waste
where neither man or beast could get
substance. Their statements have proved /
false in every particular, as we have thus
fer found the country well watered the
soil good, everywhere yielding an album
dance OF the most nutritious grasses. with
2 great suficiency OF wood for all the
purposes OF the traveller"
Colonel Marcy on page Is OF 'Marcy's /
Req River Of Louisiana" says OF the
Wichita Mountains
There are veins OF quartz. greensboro
and eporphy running through the granite
similar to those that characterize the
gol65earing formation Of California New
Mexico and elsewhere. This fact IN con-
nection with our having found some small
particles Of gold in the detritus along the
bed Of Otter creek may lead to the dis