New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-24
WILD RACE FOR FARMS.
HUNDREDS GATHERING FOR THE OPENING
OF THE KIOWA AND COMANCHE
RESERVATION

Wichita. Kan. June % (speciaD. The Kiowa and
Comanche Indian reservation is to be opened 10
white settlement The bill making these two mill
ion acres of valuable farming land available to
homesteaders was signed by President Mckinley
last week and the reservation VIII be opened within
the next few months 1t may be opened within
week. the border knows just when the
officials will give the signal for the race for free
homes to begin. Consequently, hundreds OF Whlte
people are gathering the border and hundreds
more are arriving every day. The steady stream OF
prairie schooners they go in long trains, reminds
of the days when the great Cherokee strip was
opened to settlement. This new land is said to be
far more fertile than the strip" but Is not so
large It Is the last area of the unoccupied arabic
land in the. great Southwest, and those who have
thrsted for free homes going madly into THIS
the last race. One by the Indian reservations
have been purchased from the Indians until now
ncHe remain worth the having
The Kiowa and Comanche country is one of the
finest pieces of land ever given away by the GOV
eminent. True, in FIVE years one has to pay
filing of 81 30 per acre. but the soil is fertile,
the climate pleasant. the surface diversified. and
game plentiful. There many natural parks In
the great Wichita Mountains, where deer and tur-
KEY run wild. In the valleys are fine fishing
streams and even down the mountain sides may
be found deep pools where bass and perch make
their home In a days hunt in the Wichita Noun
tains a skilled hunter might kill half dozen deer
If he cared to- or a hundred turkeys, One may find
all kinds of climate there. just in Colorado.
sixty acres each viii be put within the reach of
the homesteaders. The land is adapted to the rails
ing OF corn cotton, wheat and other crops common
to the Southwest The country has been noted for
many years for its excellent grazing and hundreds
of thousands OF head Of cattle, owned mostly by
Texas ranchmen, have been fatteued annually on
luxurant grasses and sent to the Northern mar
The Government is to pay 100000 to the Indians
for the land. Part OF il Will be paid in cash. and
the will remain trust fund for them. Ac-
cOrdng reports OF civil engineers. 50 per cent Of
the land is fit for cultivation. That which cannot
be cultivated lies in the mountain range, and is
ADAPTED TO hunting and fishing. The bill opening
the reservation sets aside four hundred and twenty
i've Thousand acres for the Indians There are
belonging to the KiOwa. COmanche and Apache
tribes These Indians live for the most part in
as dancing and making medicine Geronimo one
of the iercest Indians that ever lived, is confined
as prisoner or war on the reser ION Dut II Is
said that he will gladly welcome the whites as his
Tie reservation is bounded on the south by Texas,
on the west by Greer County Okla. on the north
by Washita County. Okla, and on the east by the
Chickasaw Indian Nation. The Chicago, Rock Isl
and and Pacific Railroad traverses the full length
ming water abound everywhere Red River and the
Washita are the most important The Washtta
the Southwest Many noted Indian battles nave
been fought its banks. The valley soil is good.
while the uplands highly productive The rain
| fall is even better than in Central Kansas.
Probably the attractive feature Of the race
for homesteads viii be the rush Tor the w icIlita
| Mountains These are said TO contain both SILVER
| and gold PrOspectors have brought away rich
| specimens of both ores Traces of copper have
also been found. There is an old Indian legend 10
| the effect that many years ago SpanGrds lived at
| bv Indians but not before their treasure many
| tainS for safe keeping. The reservation Is now
! being cleared Of all white people and Indians who
| will be participated in by hOmeseekers from all
! parts of the United States.