The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-24

reason that i nave suggested TINS amend
ment is that rich person or a syndicate
might have purchased all of the lots in an
entire town This amendment prevents
this and viii permit each settler to pur-
chase lot for business purposes and a
homestead lot, and no more
Another amendment have suggested is
! that the governor Of Oklahoma can now
/ appoint the county officers in that coun-
| try instead of the secretary of the in
terror doing it. I believe IN home rule,
and therefore I objected to the secretary
of the interior appointing officers for the
| counties in Oklahoma I think that Okla
| homa is quite capable Of taking care Of
! herself in that matter.
Mr.. Sheppard-How about county seats?
! Mr. Stephens of Texas-The county
seats are to be selected by the allotng
agents, under the direction Of the secre-
tary of the interior. There viii be ] pre-
sumo, three or four county seats in these
reservations. This bill further provides
that there shall be two land offices laid
off. There is no land Offices there now
nearer than Oklahoma City. seventy five
miles from the reservations. and there
viii be two districts laid off with a land
office in each district so that the settlers
can get to the land offices with the least
inconvenience to themselves.
One Of the land offices will be in the
Kiowa and Comapche reservation at the
county seat nearest to Fort Sill. The
other viii be at Ell Reno, a very conven-
lent point TO the Wichita reservation,
which will also be opened at the same
time. I understand that there are now
hundreds Of people around these reserva-
tons intending to go in there as settlers.
and it is necessary that provision be made
for these land offices. and unless this bill
or some similar bill passes it is feared
that the country viii not be opened up
on the 9Th of August, or before that time,
as we provided by the bill that was pass
ed here last year.
think that the settlers should select
their lands by drawing for their choice
similar to the way we select our seats in
this house, but this method can and
probably viii be adopted by the president. +
This bill, with the amendments I have
suggested, which amendments have been
agreed to, is the best bill we can get
under the circumstances. This bill pro-
vides that the nearest county seat to the
center of the reservations shall be the
land Office.
Mr.. Slayden-It does not put it at Guth-
RE
Mr.. Stephens Of Texas-No; one viii be
at FL Reno and the other viii be near
Fort sill, which is near the center Of the |
Comanche and KHowa reservations.
That is all I care to say. I yield back
my time.
Mr.. Maddox-As 7 understand, you pro
under the amendment you propose TO
limit the purchase by any one man to
one lot Is that it?
Nj. Lacey-One for business purposes /
and one residence lot
Mr.. Maddox-How is this land to be al /
lotted
Mr.. Lacey-The allotments are to the I
Indians. and the balance viii be opened .
under the homestead law. But if the
town lots are taken without any com
pensauon, the result would be that indi-
viduas would get the benefit of the un-
earned Increment. whatever it may be;
but under this amendment they win be
sold and the value of the town lots viii
90 to the counties, TO be used for com
pany purposes.
Mr.. Maddox-Are you going to have a
lottery, or are you going to have a race
for this land
Mr.. Lacey-That is not settled in this .
bin. My friend from Texas Cfr Steph- /
ens) has offered a separate bin providing
for lottery drawing instead of a race.
Mr.. Stephens of Texas-I would correct
the gentleman-
Mr. LACEY am inclined to favor the
genteman's proposition, and if it had
come in in time perhaps it might have
been Incorporated into this bill I hope
the senate win consider it and see if an
arrangement can be made. and the races
heretofore taking place in other reserva-
tons be done away with
Mr. Maddox-Eow much does the gov
eminent pay for this land
Mr. Lacey-Tt was paid for long ago.
Mr.. MaddoX-How much was paid FORTE
Mr. LACEY do not recollect the exact
amount.
Mr. Curtis-About 100000, or between
80 cents and a dollar an acre
Mr. Lacey-About IS % cents per acre.
or 80 cents after considering the Indian
allotments. The locators of this prop
erty have TO homestead it. but they are
also required to pay a dollar and a quar-
ter an acre for it. They must make set
Element as or an ordinary homestead. bat
are required within the five years Iimita-
ton to pay the price which I have stated
Mr.. Speaker, 1 yield two minutes to the
delegate from Oklahoma.
Mr. Flynn-Mr. Speaker. regret ex-
ceedingly the unpleasantness that arose
some time ago about this bin. There are
some amendments now which 7 very re-
luctantly consent to, but which I hope
the house win pass. The legislation is
necessary. and in view of that fact I am
willing to accept almost anything in order
to have the opening occur
The bill was then passed and has now
gone TO the senate
The text of the bill as 1t passed the
house follows:
"That before the time for the opening
or entry of any of the lands in The Terri
tory of Oklahoma, respectively ceded TO
the Cnited States by the Wichita ara
affiliated bands of Indians ana the Com-
anche, Kiowa and Apacaa tribes IF IN
dians, under agreements respectively rat
fled by the acts of March @ 1885. and june
o. 1860 it shall be the duty of the presi-
dent to subdivi5e the same into such
number Of counties as viii for the time
being. best subserve the public interests
and 10 designate the place for the county
seat IF eacl county, and u set aside ana
reserve at such county eat for 6isao-
siuon as herein provided go acres OF
land. The lands Sc set apart ana desis-
mated shall, in advance Of the opening. be
surveyed. subdivided and plated. under
the direction Of she secretary Of the IN
terror. into appropriate lots. blocks
Sfrpnre afl,v-e ana s--,s $50 -,.,-f..- $500.