Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-07-25
The INDIAN LANDS.
Preparations for the Opening in
Spite Of the Injunction Suit.
no SELLING OF NUMBERS ALLOWED.


Washington, July "a. - Secretary
Hitchcock said yesterday, with refer
ence to the effort to prevent the open
ing of the Oklahoma Indian lands to
settlement by injunction proceedings
4 at I'll Reno, that the preparations OF
the department for the opening
would proceed as though no suit had
been begun. I'VE Shall not let the
matter go by default he said, "but
we apprehend no obstacle from that
proceeding. Anyone can bring a
r suit"
The secretary yesterday took cog
nizance of reports coming from Ok
4 lahoma that the men who are regis
tering at Reno and Fort Sill are do
ing so with the intention Of trans
ferring their rights to Others. "The
report" he said, "is to the effect that
they cnn and will dispose of their
numbers at enormous profits. That
il absurd, because it is impossible I'M
der the regulations for them to
transfer their rights For any Of
them TO attempt to do so would be
q clear violation of the law. They
take an oath not to do such thing
and to use their rights for their own
conclusive benefit There can be no
Z speculation in these numbers"
The secretary also said that reports
ore coming to the department of
schemes for disposing of numerous
townsites, the promoters Offering
chances to the public. "fhe only
townsites which have been author
led the secretary said "are those
Of the three county seats. No others
have been sanctioned and no one
knows where others will be. Hence
all except those three are bogus and
reports Of their establishment should
be denounced as intended to deceive
the public
Referring to the suggestion that the
new lands should be sold at auction
and the proceeds of the sale turned
ssover to the Indians, the secretary
said: "These lands are as much gov
eminent property as are any other
part Of the public domain. They have
been purchased from the Indians and
title Is no longer in them. Hence
the plan is not feasible. Moreover,
II would not be wise, II practicable,
for II the lands were put up at auc-
ton they all would fall into the hands
Of men with money and the poor man
would have no chance whatever. I'm
der the present plan all have equal
rights, regardless Of conditions of
wealth, and that this fact is recog-
\ nized Is made evident by the large
number taking advantage Of the op-
portunity for registration
The registration will close at six
.. m. on the Goth.
The Total Registration.
Ell Reno, July 2i.--The grand total
number Of homeseekers registered is
1855. At III Reno yesterday there
were registered io,Ssi; at Fort Sill,
2,403; total at FL Reno, lO3,920; total
at Fort Sill, s7o46.
\ General Passenger Agent Thomp-
son, of the Rock Island, has advices
that passenger trains from the north
are heavily loaded and he expects a
big rush to-day, Thursday and Fri
day. Reports from Topeka are that
Santa Re trains for Oklahoma are
packed. The Missouri, Kansas &
Texas also is hauling several trains
Of homeseckers, who will be trans
ferred to tip Lnoctuw loon ~ 5".,,.
McAlester, The Choctaw, which picks
M Santa Fe passengers at Oklahoma
City, is arranging to run ten special
trains on Thursday,
II developed yesterday that the W.
4 c. T. U. is behind the scheme to start
woman's town near Anadarko. The
Missouri and Kansas W. c. 7. U. or
CARNATIONS are also interested, That
order wants to demonstrate that n
town can thrive without drop Of
LIQUOR in It. For five years no man
can even hold office in It The women
will run the municipal machinery, the
stores and own MI the property.
sixteen New Towns on the Map
Fort Sill, Ok, July 2i.-Within the
next fortnight at least 10 new towns
will be added to the map'in the three
counties comprising the Kiowa, Co.
manche and Apache country. The
government is interested in only three
towns-Lawton, Anadarko and 1lo-
bart-the three county seats. The
other towns will be started by pri-
yate townslte companies, but they
must get their credentials from the
government.
-
Went to the Wall.