The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-23


10 Get into Comanche and Niovva
TcrrItOry-A Repetition of the Ok
Iahcma Stampede Looked For
Tams Bixby. Acting Chairman of the
Dawes Commission, who was in Washing
ton yesterday, stated that great interest
is being felt throughout the South over
the opening of the Comanche and kiowa
reservations
of course, he added. as the two res
ervations are outside of the jurisdiction
of the Dawes Commission, have only
superficial knowledge OF conditions exist
ing there, but the reports are to the ef-
feet that there will be a repetition of the
Oklahoma rush If care is not taken in
the method of aIIotting land to prevent il
The border is already black with pros
pective settlers. who are straining at the
leash, and viii be up and away at the
first Information that the Presidents pen
has signed the proclamation.
i am told that there are at least 10000
people waiting for the word. There
are certainly enough to make quite a
good imitation of the Oklahoma rush If
they are allowed TO do SO"
Mr.. Bixby states that the Commission
has made fine progress in the adjudicat-
ing OF questions applying to the Seminole
and Creek reservations There is no dis
counting the greatness Of the territory
which is about TO be opened up he de
clared. some of which viii 20 to white
settlers The area is about equal to that
Of Indiana and comprises 2U.000,G10 acres
of the richest soil IN the United States
There IS plenty of rain. and while in other
parts Of the great West where there is
level land irrigation has to be resorted to,
in the Indian reservations reliance need
only be placed in Providence. At a con
servative estimate this land is worth $500
600. Oo0 though Of course, the Indians viii
sell such part of it as they are allowed 10
at rate much cheaper than an average
of SO per acre Anything under the sun,
from cotton 10 wheat can be grown in
these lands. and 1t Is fine grazing coun-
try. It has on il now about 100000 people,
10000 of whom are natives and the rest
settlers who live on land rented from the
Indians. When the lands are allotted n
severaIty these white settlers Will stay
of course and there VIII be openings for
many more. The increase in population
I expect viii be phenomenal in the next
few years.
The Seminoles will get their allotments
June J. The land Office viii be opened at
Wewaka on that date. The land has been
appraised in various lots, each lot com
ing under one of q series of values, S1-5a
s. $50. and So. The exact share of the
individual Indian has not yet been figured
out but he Will be given land valued az
that share. If he comes to the office with
a request to be allowed to keep the sec
ton upon which he : living now, he viii
be allowed to keep it at its valuation up
on the books of the Commission. If its
value does not equal the amount Of money
share to which he is entitled he viii be
allowed 10 choose land elsewhere to
equaIize matters The Indians are now
so much centralized that it will happen
quite frequently that an Indian will be
living on q ten or twenty-aCre tract, and
will be entitled TO something like 100 OF
I20 acres elsewhere This allotment will
not / think, disturb the leasing settlers.
They viii probably keep their holdings
in many cases undisturbed. A provisional
allotment has been made Of the land q
the Creek Nation, TO about I0,00G indi-
viruals. The nation now has before its
council the treaty ratified by Congress
and If the council accept it. the a1lot-
ment of the lands to the individuals viii
go into effect There is every reason TO
suppose that the treaty viii be adopted
The Creeks. according to the treaty,
will be allowed to sell thTee-fouTths OF
their iaIlu- ana IDeTe WILL OF course DC
large number of buyers, many Of the set
tiers now leasing the land 1t is a pecU-
liar fact that the land leasing system IN
vogue in the Territory has no justification
In law. It is just tolerated because IL
seems to be the best way out Of many
difficulties. The treaty with the Semi
noles does not allow them to sell their
land
THE work Of the Commission has nee
essarily been slow, because there are
only about 7,00o who have d right 10 the
land. The claims of all, however. have
had to be examined and it has kept Us
working at IUI speed with twenty-five
photographers taking testimony"
Speaking Of the rumored Indian trou-
blcs which have been talked about 50
much recently. Ar Bixby said Their
is NJ disturbance worth mentioning and
there never has been Crazy Snake. after
he had been released by Judge Thomas
under a faithful promise that he would
be good started to work at once to stir
up discomfort again He viii be put in the
penitentiaTy as soon as he can be caught