Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1901-08-22
Townsite Commission to be
Appointed to Survey and
Appraise Lots.
PROVISIONS OF ACT.
Under which the Work will be
Conducted do not Meet With
Popular Approval, and Are
Considered by Many to be
Impraotioable.

An ~ dNNANabAos
The Secretary OF the Interior
has announced that under the pro.
visions of the Curtis Act, COM
mission will soon be appointed to
conduct the survey and appraise.
ment Of townsite property in the
Cherokee nation. The section of
the act pertaining to the sale Of
town lots reads as follows:
SEC. IS. That there shall be a com
mission in each town for each one OF
the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and
Cherokee tribes, TO consist OF one
member to be appolnted by the execu-
tive OF the tribe, who shall not be In
terested in town property, other than
his home Que person 70 be appointed
by the Secretary Of the Interior, and
one member TO be selected by the
town. Aud If the executive OF the
tribe or the town fail To select mem
bers as aforesaid, they may be selected
and appointed by the Secretary OF the
Interior.
Said commissions shall cause 10 be
surveyed and laid out town sites where
towns with a present population OF
two hundred OF more are located, cou-
forming to the existing survey so far as
may be, with proper aud necessary
streets, alleys, aud public grounds, in
cluding parks and cemeteries, giving
to each town such territory as NAV be
required for It's present needs and
reasonable prospective growth ; aud
shall prepare correct plats thereof,
and 1le Que with the Secretary OF the
Interior, one with the clerk OF the
United states court, one with the
authorities Of the tribe, and one with
the town authorities. And all town
lots shall be appraised by said COM
mission at their true value, including
Improvements; aud separate apprasc-
ments shall be made OF all improve.
meuts thereon; aud no such appraise-
ment shall be effective until approved
by the Secretary Of the Interior, aud
In case Of disagreement by the meL-
bers Of such commission as TO the
value Of any lot, said Secretary may
fix the value thereof
The owner Of the Improvements up
on any town lot, other than fencing
tillage, or temporary buildings, may
deposit Ia the United States Treasury,
ST. Louis, Missouri, oue-half Of sUeh
appraised value; ten per centum with
In two months ana tlftesn per centum
more within six mouths after notice
Of appraisement, and the remainder
Ia three equal annual instalments
thereafter, depositing with the Secre-
tary OF the Interl6T one receipt for
each payment, and one with the
authorities OF the tribe, and such de-
posit shall be deeme7 5 legal tender
TO the tribe OF the purchase money for
such lot
II the owner Of such Improvement Is
on any lot fails to make deposit Of the
purchase money as Aforesaid, theu
such lot may he sold in the manner
herein provided for the sale Of uuim-
proved lots; aud when the purchaser
thereof has complied with the re-
quiremCnts herein for the purchase OF
improved lots he may, by petition, ap-
ply 10 the United States court within
whose Jurisdiction the town Is located
for condemnation and appraisement Of
such Improvements, and petitioner
shall after judgment, deposit the value
50 fixed with the clerk Of the court;
and tnereupon the defendant shall be
required TO accept same 10 iuIl pay
ment for his Improvements or remove
the same from the lot within such
time as may be fixed by the court.
All unimproVed town lots will be
sold by auction aud the payments for
the same will be made under the same
provisions.
Under the foregoing provisions,
the purchaser OF a lot receives a
tilleless piece Of property, He has
simply a doubtful fright Of occu-
pancy" until such time as the ma
ton may deem fit to grant him a
title.
The deposi,ing Of the purchase
money in the Sub.treasury at 81.
Louis, where II will be held 10
trust for the nation until title is
given ID supposed 10 guarantees
the purchaser.
This supposilion, however, ID
not title, and It's fulillment ia
too far in tine indt finite future to
satisfy the ordinary investor in
realty. There is a yaguenes 9
about the ultimate result Of such
a purchase, that makes the entire
scheme impraoticable.
Territory Papers.
The Creek nation. with a ponu