The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-07-26
TO GRAB THE BIG PRIZES.
oklahomans Plan to Keep the $4,000
Claims out Of the Drawings.

Fort sill, o. T, July 26.-Unless
the Interior department tips the
scheme the two great prizes for the
government drawing will be withdrawn
before the Indian lands are opened
for settlement. 1t was the possibility
Of drawing a quarter section on land
adjoining the townsite of a probable
metropolis that brought perhaps one
half Of the more than 100000 persons
to El Reno and Lawton during the
last thirteen days The story first
published in the Leader representing
the probable value Of each of these
quarter sections at $4,000 has travel
ed to every quarter Of the United
States.
Emmett Cox tried to steal a march
on the authorities, but failed Now
come four shrewd Oklahomans with
scheme which for cleverness OBJ
scures the movements Of Quanah
Parker's son-in-law. L. p, Ross, of
Norman, Ok, who was receiver Of the
! Oklahoma city land office under
cleveland; K. L. Fors, Populist poll
itician Of the same town; A. b. Conley
and w. 7. Bodive, both of Perry, fled
petition with the registrar and re-
ceiyer of the Lawton land Office this
afternoon to have the half section
south of the Lawton townsite set apart
for townsite purposes as an addition
80 the tc-vn. These interesting petit
TONERS aliege that Lawton will be a
city Of 10000 inhabitants and that they
viii be citizens of Comanche county
Of which II will be the county seat
The half section already set apart by
the government viii be inadequate TO
accommodate the people who will
want to locate in the town. and public
necessity demands that the half sec
tion south of the present site be with
drawn from homestead entry making
the new town ono full section. The
four persons who signed the petition
are occupying a ten less than 100
yards from IN temporary quarters of
the registrar and receiver of the land
Office Under the townsite laws which
have to De followed i'm making this adj.
Idi,ion TO Lawton, whomsoeyer was
FIRST squatted ON lot ia the new adj.
Idtlon would De able 10 hold IT, All
ready the most desirable lots are oc-
Icupied. ~
Sooner" is written between the
lines OF ,he new petition so plainly
that ne who runs may read. For two
days past the tide Of immigration has
set In towards Lawton For one mile
tents line the entire distance OF the
main road which runs south OF the
townsite through the quarter section
that Emmett Cox tried to got and the
diverting Oklahoma "sooners" have
prayed to be set apart as an addition
TO the town. Not fewer than fifteen
lawyers have pitched their tents,
There are lemonade stands. barber
shops, lodging houses and all man
ner OF shops which come early to a
border town. Not one among this
contingent but is an enthusiastic ad.
yocate Of the Oklahoma scheme. It
would mean town lot without bid
ding for It at the auction sale. In tents
and prairie schooners in and around
L8wton there is population now OF
not less than $500. No one is permit
ted TO enter upon the townsite, but
two quarter sections open 10 entry on
tho south have been seized upon. Tae
way Is being paved 10 contest the
claim OF whatever person draws No.
at El Reno. ofoourse he win select
the quarter seetioa that Emmet Cox