The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-03-08
TO BE OPENED UP IN AUGUST.
Dennis Flynn Gives Interesting Informa-
ton About the Indian Reservations
in the Oklahoma Country.

giving the present situation relative TO
the opening of the Kiowa, Comanche
and Wichita Indian reservations OF
over 100000 acres, will be of much IN
terest to many REPUBLIC readers, espe-
ciaIly those who contemplate securing
a home in this new land. which viii be
thrown open to homesteaders about
August l, which is only reached by the
Rock Island road, which line IS the
only one running to and through this
reservation. Mr.. Flynn says:
"The Wichita reservation is east and
north of the Kiowa reservation, and
there will probably be 100000 acres of
it subject to homestead entry. There
will be about 100000 acres Of Kiowa
land for homestead entry. In both of
these reservations sections Ii, 80, 16
aud So are reserved for school and
other purposes for the uses Of the fu-
ture state of Oklahoma. This will be
leased by the Oklahoma school land
board, consisting of the governor and
secretary of the territory. In both the
reservations there must also be taken
out 100000 acres for Indian allOt-
ments and grazing lands, in addition
to school and other reservations which
I have mentioned.
"A bill has just passed the lower
house of congress which provides that
there shall be no more races for town
lots, but that before the opening of
these reservations the president shall
divide them into counties, fixing the
county lines and reserving 800 acres as
near as practicable to the center Of
each county for county seat purposes.
These lands will be sold on the day of
the opening or on subsequent days to
the highest bidder, no one be allowed
to purchase more than one resident
and one business lot in each town. The
proceeds of these sales go to the cOun-
ty in which the county seat is located.
"As to who are eligible to take a
homestead in these reservations, the
laws differ But in the Kiowa and
Comanche reservation everybody who
at any time prior to June last had
used his homestead right by filing on
certain lands can make a second en-
try, provided he did not have perfect
title
SIN other words every person who
has relinquished in any part of the
United States on any government land
is eligible to take a homestead there.
Any person, who, however, after living
on a homestead five or more years
without paying out cannot make an
additional entry, congress refusing to
grant this right.
81 desire to be emphatically under
stood as stating that if man paid on
his homestead before he resided on it
five years he can take a second one. If
he did not pay out within five years he
cannot. Again, no person who relin-
quished or committed since June 6 is
eligible, as that was the date of the
passage of the original treaty.
sold soldiers of the civil war who
have never had the benefit of a home
stead have their rights preserved. As
to the soldiers of the Spanish and
Philippine wars, at the present time
they are given credit only for certain
services. A bill is now in congress
between the two houses which will
give them their right of filing a sol
dier's declarstory claim.
sin my judgment all of these lands
viii be opened to settlement about
August 1. How they will be opened is
not at this time settled. A great many
are advocating a change from the old
race horse style. For myself l will
favor any kind of a proposition that
will hurry the opening of the country
aud give every body entitled to home
stead an equal chance. I would not be
surprised if some lottery plan were
adopted, the details of which will have
to be worked out by the interior de-
partment.
"Fwo new land offices to take care of
the business will be established, one
at FL Reno and one at the county seat
nearest Fort Sill.
"Msny people are not aware of the
fact that any person who has 160 acres
Of land in any state or territory is pro-
hiOited from taking a homestead any
where in the United States. The OBJ
ject of the homestead law is to give
people who do not own 16O acres of
land an opportunity to obtain a home
from the government.
"The appointment of county officers
etc., is a mstter, whether left to the
secretary or the governor, which viii
undoubtedly not be taken up until
next summer.
There is no inside track to be given
anybody. The public will be advised
through the press s sufficient length