Evening star., 1901-07-06
Public Lands in Southwest Okla
homa,
PROCLAMATION 10 Be MADE MONDAY
Thirty Clerks viii Leave Tonight
for Reno and Lawton.
OF MAKING ENTRIES

A force OF thirty clerks from the general
land office will leave tonight for Oklahoma
to conduct the business pertaining to the
opening Of the Kiowa, Comanehe and
Apache Indian lands in that territory. The
proclamation will be promulgated Monday,
and two land Offices will be established
They Will be located at Reno and Lawton
The plan OF drawing by lot for making
entries has been virtually determined on
as the one most generally satisfactory. 1t
Is the only plan upon which a majority Of
persons interested have agreed. According
to this there will be a period Of registra-
ton, lasting thirty or forty days. prior to
the opening, during which each applicant
for these lands will be required to show by
written proofs that he Is qualified to make
homestead entry and actually desires to do
SO as a means Of procuring a home
II his proof Is satisfactory he will be reg
istered as qualified applicant and given a
certificate to that effect and he will draw q
number which will determine the order in
which he will be permitted. at the opening.
to make selection Of land. The work OF
registration will continue until the qualifica-
tions Of all applicants and the order in
which they will be permitted to select land
have been determined.
Drawing Of Lots.
The drawing will be under the super
posed Of two or three men whose high char
acter Is 50 widely known throughout the
country as to make their control OF the
drawing a guaranty Of its absolute fairness.
The numbers placed In the box before the
drawing commences will more than cover
the number Of people who will apply to
register. No advantage will be obtained by
being the first to register and all will have
an equal chance OF drawing the first num-
Der.
The proclamation will prescribe what per-
sons may make selection on each day after
the openinG-as for instance: On the first
day those who hold numbers from to 800.
inclusive; on the second day those who
hold numbers from 301 to 600. inclusive.
and so on. until oil the lands have been
selected. The one who draws number 5000
will know that his right of selection must
be exercised on the tenth day. and that it
is not necessary for him to be present at
the opening until then.
The Land to Be Opened.
The land which will soon be opened to
settlement Is situated In the extreme south
western part Of Oklahoma territory. being
bounded on the south by Texas. on the
west by Greer county. on the north by
Washita county and the Wichita reserva-
ton and on the east by the Chickasaw ma
ton. The Red river forms the boundary
line on the south side the north fork OF
the Red river on the west and the WASH
ita river for about half the distance on
the north.
Its area Is A 63S square miles, and 1t con-
tains 2,96S ,S93 acres. The act of Congress
under which this country is thrown open
for settlement provides. among other
things, that the following allotments shall
first be made: 100 acres each for about
5000 Indians; $4,000 acres Of grazing lands
to be held in common by members Of the
tribes; about $50, 600 acres for schools col
leges and public buildings. and $1,000 acres
for the Fort Sill military reservation. leav-
ing approximately ,62S. .S98 for homesteads
Who May Make an Entry.
Any citizen Of the United States who Is
the head Of family or who has declared
his int tention to become a citizen of the
United States who is twenty-one years OF
age and who Is not the owner OF 16O acres
of land may make homestead entry in
tho reservation. Veterans OF the civil and
Spanish-Anerican wars are entitled to
credit on their homesteads for the time
served as soldiers. Any person who. hav-
ing attempted. but for any cause failed. to
secure a title in fee to a homestead under
existing laws, who made entry under
what Is known as the commuted provision
of the homestead law. Is qualified to make
a homestead entry upon the land.
Appointments have been made by the
President to fill positions in the new land
Offices created in Oklahoma territory In
connection with the opening Of Indian lands
as follows: Frank c. Sickles OF Missouri to
be register. and Thomas r. Reid OF Okla
homa to be receiver at the Reno office:
Henry D. Mcknight of California to be
register and James D. Mcclure Of Okla
49, Y nruvkn