The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-12
A 1000 ACRE PARK
Senator Stewart Has Ideas
About One at Fort Hays.
Would Have Buffalo and Other
Wild Animals.
mn nNNC mo CTl ANN
BELONGS TO STATE.
Plan to Make 1t Another Kansas
Institution.
Question of Settlers is to Be
Disposed of.

When the state Of Kansas accepted
the gift Of the Fort Hays reservation
from the general government for the
joint use of the Agricultural college
and Normal college, it was a part of
the understanding that a portion of it
should be set aside and preserved for a
public park. The carrying out of the
intentions of the legislature with regard
to the use and improvement Of the
lands in the reservation has been him
dered by the legal complications that
have arisen over the "A settlers claims
that have been staked out on it and to
a certain extent recognized by the in
terror department.
State Senator s. J. Stewart, of Allen
county is a member of the board of re-
gents of the state agricultural college
and might be termed it's Fort Hays
expert" He is we'll informed on this
grant and matters growing out of it.
His ideas in regard to it have weight
with the board. He is deeply Interested
in the park part of the project.
If we could have gone ahead with
the handling of the land this spring, /
would have been in favor of blowing up
about a quarter section to plant it with
wheat. Then we should want to get
hard rye and cereals from other coun~
tries and try them, in fact carry on a
complete series of experiments as was
the purpose of the grant. But, of
course, the difficulty arose over the
squatters that have taken claims and
we cannot do anything with our appro-
priation until a perfectly clear title is
given It is too late in the season now
to think of doing any tilling. And then
it will be some time till the dispute is
settled The interior department has
granted a rehearing. One of the set
tiers. Cox, was given decision that his
claim was good at the first hearing
This case is to be taken up again That
is what the rehearing means The de-
cision in it viii apply to the rest Of the
fourteen.
Fort Hays people tried to buy off
their claims. but could not succeed.
They may do so yet. which ever way
the decision goes.
7 think there is only one, perhaps
two, bona fide settlers actually settled.
working and living on the land"
This last statement was made in re-
ply to an inquiry as to whether the
custer proceedings would not, if sue
cessful, work hardship and injustice to
toilers who went on and worked in
good faith. Senator Stewart shattered
that idea completely by his statement
of facts
1.-The settlements that have been
made were speculative moves. The
claimants jumped right in and corralled
a likely piece of ground. The land was
never formally or rightfully opened to
homesteading. It was government
land and for a couple of months. one
time, it could have been legally settled
if the land had ever been plated and
surveyed. But it never was plated.
There was never a survey made
THE agricultural college has 5000
acres to 1000 acres that go to the nor
NAL, in round mum bers. 1t is on the land
along the creek, which for the most
part is awarded to the agricultural coll