The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-27
IMPORTANT
CHANGES IN
OKLAHOMA
Land Offices Receiving Atten-
ton of Mr.. Hitchcock.
He MAY ABOLISH SOME
Rapid Work of Proving Up
Lands in Oklahoma.

Guthrie. O. T. Oct S.-The caplsai
mas q dispatch from washington which
says:
The suggestion recently made Tor thu
/ consolidation Of the Guthrie and oazss-
bona city land Offices has attracted The
attention Of Secretary Hitchcock 10 tbs
! general condition or Affairs existing ia
/ Oklahoma and II IS probable that a cora
prehenslve plan win be arranged which
/ VIII admit Of the Adjustment OF at least
( three Of the ten land Offices row IN eS-
/ istence. An examination or TIRE reports
/ o. The registers ard receivers OF the eight
I lsnd Offices which were 81 existence prios
1 to the creation OF the Offices NJ Fl Reno
f and Lawton. In the Kiowa, COmanche and
I Wichita countries. Indicates thar the
necessity for the continuation u All ot
I The Offices has practically passed, and
, that IN the future the receipts OF ma
/ jority Of the Offices viii not be sufficient
% anord q bare living 20 the registers
I and receivers
The work o. proving up titles 20 home
steaGs in the territory. since the enact
ment OF the free homestead law in 1850
has been rapid. During the past two
years an of the land offices have paid
MAXIMUM -fslAAlI- 10 AAaN AN-ArA"aH aAiA
I receivers So expe6itiousiy has the work
| progressed that the main business now
before the local officers IS she considera-
tion and disposition os contested land
cases. Even the bulk Of this work has
already been disposed Of hy the locai or
/ Gcers. as the only cases now pending be-
I fore the registers and receivers arise
( from cases which have been remanded
I back from the department for a re-hear-
ing.
While Secretary Hitchcock has reached
no definite decision. Il is probable that
the nrst Office abolished viii be the one az
oklahoma City. The main bulk OF the
land Office work in Cleveland. Pottawato-
ME- Oklahoma and the southern portion
Of Lincoln counties. Included the OiSlaho-
ma City district. has been finished The
principal business coming 20 Jnis Office
comes from the Kickapoo country. "A
the work az the 0athrie once mas been
about finished and % the register and re-
celver there have demonstrated their ca
olcity 20 transact business with dispatch
it Is the Intention Of tho department. 90
continue that office In the Guthrie land
district which includes logan. Payne.
Lincoln and a portion az oklahoma couu-
ties. there are less THIN ono thousand
claims not vet disposed Of The receipts
from these cases which viii probably not
be an settled for the next five years. is
not sufficient % pay the salary Of the
register and receiver Tor the next twelve
month"; As the Guthrie office f. as Dear
90 the ISickapoo. country as ls the Okiaho-
ma CITY office. 81 would not be inconvsn-
lent 90 the hcmesteaGers on the Kickapos
reservation TO so 70 Guthrie.
The Oklahoma City land oecs com
prlses q district running east and west
across tie entire territory. separated ia
the center b. the Wichita reservation.
recently opened 70 settlement The peo-
pie out in RoGger Mills and Waahits
COUNTIES have been compelled % travel
from 6 to 10 miles 70 look after business
which they had before The land ofge.
Secretary Hitchcock therefore, Is im-
pressed with fhe suggestion for che ahoi-
ishment ~ the land onics az Oklahoma
City and tire consolidation u the eastern
portion of the district with tn Guthrie
Office. Guthrie IS nearer the center q
this district than Oklahoma CITY. and. IL
is pointed cut. would Be much more ae-
cessible 70 the general public. The west
eru portion % the district wi probably
Be divided between two land o6ices.
~ nEHiAN county AtliiN aHA"A IT. lilr Ia
Reno Office while Rofrcr Mills county
VII probably Do consolidated with ths
Maugsm Office.
10 IS probable that the Aira once sui
probably be discontinued az the one 80
xingfsher. which IS within thirty niles
- Guthrie ard the TERRITORY divided BE-
tween Guthrie ard "a Reno.
The acts Of congress providing FOR ~
creation o. districts m the territory cor
ferred authority upon che secretary ~
ire interior ard the president 20 iocafs
ali Hand Offices. Tu1er Zee at ~ Harfe
3 1872 President Harrison esfahlishrd
the Elnranher and Guthrie Offices Later
na g4hsesuenf acts aers passei arovii-
Ing Tor a16lt.arsl lard oUrsa. paeer
which Elk Iard cmcfs were safabiiHhsf.
The presidents. therefore. has authority
90 discontinue shy - tbs rfrra - uay
deer1 proper far fbe public good. 81 aHesi-
l-h and fo adf tfe territory - IRE 9fcs
thus ahoUaheI ~ ary ~ TIE ether die-
fricfa ulfhoat c7rVrssri1aaf icrfslafio1.