The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-08-25

II
to designate quarter section. 1t has
already been taken; another trial, and
it, too. is TOO hate. What else is there
to do but TO guess blindly and then try
to find what has Eaen chosen? This Is
not encouraging ana they will not take
the long trip to Ell I2no or Lawton to
try it. The vast number of people who
came here to take long shot on the
few first choice claims, which are very
valuable by reason of being near the
prcspective cities like this place. and
who failed to win out. are not likely to
bother any further about the matter.
In estimating the value of the claims
it must be remembered that before the
K;owa and Comanche reservations were
opened to white settlers 100000 acres
went to the Indians in bulk as pasture
lands and 100000 more as individual al
lotments, taken severally as they wish
ed. Up and down the creeks and rivers
their lands run, on both sides the living
streams, and there is left to the white
settlers only the uplands, which are
less desirable than the river bottoms,
though in the main fertile and arabic
tracts, which will ultimately make
good and productive farms.
At the end of the 60 days designated
for filing. all the land upon which
claims have not been filed viii be
thrown open to settlement, first come
first served. The immigrants in camp
ers' wagons know where are the best
lands They will be on the land when
the limit expires and will file at once.
AS a consequence at the end of GO days
1900 new families will be on the
claims. 4 considerable number of these
immigrants have practically nothing
with which to make improvements or
to live on while waiting for the crops
sod. On the poorer farms they will
give up the struggle to those better pre-
pared or those who can lease Indian or
school land in connection with their
own claims in order to have room for
stock.
Oklahoma and the Indian Territory
get fully one-third of the claims
owing to the unanimity with which the
eligible portion of the population regis
tered.
! Many changes will take place before
the reservation becomes settled cOun-
try. In the first place 1t is all west of the
meridian of Wichita. Buffalo grass is
common over much of 1t, and buffalo
grass country is not generally good
farming country. 1t can be farmed on
tie creek bottoms and the uplands
used for pasture and hay. With plenty
of rain. of course, all can be farmed.
but rain is not always plentiful The
! Indians will rent their land at 10 to 30
cents an acre and spend the money.
, The whites will virtually use the en-
! tire reservation, and when once the
population has adapted itself to the
climatic conditions IT will prosper.
There will be not little hardship and
distress, but that is always a contin-
! gent in pioneer experience, though in
! the end the Kiowa and Comanche
reservations will be transformed into
fruitful farms and happy homes.
Thousands who came here with the
speculative idea that they were going
to strike it rich and make a big stake
have folded their tents. like the Arab,
! and silently stolen away" There are
still here. however. people enough to
! constitute pretty good sized city. and
doubtless many of them will remain.
There is a population of 10000 or
4 hn-a nd TOD
and unique character and primitive and
, unorganized conditions of society, fair
/ ly good order has prevailed. OF course
there are saloons. gambling houses and
( all sorts of vice here. That is to be
expected in a frontier town. and this
is certainly a typical frontier COM
munity. The wonder is how thousands
of people from all parts of the United
| States. east and west, north and
, south. rich and poor and high and low.
! all thrown together in one conglomera-
ton without any laws or city officials
| could have maintained any semblance
| of law and order. 1t Is true the United
States marshals had a large force Of
members here, but they have made
only a very few arrests. and these
were bootleggers and violators of long
standing and bad regulations Munich
pal government is now, however, fair
ly organized, and look to see Lawton
develop into a staid, orderly and pros
porous city.
Two newspapers have already put
up their presses and are doing job
work, and one enterprising sheet. the