The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-30
OIL FIND
MAY AFFECT
ALLOTMENTS
Chief Porter of the Greek
Nation Sees Embarrassment
BY RECENT DISCOVERIES
Oil Lands, He Thinks, Should
be Held in Common.

Muskogee. 7 T, June 29.-General Por-
ter. chief Of the Creek nation, has given
ont the following regarding the oil ex-
element at Rock Ford: 4 think il IN
fortunate" said he, that oil in apparent
commercial quantities has been found
there. as 1t may, TO some extent, embar-
rass the work OF appraising the anot-
ments. It may, in equity, require the
services of an expert 10 now determine
the value Of the auotments. The ap-
praisement may. in part. depend upon
The decision as to whether or not Oil IS
q part Of the realty.
1T is my opinion that those who live
in the supposed oil fields. and who have
taken their aUotments and have received
certificates therefor, that the treaty con-
fers their allotments 10 them as part
of heir distributive share Of the commoa
estate. and VIII now be embarrassed only
as TO the matter Of appraisement, but
the property VIII belong to them. IT may
be held that the appraisement should be
made higher on account of the discovery
of oil. NV opinion is that the appraise-
ment should me made moderate, as noth-
ing positive is known as 10 the extent OF
ihe oil contained in the land.
where persons have made applications
for cling since the discovery Of OIL ana
who had not previously completed, their
flines for auotments and have made ap-
plication for filings on these lands IN the
oil region. which are practically worth
less for agricultural purposes, and would
never have been selected for homes, by
anyhody. the filings viii not be accept
I'd as filings for the purpose Of making
homes. and after oil in apparent com
mercial quantities has been found upon
The stony ridges. it should be maintained
by the Creek nation, that these lands are
q mart of the residue unalloted, and
whatever proceeds may be derived there
from should be used as @ fund to equal
lze the difference in the value Of anot-
nents of Creek citizens. This view Of
the case is consistent with the ideas of
distribution. The distribution Of the
lands in the first instance was to give
each citizen 16o acres upon which TO make
home and earn a livelihood by its nor
NAL use as agricultural land.
s.The Dawes commission has uniformly
followed this principal in making allot-
ments to Creek citizens. Had not oil
been discovered in what appears TO be
commercial quantities in the vicinity Of
Red Fork these parcels of land would not
have been selected as homes by any per-
son but would have remained as part
IF the residue of the land which was to
be nsed for equalizing the value of allot-
nents. and the discovery of oil should not
remove them from that class of lands
which has been contemplated TO be set
aside fo~ that r,1r-ncco
People in that vicinity that selected
their homes and those lands would have
remained vacant, and after OH had been
found tho benefit should be participated
in by every citizen Of the Creek nation
The aUotments now being made, or con-
tempiated filings upon such lands. would
be I'm violation that of this principle. and
O. is my opinion that the Creek authori-
ties VIII hold that such selections are
eoid for the reason that such selections
verc made for purely speculative pur-
poses and inspired by persons who have
no interest in the distribution Of the es-
tate of the Creek people"