The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-13
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
No Horse Race For Public Land
This Year.
ALL HAVE AN EQUAL SHOW
Lucky Ones VIII Have Chance to
Get Farms.
:: AN EQUAL SHOW

washington, April 12.-The method Of
disposing Of the lands in the Kiowa and
Wichita Indian reservations in Oklaho-
ma. soon TO be opened 10 homestead
entry, is receiving most careful atten-
ton from the officials Of the interior de-
partment. Desirable lands subject to dis
position under tie homestead law can no
longer be found in large quantities ex-
cept when an Indian reservation IS op-
ened and then they are eagerly sought.
So many Inquiries are made about the
Kicwa and Wichita lands that IL is man
fest there viii be several times as many
applicants as there are tracts.
The Wichita reservation win be en-
braeed in a separate land district. with
land Office at Ii Reno. Deducting the
lands allotted to Indians and reserved
Cor school purposes, there VIII be 9.122
tracts Of 160 acres each TO be disposed of
70 homestead claimants. The greater
portion OF this is fine land, but some Of
1T is not Of sufficient value to justify com
plving with the homestead law to obtain
ute TO It
Only IS ,4z8 Claims.
The Kiowa reservation viii be IN an
other land district, with a land Office
near Fort Sill. Deducting the land allot-
ted to Indians and reserved for school
and other purposes, there win be 10 81
tracts Of 169 acres each to be disposed
Of to homestasders. These are generally
good lands, but this reservation contains
a greater per centage Of lands Of no
value.
The highest number Of homestead
claims which could be taken in the two
reservations, even If all Of the land were
desirable. is 18.473. The indications are
that there win be easily 1000 applicants
Some Of these are doomed to disappoint-
ment There are not enough lands for
ar. The two reservations may be
opened at the same time, but the opening
Of each viii be as separately conducted
as is they were a. thousand miles apart.
The law does not require them TO be
opened at the same time, but to DO so
VII divide the crowd of applicants and
simplify tho task Of the land Officers.
The opening Of the KIowa reservation
must be not later than August 8 of the
present year. and il wiz take until near
that time TO complete the allottments 20
the Indians
None Of these lands can be obtained as
free homes. They must be paid for by
ali claimants at SIPS per acre at the time
Of submitting final proof. The law also
requires five years acutal residence. cuI-
tivation and Improvement, except the
honorably discharged soldiers are given
credit for the time Of their service in IAe
army
some Previous Openings.
The two reservations wiz be opened
by proclamation OF the president, and
@ recent act Of congress declares that
to avoid the contests and conflicting
claims which have heretofore resulted
from opening similar public lands the
proclamation shall prescribe the manner
"a which these lands may be settled upon
occupied and entered and thai no person
shah settle upon. occupy, or enter any
of them except as prescribed IN the proc
lamati0n until after the expiration OF
sixty days from the opening. The pur-
pose Of the new statutory provision is
clear. At the opening in Oklahoma in
1889 there were on A naverage two ap-
plicants for every desirable tract. and At
the opering in 1898. there were more than
three applicants for each tract. At these
openings the prospective claimants be-
gan assembling at the borders Of the
lands to be opened at least thirty days
ebforo the opening. and the crowd Of
ambitious homeseekers grew until. in
the instance Of the Cherokee outlet. they
numbered over lis. coo. While waiting for
the opening these people lived as best
they could, some sheltered by tents OF
wagon covers. others not sheltered at all.
and an enoountering a degree Of expos
ure and discomfort which was e1dursble
only by those OF rugged physique. Injured
70 hardshfps. They we're not permitted TO
become familiar WITH the land TO be
opened, but were held in check at the
border by the military until cannon and
musketry. distributed at intervals along
the line. announced the arrival Of noon
Of The opening day At this sianai the
great crowd serBed into the new country
in maddening race for land Not only
were there more claimants than lands
but the varying character OF The lands
had intensified the struggle for better
tracts. The participants in these open-
ings had come from every section. The
majority were honest homeseekers; but
spectators. DULLES. and boomers were
nodoeebly present some Of the partIci-
pants were young and strong; others old
end o. failing strength.
Tanzle Of Contests.
Some had been soldiers and bore evil
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