The National tribune., 1901-07-11
The President Signs the PrOcla'
nation July 4.
TWO OFFICES ESTABLISHED.
All Applicants Must Appear in
Person at Ell Reno or LaWtOn,
and Register, Except Veterans.
DRAWING FOR PLACE In LINE.
Opportunity to Inspect the Lands for
Sixty Days

As anticipated by us, President Nc
Kinley signed the proclamation opening
the Kiowa, Comanche. Apache and
Wichita reservations July 4. The docu-
ment is also accompanied by official an
nouncement of the two new land districts
of Ell Reno and Lawton, which comprise
said lands; the setting apart of the
Wichita forest reservation, and the estab-
lishment of the various Counties accord
ing to law. The date set for the opening
is Aug. 6 next, and then settlement may
be made under the homestead and town
site laws of the United States, the details
of which are prescribed by the President
according to the power vested in him by
the act of Congress.
The method of alloting homesteads is
under the drawing plan us outlined in
these columns some months ago, with some
notifications proposed by Hon. Binger
Herman. Commissioner of the General
Land Office, and urged at the time in these
columns as preferable to the original plan
proposed by the Department.
The proclamation says that beginning
on the 10th instant and ending on the 26th
those who wish to make entry of land
under the homestead law shall be regis
tered at the land Offices at Reno and Law
ton. The registration at each Office will
be for both land districts. To obtain reg
istration, each applicant will be required
to show himself duly qualified to make
homestead entry of these lands under ex-
sting laws and to give the registering
officer such appropriate matters of de-
scription and identity as will protect the
applicant and the Government against any
attempted impersonation.
Registration cannot be effected through
the use of the mails or the employment Of
an agent, excepting that honorably dis
charged soldiers and sailors may present
their applications through an agent, no
agent being allowed to represent more
than one soldier. No person will be al
lowed to register more than once.
THE LAND OPEN TO INSPECTION.
After being registered, applicants viii
be given certificates allowing them to go
upon the ceded lands and examine them
in order to aid them in making an intel
ligent selection. 1t is explicitly stated that
''No one will he permitted to make settle
ment upon any of the lands in advance
Of the opening provided for" and the
statement is added that during the first
90 days following said opening no one but
registered applicants will be permitted to
make homestead settlement upon any Of
said lands, and then only in pursuance
Of homestead entry duly allowed by the
local land officers, or of soldiers de-
claratory statement, duly accepted by such
officers"
The order of the applications, to be de-
termincd by drawing, is described as fol-
lows:
'The order in which, during the first
80 days following the opening, the reg
istered applicants will be permitted to
make homestead entry of the lands open
ed hereunder will be determined by draw
ings for both the Ell Reno and Lawton
districts publicity held at the United
States land office at FL Reno, Okla, com
mencing at 8 o'clock a. m. Monday, July
%. 1901, and continuing for such period
as may be necessary to complete the same.
The drawings will be had under the super
vision and immediate observance of n COM
mittee of three persons, whose integrity
is such as to make their control of the
drawing a guaranty of its fairness. The
members of this committee will be ap-
pointed by the Secretary of the Interior,
who will prescribe suitable compensation
for their services.
THE LOTTERY TO BE IMPARTIAL.
Preparatory to these drawings the reg
istration officers will, at the time of regis
ruh Shnrt-c birucalf
duly qualified, make out a card, which
must he signed by the applicant, stating
the land district in which he desires to
make homestead entry and giving such
description of the applicant as will enable
the local land officers to thereafter identify
him. This card will he at once sealed
in n separate envelope, which will bear
no other distinguishing label or mark than
such rs may be necessary to show that it
is to go into the drawing for the land dis
trict in which the applicant desires to
make entry.
"These envelopes will be separated ac-
cording TO land districts, and viii be care
fully preserved and remain sealed until
opened i'll the course of the drawing as
herein provided. When the registration is
completed all of these sealed envelopes
will be brought together at the place Of
drawing and turned over to the committee
in charge of the drawing, who, in such
manner as in their judgment will be at
tended with entire fairness and equality
of opportunity, shall proceed to draw out
and open the separate envelopes and to
give to each inclosed card a number in the
order in which the envelope containing
the same is drawn. While the drawings
for the two districts will be separately
conducted, they will occur as nearly at the
same time as is practicable. The result
of the drawing for each district will be
certified by the committee to the officers
of the district, and will determine the
order in which the applicants may make
homestead entry of said lands and settle
ment thereon"
The subsequent proceedings are pro-
vided for, as follows:
Applications for homestead entry of
said lands during the first GO days fol-
lowing the opening can be made only by
registered applicant and in the order es-
tablished by the drawing. At each land
office, commencing Tuesday, Aug. 6, 1901,
Mt 9 o'clock n. M, the applications of
those drawing Nos. to 125 inclusive, for
that district, must be presented, and will
be considered in their numerical order dur
ing the first day, the applications of those
drawing Nos. 125 TO 80 inclusive must
be presented, and viii be considered in
their numerical order during the second
day, and so on at that rate until all of
said lands subject to entry under the
homestead law, and desired Hereunder,
have been entered.
APPLICANTS MUST BE ON HAND.
"If any apnlicant fails IN aDDear and