The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-19
APPRAISING INDIAN land
Choctnw md ChioLnsnw Rcscrva-
lions to he Allotted.


the time when these lands viii be aIlot-
ted The two tribes. together with the
other Indian nations In the Indian Ter
rltory. viii then assume a new status I'm
their relations TO the people Of the United
states. Within a comparatively short
time the Five Civilized Tribes of Indi-
ans VIII cease 20 exist as an independent
factor and their identity. like their lands,
VIII bc merged with that OF the whites.
This change OF status Of tribes raises
tho question by what means white home
seekers may acquire possession Of the sur
Plus lands under the weII-defned provis-
ions Of the statutes enacted by Congress
1t Is evident that mary persons have i'm
hihed a strong dose Of INSTRUMENTATION on
this subject Some are under the impress
sion that lands in the Indian Territory
may be acquired by somewhat similar
methods as those under which Oklahoma
was originally opened to white settlement.
afterward the Cherokee strip. and quite
/ recently the Kiowa Comanche. and
Apache. and the Wichita reservations
that IS to say. either by the method de
Z scribed as a horse race or that introduced
with regard TO the disposition Of the lands
i'm the KiOwa and Wichita reservations,
popularity known as the lottery system
This Is a mistake. TIE lands in the IndI-
an Territory. part OF which are now near
. y accessible and the remainder Of which
Will undoubtedly be ready in the course
. Of some months. are on an entirely diff
ferent plane from the lands heretofore
/ opened Their title is I'm the Indians. and
I the United States Government, through
/ its commissioners. merely acts as an
/ agent for the Five Tribes
} Agreements providing for the dissolu-
! ton Of the tribal governments and the
allotment of the lands in severalty have
/ been made with the SeminoIes the Creeks.
! the Choctaws. and the Chickasaws. and
only the Cherokees, who twice refused 20
/ confirm agreements 10 this end. are out
/ side Of the fold. and subject TO the pro
! visions Of the act for the protection Of
/ the people Of the Indian Territory, known
as the Curtis act
/ Ia the case Of the Chcctaws and Chick
asaws. the provisions relating 70 the al
lotmeuts and alienation Of their lands are
specifically set forth IN the agreements
made with the Choctaws and Chickasaw We.
April .. 1891, as amended by Congress.
These allotmeHts were directed 10 be made
so as to give each member Of these
I tribes So Ear as possible a fair and equal
share thereof. that is. the lands On com
mon. considering the character and fer
, tlity Of the soil and the location and
value Of the lands"
Quoting the provisions Of the act of
the act Of Congress confirming the treaty.
all the lands allotted shall he nUn-taNa-
bic while the title remains Ia the original
aliOttee. but not to exceed tweuty-one
years from date Of patent. and each al
lottee shall select from his allotment a
homestead OF loo acres. for which he shall
have separate patent. and which shall
De lnaicuable for twenty-One years from
date Of patent This provision shall also
apply TO the Choctaw and Chickasaw
freedman 10 the extent Of his allotment
dOrty acres) Selections for homesteads
for minors TO be made as provided herein
IN case Of allotment. and the remainder
Of the lands allotted TO said members
shall Toe alienable for "a price TO be actual
- paid, and TO include no former indebted
ness or bligatiOn-One-fourth OF said re-
maiuder in one year. one-fourth in three
years and the balance Of said aHenabIe
lands in FIVE years from the date Of the
patent
That all contracts looking 70 che sale
or incHmbrance in any way Of the land Of
an allcttee, except the sale hereiubefore
provided, shall be null and void No al
lottee shall lease his allotment. or any
portion thereof, for a longer period than
five years. and then without the privilege I
OF renewal Every lease which is not evil
deHced by writing. setting out specifically ]
the terms thereof, OF which is not record !
ed in the clerks Office OF the United !
States Court for the district IN which the .
land IS located, within three months az 4
ter the date OF its execution shall be
void and the purchaser. or lessee. shall I
acquire no rights whatever by an entry .
rHHr~
or any sale shall be valid as against the /
allotee unless providing TO him d reason /
able compensation for the lands sold or .
leased"
Regarding tho town sizes IN the Ch-c-
taw and Chickasaw nations the law pro
vides that when said towns are so laid /
out each lot on which permanent sub
stautial and valuable improvements
other than fences, tillaEe. and temporary .
houses. have been made. shall be- valued /,
by the commission provided for the nation
I'm which the town is located at the price
a fee-simpIe title 10 the same would bring
iu the market al the time the valuation
IS made. but not 20 include in such
value the improvements thereon The
owner q the improvements on each Dot
shah have the right 20 buy one residence
and one business LOT az 81 per cent Of the
erty. and the remainder Of such improved
property at e2lz per cent Of the said mar
ket value within sixty days from date Of
notice served on him that such lot is for
sale. and II ne purchases the same he .
shall. within ten days from his purchase. &
pay into the treasury of the United States /
ou'-fDurth Of the purchase price and the .
balance In three equal annual install .
menfS. and when the entire sum IS paid .
shall be entitled 20 a patent for the
SAME"
The owner Of the improvements on any 7
lot IS required to purchase within sixty
DAYS OF the same shall be- sold AT public
auction 20 the highest bidder All uu-ap-
praised .ots shall be sold from time to
time al public auction for the benefit OF
n. tribes
Under the act to ratiTy and co-drrl an
aETccIn, NJ with the MuSCOger OF Creek |
tribe Of Indians Of March J. 1871 il IS pro- J
yidCd that each Indian shall receive l6u /
acres Of land as his allotment and section }
b provided that Greek citizens MAY rent ]
their allotment when selected for a term l
not exceeding one year The value Is APP
praised at $3.50 per acre and shall cousti-
-ute the standard Ilue of an allotment
and shall also be tine N assure for the
equalization Of values Each citizen may
select forty acres of this allotment for a !
homestead. nou-taNable and inaIieuable
and free from any euCuu4 bra nee whatever ,
for tweuty-one years, for which he shall !
have a separate deed, conditioned as
above.
The homestead OF each citizen shall re-
main after tho death OF the aIIOttee for IN. d
lS- and support of children born TO him
after the ratification OF this agreement
but IL he have no such issue. then he NAV