Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-12
AN OFFICIAL NOTICE.
Secretary of the Interior Gives
Some Instructions.
TIE OLD SOLDIERS WANT RELIEF.
No Provision Made for Them in the
Opening of New Lands for Settle
ment in okIahoma-DetaiIs Are
Kept a Secret-The Lands.

Kept a Secret-The Lands.
Many prospective settlers of the
klowa, Comanche and Apache Indi-
an lands in southern Oklahoma which
Will be thrown open to settlers during
this year are wondering how this will
be done Several Wapello county
men expect to be in the rush, and
among them several old soldiers. Ten
thousand homes will have to be pro-
vided for and many are the schemes
devised. Congressman Clark of Tex
as has plan to let the lands by lot
terry, applications in one wheel, and
quarter section numbers in another;
precedent is to clear the lands of ev-
erybody, line the homesteaders on the
borders and start at the crack of a
pistol at noon on given day; the
old soldiers want the privilege of TAX
ing their land by merely filing descrip-
lions, without going to the point of
racing to drive stake in the ground
and then get in line at the land of
flee.
Received Notice.
An Ottumwa land and emigration
agent who has given the matter care
full study is in possession of the fol-
lowing notification which may en1ight-
en- some old soldiers who are san
guine and at the same time raise the
hearts of pioneers who have not land
ed rights of veterans, to know that in
communication direct from the de-
lpartmept of the interior, he is in
formed at is impossible to tell in
! advance of the issuance of the presi-
dents proclamation the rules under
which the lands will be opened" The
same communication carried with it
public notice issued by Secretary
Hitchcock, bearing upon the land OPP
ering. After citing the act of con-
gross providing for the settlement by
whites. the notice disposes of soon
ers" by intimating troops will scour
the land. Old soldiers will be disap-
pointed to hear no one is to be per-
mitted to make prior entry, as many
of them had been led to suppose they
could hire land agent to select a
site for them now, turn over to him
their power Of attorney and let him
step up to the Office of the land regis
ter and file without going thru the
dangers of the homestead race.
The Ruling.
The exact language of Secretary
Hitchcock's public notice follows:
Whereas, 1t is reliably reported that
many persons have gone upon said
reservation for the purpose Of max.
ing entries, or making mineral loca.
lions when said lands shall have been
duly proclaimed to be open to settle,
ment and entry:
And whereas, no proclamation will
be made opening said lands to settle
ment until allotments to the Indians
shall have been completed
! And whereas, the laws of the Unit
led States provide for the removal OF
.tall persons residing or being found
upon such Indian lands without per
mission expressly obtained from the
interior department;
Now, therefore, for the purpose OF
protecting the public interests, as well
as the interests of the Indian tribes
and to the end that no person or per
sons may be induced to enter upon
said lands or reservations where they
will not be allowed to remain without
the permission of the authority afore
said, notice is hereby given that al
entries, locations, and settlements up
on said reservations,a the same have
heretofore been established. attempt
led to be made prior to the time o.
opening thereof by the proclamation
of the president, yet to be issued un
der the provisions of the acts of con
gress hereinbefore cited, are hereb,
declared to be illegal, and no person
who has heretofore attempted, or shall
hereafter attempt, to make such en-
tries, locations, or settlements prio
to such opening by proclamation, will
gain any advantage thereby, but OF
the contrary. the preference will b,
given to those who legally enter upol
said reservation after the same shall
!, have been duly opened. And If thi
admonition and warning be not stuff
: Gent to effect the purposes and inten
!, tons of the government as herein de
clared, the military ever Of the Unit
ed States will be invoked to abate al
such unauthorized possession, to pre-
went such threatened entry and occu
lpation. and to remove all such intrud
ers from the said lands.
The allotment of lands to the In
1 dians of the reservations has been OF
dered and will be completed as 500
as possible, and proclamation will b
thereupon duly made. 1t is intende
that those abiding by the law shal
be protected by it, and not those VIII
disregard it and seek thereby to oil
: tain an undue advantage over thei
5 fellow citizens. and all persons no,