Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1902-08-21
lnltiaI Appralsements by the
Townslte Commission
Will be Made Here,
WRIGHT RECEIVES
Committee Of Vinitans, and in
Reply to Request For Special
Commission Stated That
General Commission
Will Inaugurate APP.
praisement Work
Here.

In response to the solicitations
Of number Of property owners, a
committee consisting of DR.. Oliver
Bagby, Mayor Parker, Chief Buff
fington, L. B. Bell, Edgar Smith,
aud Jas. H. Huckleberry, jr.,
waited on Inspector J. George
Wright at Muskogee yesterday aud
requested that a special townsite
commission be appointed to ap.
praise the town lots here.
Mayor Parker acted as spokes
man for the committee, and pre-.
sented vinita's claims to immedi-
ate appraisement in iorceiul man.
ner.
After reviewing the townsite
provision of the act Of May 81,
1900, under which the appraise-
ment will be conducted, Mayor
Parker pointed out that while it
provided for the appointment of a
general commission, to apprais e
all of the towns in the Cherokee
Nation, yet it empowered the Sec.
retary of the Interior to appoint a
special committee when the pub
lie interest so required.
The fact that Vinita is the me-
tropolis of the Cherokee Nation;
the very center of the progressive
element, and contains more in
vested wealth than any other town
in the Nation was contended by
Mr.. Parker as demanding, in pro.
lection Of these interests, an imme.
diate appraisement Of property.
In reply, Mr.. Wright reviewed
at length the experience Of the
Department with both special and
general commissions, and stated
that in every instance the work OF
the general commissioners had
been more satisfactory.
He also stated that several Of
the other towns had requested the
appointment of special commits.
sions, and that he did not feel jus.
tilted in discriminating when they
offered, in a measure, the same
arguments.
In reply to the latter argument,
Mr.. Parker suggested that special
commissions be appointed for Vim
ita, Tahlequah and Claremore, the
three leading towns Of the Nation,
Mr.. Wright replied by Saying
that he had already committed
himself on the question Of gen
eral commission, but that be would
forward the request OF Vinita for &
special commission to Washing
ton. Continuing, Mr.. Wright sale
that a general commission would
be appointed within a few days
and that Vinita would be the frs
town appraised. He outlined thu
plan of the Department TO obtair
speedy completion Of the ap
praisement work throughout th'
Nation, by detailing assistants anC
clerks 10 the other towns while thu
appraisement was being conducted
in Vinita, to arrange all necessary
preliminaries.
He estimated that after the ar
rival of the appraisers in thest
towns, the actual work Of appraise
meni would then only take from
four to eight days.
Under the act Of May 81, 1900
two of the commissioners are to b.
appointed by the Secretary Of th
Interior and one by the chief o
the Nation.
Mr.. Parker suggested that a rep
resentative Of tho towns on tn
commissions would make then
ideal bodies, but Mr.. Wright dil
fered. saying that where the town
hsve been represented on the com
missions, discord has inyariabl.
followed the efforts Of the tow
: representative to obtain low ap
praisements.
Mr.. Wright concluded the inter
, view by assuring the oommitte
that the commission would be ap
pointed in the very near future
and that Vinits would be the frs
-. u.s.rafaaA