Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-02-19
FROn THE INDIAN TERRITORY
Sam Donaldson Tells Tie Tribune
. About the New Jerusalem in
the Indian Territory.
Tin Anita Tribune.)

Mounds, |. r., Jan'y. 30, 1903.
Sherm +. Myers,
Dear Friends:-I prmised you some
time ago to write the Tribune readers
about this part of the country, and as
briefly as possible will endeavor to
make my word good. We have been
living here in Mounds since the first
of December, and have been over a
considerable portion of the Indian
Territory. There is good deal of it
that is what / call waste land, being
scrub timber and rock hills. Let me
take one section as an illustration;
there will be about one-half of it
prairie land, rich, black soil, covered
with as fine blue stem grass as ever
saw. The other half Is good timber,
scrub timber and rough land. There
are extensive coal fields around South
McAllister, Henrietta, and at other
points. They are bringing in good
surface coal which crops out along
some of the streams near this town,
and which sells for 800 per ton.
Wood is plenty and cheap. Railroad
building is very active. New towns
are springing up all over the country.
The Creek Indians have all received
their lands, each man, woman and
child getting 100 acres. In treaty
with the Creek Indians it provides
that the Indian can rent his land for
period of five years from January /,
1903 for agricultural purposes, or one
year for grazing. This land is about
all rented; lot of it being held by
spectators who will sell you their
contract for bonus of about an aver
age of $4,000 per I60 acres. Most OF
the contracts provide that the
renter fence with three barb wire,
build two-room house, dig we'll,
and break out not less than 40 acres
which improvements go to the Indian
at the end of the five years. The
treaty also provides that each Indian
receive q deed for his land as fast as
this work can be done, which we hope
will be in a very short time. After
the Indian gets his deed, he can sell
l20 out of the 100 acres, keeping 40
acres as his homestead, which he may
not sell for Il years. In buying this
120 acres of the Indian, there is lot
of red tape connected with it. II must
be appraised, and receive the approx
al of the Indian Agent and Secretary
of the Interior. The purchase price
must accompany the papers, either in
money, or placed in National Bank
and draft accompany the contract.
II these sales are approved the coun-
try will develope very fast. II the
Secretary of the Interior does not APP
prove the sale of this land, it must
stand as it is for five years, at which
I time, according to the terms of the
treaty, the Indian can sell without
any restriction by the government.
We have had lots of rain here, but
no snow so far. Some people call it
| cold here, but one from Iowa would
| call it pleasant. A fur coat worn on
the street here would be as noticeable
as linen buster would be there at
| this time of the year.
was over to Geary last week, and
stopped with Jakey Overmeir and fam
lily. They were all we'll, and Xix okla
homa very much. Jakey says "Sam,
| | wonder If those fellows up at Anita
would believe it if should write and
| tell them | saw man blowing and
sowing oats todayY' Well, ] saw
several men blowing as | came home.
The last two nights the ground froze
perhaps a couple inches but every
| thing is pleasant again today.
| Well | will close for this time, hop
ing for the continued prosperity of
old Iowa, her people, and the Tribune.
| Yours very truly,
| s. +. DONALDSON.