The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-13

Congress VIII Take Some
Action This Winter.
WORK IS ALREADY DONE
Only Remains for the Action
to Be Approved,

Guthrie. o. T, Sept. 12.-W. NJ. Shear,
of Pawhuska, states it as his opinion
that some action will be taken by con-
gress in the matter of allotment OF the
land belonging TO the Usage Indians dur
ing the coming winter is now foregone
conclusion In fact, at the present writ
ing the Usage Indian lands are pracu-
caliv allotted and by the time congress
is ready to act all that will be necessary
will be for that body to approve the allot-
ment. says the Bartlesville Examiner IN
a recent issue of that publication. This
condition OF affairs has been brought
about through the efforts of Agent o.
A. Mitscher Mr.. Mitscher became agent
for the Osages and Kaws about three
years ago. After being on the reserva-
ton a short time he came to the conclu-
sion that it would be best for the lndian
and best for Oklahoma to open this lana
for settlement. At that tine the sentl-
ment against allotment was almost unan-
imous. both among the full and mixed
bloods Any person taking allotment was
considered an enemy to the best interests
of the tribe. A commission appointed
by the government failed utterly In an at
lands. With this obstacle against him,
Mr.. Mischer began the work of allot-
ment.
The result is the Kaw Indians have
been allotted their land and the deeds for
each individual tract are now in the
hands of the agent and vii be delivered
to the Indians in few days. The land
was divided equally among the Indians,
each receiving a trifle over 400 acres-l6O
acres they will rot be allowed to sell for
twenty-five years. but they may sell the
remainder in ten years. LOO of the l,SoO
Osages have taken their sections. and
the other 800 are having their land sur
veyed and will have their filings in be
fore congress meets This was done in
such manner and so quietly that the
Indians did not realize what had hap
pened until they had filed on their home
stead selections. If an Indian wished to
have some new land broken. he was COM
PEELED to have the land surveyed and re-
quired to file on it. This being done, he
could give a lease for five years. White
men, seeing the advantage to be gained,
had the land surveyed and the Indians
claim filed. A great many citizens had
under their control large tracts of cult
waited land. Mr.. Mitscher secured an
order from the department directing him
to take possession of all such land over
1GO acres per head. Other citizens were
allowed TO file on this surplus land, but
were always required to pay for the i'm
provements.
Slowly at first the filings began coming
n Citizens without land saw more en-
terprising citizens with their surveyors
running out lines. They became alarmed
for fear all the land would be taken and
secured the service Of a surveyor. Even
yet the sentiment especially among the
full-bloods, was dead against allotting,
although the filings began going to the
office faster every day. Every man fear
ed something was going TO happen and
they would be left without a good piece
of land
One incident shows the manner in which
the agent handled troublesome non-al-
lotters An old full-hlood came to the
office and demanded to know what all
this allotment meant. The Indian was
a fine old fellow, but opposed TO giving
up a foot of land. DO you remember"
the agent said. about a year ago, you
came to me and wanted me TO set aside
a farm for your little grandson, and do
it in such a manner that he would always
have it?' The grandson was the apple
of the old mans eye, and the old fellow
remembered the incident. Well" con-
tinued the agent. that set me TO think
ing, and 1 concluded it would be gest
to do the same thing for all the Osages."
The old man. without another word. left
the office, and in a few days the filings
for himself and all his family came to the
office
This work began about eighteen months
ago. and last week the full-bloods met
and decided TO divide up their lands. The
mixed bloods decided in favor of it some
time ago. When the final division comes
each Indian viii receive between 100 and
500 acres of land and $500. Five years
from now the Usage Indian reserva-
ton will be one Of the most fertile spots
in oklahoma. 1t only needs the white
man 10 make il blossom as the rose