The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-06-11
A GREAT COUNTRY.
ViHlta Man Writes to inform Friends
Of the Excellent cherokec coAssry.

non, ~. II, Merritt OF this city
writing to the Illinois State Reg.
lister at Springfield, his former
home says
editor State Register:--The
land Of the Cherokee Nation com.
prises more than four million
acres. The main agricultural
portion Of the Cherokee territory,
lies north and west Of the Grand
river, with the states OF Missouri
and Arkansas on the east, Kansas
on the north and 0sage Indian
Nation on the west and the Greek
and Choctaw nations on the south.
west. There Is some good farm.
ing country, however, in the north
and western portions Of the Cher.
okee nation. These lands are
mostly rolling prairie, with many
streams OF runai ng water through
them, along some Of which there
much timber. The large streams
or rivers are: the Grand, which
heads up In southeastern Kansas;
the Verdigris, starting up in Kan.
sas, entering the Cherokee coun .
try about twenty. FIVE miles east
OF it's northwestern corner and the
Illinois river coming into this
country on the east side, heading
over In Benton county, Ark.
The southern portion OF the
Cherokee N alton is much broken,
in some places mountainous. but
1t is said these hills and noun.
tains are full OF lead, coal, zinc,
marble, clone an d other valuable
minerals. There ia also consider.
able fine valley farming land in
this part of the territory. The
minerals in the Cherokee nation
are practically unknown as yet,
but little progress In lhsir devel.
opment has beem made. The en-
tire territory abounds in valuable
minerals.
As stated above, the best agri-
cultural lands are to be found in
the north and western portion Of
the Cherokee nation. Here are
hundreds Of thousands OF acres Of
a. fine farming lands ae are 10 be
found out Of doors, waiting to be.
come productive. L is said TO be
much better farming country
than Kansas. All IL needs lie good
farmers to make II the beet "all
aroundh farming country TO be
found anywhere. The early farm
ere Of this country paid more At
tention to raising stock than they
did In making the soil produce.
When good farmers take this rich
land and farm the soil, the change
will be wonderful In what comes
out Of the ground. The rainfall
bore Is equal TO that In Sewa, Mis-.
souri,, aud Illinois, The vari.
ons streams generally producing
enough for stock The year round.
while for family use good water
can be had from wells By going
from twenty 20 thirty feet deep.
Fruit Of all kinds grow TO perfeo.
ton here. It l. an ideal fruit
country. Corn yields from thirty
10 seventy, and often eighty bush.
ela 10 the acre; wheat twenty TO
thirty.fve bushels, and 1t Is said
would produce more II they we're
sown thicker and N ore care taken
In handling the crop Wild and
tame grasses grow luxnriantly.
Alfalfa Is especially = successful
ioder crop. Iss yield is very
heavy, AZ 81 "all round stock
country there ls none better. The
seasons are mild. the winters are
never severe Or long 10 that al
kinds Of animals do veil aud
thrive on The abundance Of feed
raised from the land Being prac.
usally On the dividing line Of tenn.
pefature, both The winters and
summers are never severe, the
summer nights are always cool
aud quite pleasant.
Plenty Of good suFiaes coal is
found in the tarffto.v whieh Il