Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-24
RUSH FOR INDIAN LANDS.
Indian Territory Will See Another
Land Craze About February I.

(Atoka, I. r., dispatch to ST. Louis
| Republic.) The Indian territory at this
| time is undergoing what might be called
reconstruction.
The Dawes commission, represents
ing the government of the United
| States, is here for the purpose of maxi
ing treaties and dividing up the Nation,
and is succeeding very admirably. The
Indians, happy hunting ground west
of the Mississippi river will. in the
course of a short time, be a thing of the
past. The Dawes commission has al
looted and executed deeds to all the
! property in the Seminole and the Creek
nations, and on Feb. 1, 1903, 1T Will es-
tablish a government land office at
| Atoka, /. T., and begin allottlng lands IN
the Choctaw nation.
There are 1000, 900 acres of land In
the Choctaw nation to be allotted
among $4,000 citizens by blood and In
termarriage and it is estimated that 1T
| will take about three years in which 10
| complete the allottments in detail. AS
soon as the allotment begins the In
dams will be in a position to contract
for the sale of one-quarter OF their
land, and in three and Ave years there
after Will be authorized to sell the re-
maindsr of their allotment, and as
each citizen is permitted to mold $40
acres of average land, there will be
something like 100000 acres on the
market this coming year. In many
families there are eight and ten chill
dren, which means that the family VIII
receive from $500 to $500 acres of land.
After each Indian receives $40 acres OF
average allottable land the surplus Will
be sold by the government of the United
| States to United States citizens.
The recent supplementary treaty
with the Choctaw nation authorizes
and instructs the Choctaw nation to sell
the coal mines of the nation within
| the next few years, and the coal mines
in this country are numerous INC very
| rich, and 1t is estimated that the reye-
nue. ~receiced from their sale will be up
in the millions of dollars.
The Indian Territory is the last new
country In the great west. and the peo-
pie turnout the entire United States
are watching with great interest the
progress of the Dawes commission In
settling up the Indian questions.
Lie pIGSSuS
| entire lands Of the Five Civilized Tribes
will be allotted, and the surplus lands
sold by the government of the United
| States within the next three years, and
this means the opening up to the
United States citizens the greatest ops
portunity of their life-time to get a
home in a new land and fertile country.
The territory is rich in its mines, It's
farming lands, its forest and Its graz
ing land. At this time there are
thousands of people coming into the In
dian territory, and especially to the
Choctaw nation, seeking homes n In
vestments, and they are accomplishing
the purpose of their coming.
1t is estimated that on the first day
Of February, 1903, there will be- 5000
people come t Atoka in the Choctaw
nation for the purpose of filing on and
proving their allottments. and It VIII
take something like three years TO COM
plete the allotment Of the country.
There is going to be a great rush for
property at this place. The demand
for laborers. contractors and investors
is phenomenal.