The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-01-10

~ Payne and Couch. endeaYofed 20
convince congress Of Uhe necessity Of !
he new state. It was a struggle. long
and weary, to those most inte ested.
From about the year 1872 to March
1889 Che boomers haunted the halls
OF congre 8. when at last their faith
ful efforts were rewarded by an act
which provided for opening to settle
ment on April 22. 1889. original Ok |
Iahoma. composed Of nearly 5000 600 I
acres OF fertile land in the center Of
1he territory The country was open
ed az noon on that day. and taken
possession of by people who were
waiting along the line on every side;
some on feet footed horses, oilers on
foot. and thousands in covered wagons
with their families and all their world
ly goods. determined to obtain
home 1 nthe coveted land It was
sight never to be forgotten by thoce
who Witnessed Il. Inc thousands of
immigr ants pouring in from all direc
tlons demonstrated now much the
country was needed and wanted by ue
home builder BY dark on April 22d
but little of original Oklahoma re
mained without serler, and great
cities were built up almost by mag
ic The territorial form of govern.
ment was established in June 1890
and about that time No Mans laid
now Beaver county. Of 1854 600 ac.es,
was added to Oklahoma. In Septem-
Der 1891, 1.2S2.434 acres in the Sac
and Fox and Po.tawatomie Indian res
ervations were opened 70 settlement
in the same manner "a that Of the
original opening. The next lands to
be allotted and given 10 the home
steader were the Cheyenne and Ara
lpahoe reserva. ions, Ia April, 1892
These lands bounded original Ohaho-
ma on the west and comprised 297,
III acres. fo ming The western parts
of Kinghsher and Canadian counties
and the whole Of Blaine Dewey Day
Washita, Custer and Roger Mills
counties. September 1e. 1898, witnes-
sed a rush of people for homes equal
hy as great as characterized the hrst
Iopening. The Cherokee Strip, con-
tanning 6.O14.9S9 acres Of exceptional
liz rich land, lying along the north
ern border Of Oklahoma, was at that
time given to the white settler, and
was divided into seven counties, Kay,
Grant Woods. Garfield, Woodward
Noble. and Pawnee. The strip was
opened by the booth system, each per
son being required TO obtain a booth
certificate from the proper authori-
ties. 1t was believed that this was
ths best way 10 prevent soonerism
In 1895 the Kickapoo reservation
+ comprising 2O6.662 acres, was open,
ed 10 settlement In 1896 Greer coun
ty. claimed by Texas. was added tC
= lOklahoma by a decision of the su
- preme court of the United States. OK
e lahoma acquired no more territory un
e til August 9, 1901 The Kiowa, Co
5 manche, Apache and Wichita reserva
= Itions wero op,ae. by the egistra'iol
i system and formed into three coun
: ties. Kiowa, Comapche and Cadd1
This was undoubtedly the mos. sue
s cessful Of all the openings in Okla
d homa. and was followed by very fey
; contests.
y With this addition of 100000 acre
y Oklahoma has an area Of "a 223,2O
It acres. settled bN wide awake, bus
= home builders from north, south, cas-
and west, every state in the union b
p ing represented.
d Geographically Oklahoma is
a. southern state, but the habits an
occupation of he people are MOI
d like those Of the north. The climat
nj closely resembles that of Tennessee
ut The agricultural products are simii'
e. 10 those of southern Kansas. As
TO fruit growing country, Oklahoma
n without a rival. The water supply
~ abundant. of the best quality. al
to found from Is TO 45 feet below Il
be surface. The soil in most portions
tn a rich red. very productive, praiT
he predominating. although there is
vast amount of valley and river be
,ly tom land that for richness is unsu
It passed in any state in the union.
he There is considerable timt
IS throughout Oklahoma, among Will
Is beautiful cedar trees grow in abuI
vi ance. A large quantity of Oklahoi
on cedar was recently shipped to G.
Use many for use IN the manufacture
lit pencil0.
Is --