The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-04
CHEROKEE LAND OFFICE.
All in Readiness Now At That Town
$ae AA4fss.Ss ~ H.

All IN 6e1osnooo NOW ae That Town
for Locating the indians.
Vinita, l.. T., Jan. 3.-The long looked
for Cherokee land Office has begun bust
ness in this city. Yesterday morning
tickets were handed out and everything
made ready for the work that is to con-
tinue until every Cherokee citizen has
been located on a homestead. The fill
ing VIII not begin until next Monday,
January 5. The gentlemen in charge
of the work here say that it is impossible
to state even approximately the number
of filings that can be reached in a day
The work can be expedited by every
one who applies being equipped with
the exact description Of the land they
wish to file upon 1t is expected much
time viii be consumed in locating the
just where their allotments lie with ref
erence to the government survey.
Every Cherokee citizen should know
how to find the proper numbers of his
land. in order that no mistake be made
will be found of interest and should be
cut out and filed away for reference:
Beginning on a hill near Fort Ar
buckle, Indian meridian, was run north
and south lime across the territory.
Beginning at the same point a base line
was run east and west across the terrific
~. Each twenty-four miles east and
west of the Indian meridian. guide me-
redians were run. Each twenty-four
miles north and south of the base line,
standard parallels were run.
Then. beginning at the southeast cor
ner of each of these twenty-four mile
square townships were surveyed. The
townships are six miles square.
At the corner of each township and
iron post-sometimes round and some
times squares set. This post Is about
three feet high and is set in the ground
three feet. On its top is bronze plate
showing the altitude above sea level. On
each side of this post is marked the
numbers Of the townships and ranges
which corner there. The townships are
numbered north and south from the base
line. The ranges are numbered east and
west from the Indian meridian.
Then. beginning at the southeast cor
ner Of each township. it was surveyed
into sections, each one mile square. Then
the sections were numbered, beginning
at the northeast corner of the township
With No. / and going west to No. s, and
then taking tire next tier and going
east to No. Il, and back and forth TO
OF the township.
Section corners are marked by stone.
This stone is fully described by the sur
veyor's notes. 1t is usually six inches
high. and is marked on the south side
with tally marks to show how far north
it is from the south line of the township.
and on the east side to show how far it
is from the east side of the township.
Quarter section lines are marked at
their corners by stones marked on
west side going north, and north side
going west.
Witness marks: II in the timber, bear
ing trees marked ''B. T." are found near
section corner-one in each section
cornering there-each tree being branded
with the number of the section in which
it stands, the number is on the side to-
ward the stone.
Quarter. section corners have two bear
ing trees. one in each section, marked
with the number of the section IN which
it stands
Where no trees are near, witness
holes are dug. At the section corners
there are four-one in each section. They
are four feet from the stone and are
eighteen inches square and twelve
inches deep.
At the half section corners two holes
are dug, each on the section line and four
feet from the stone.
If a corner is in river or other mac
cessible point, witness trees or stones
as near by as possible are marked wv.
c." and in the Surveyors notes are re-
corded the distance and directions to
the corner.
The surveyors notes are forever kept
in the land office at Washington, and
copies are kept at the capital of each ma
ton and at the county seat of each
count, for the lands in that nation and
county.