The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-08-22
Sulphur Springs Pyament
Now in Progress

psnison, Tex Aug. 22-At last the
-..uch promised payment Of money for
improvements on property in the Sui.
phur National park reservation at
Sulphur, l. T.. has commenced.
Yesterday Col F. c. Churchill, spe-
ciaI representative Of the interior de-
partment. paid out $4,000 and tJday
he paid out $4,000 The payments
are being made in warrants drawn on
che national subtreasury at st. Louis.
These warrants are duly signed by
Col Churchill and presented to those
owning improvements in the reserva-
tion, and when indorsed by the person
in whose favor they are drawn they
become sight drafts upon the sub
treasury.
The cause for the payments being
deferred has been the fault OF the
owners Of the property inside the res
eryation When this land was segre-
gated for the purpose of making a gov
ernment partk nearly all of the busi-
ness portion Of the town OF Sulphur
came within the boundary of the $40
acres Of the park, which extends up
and down Sulphur creek for a mile
and half. and takes ia the Sulphur
springs and pavilion and the bromide
springs below-practically all Of the
fiat land in the creek bottom being in
the reservation.
Congress appropriated money to pay
those who had buildings on the land
within the bounds Of the reservation,
and provided that a commission should
be appointed to appraise the value of
such property and that after the ap-
praisement, and title was perfectly
clear, the amount of value appraised
on each piece of property should be
paid to the owner The appraised
value Of all property is approximate
ly sS5.00O This money has been
ready in the st. Louis subtreasury for
some time, and Col Churchill has
stood ready to pay 1t out but some
of the owners feared that the govern
ment intended to go into the real
estate business In competition with
private indiyiduals. and believed the
r-syerty the government proposed to
lily from the individuals would be
rented for mercantile purposes.
They were convinced finally by Col.
Churchill that this idea was erron-
eous, and then they said they were
ready to turn over the property and
receive the money Col. Churchin
went to Sulphur to make payment on
the property and found that the taxes
had not been paid He told the own
ers that tax receipts up-todate must
be handed over witA the title to the
land--that there should be not the
slightest cloud to the title when 1t
passed to the government. and this
caused another hitch and delay. Fin
ally the sitles we're perfected. the tax
receipts obtained, and yesterday the
payment was actually begun. as stat
ed above.
All the property purchased by the
government will be removed and used
to whatever advantage possible. The
owners Of the property. merchants
and hotel people Of Sulphur, are given
sixty days in which 10 get out Of the
reservation, and are building new bus.
iness. houses il the town Several
fine stone and brick blocks are going
up and a great deal Of improvement
has resulted on account Of the pur.
chase Of the improvements by the gov
ernment All kinds of builders are
busy on the work Of putting up brick
and stone buildings and a new town
is being built up. much more substan.
tial and attractive than the old one
The buildings are being built on reg
ular lines Of the streets and put on
grade, so that the new Sulphur. when
built viii be much prettier and more
attractive than the old Sulphur.
r----------