The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-12
TOWNSHIP SCANDAL
It Will Be One of the Chapters in
the Indian Territory In
vestigation.
How Inspector Wright's Secretary
and Clerks Have Speculated
in Lots.
Correspondence of The Journal.

Muscogee, I. T., Oct. 12.-''The
townsite scandal will be one Of the
chapters in this Indian territory in
vestigation. It does not appear in the
hitherto published works of Mr..
Brosius, but it is none the less a part
of the history to be written.
Two hundred and ninety-seven
town sites have been located, plated
and appraised (the work Of appraisal
Is almost completely all under the
direction of the Indian inspector, j.
George Wright, representing the de-
partment of the interior, and its sec
rotary, Ethan Allen Hitchcock. The
work has been Of considerable mag
nitude, involving the location of town
boundaries, the running of streets, the
division into lots, and, in some in
stances, the practical conf1scation OF
certain improvements. It has touched
real estate interests valued at mil
lions of dollars, and has touched them
in most vital way. .a...
The scandal begins with the undiS-
puted fact that the employees Of Mr..
Wright's office have been specializing
in these lots. Mr.. Wright's private
secretary, a Mr.. Kelsey, and the young
men employed by the inspector in
making maps and running town lines,
have been purchasers Of the lots. MI.
Wright says he has not himself bought
or sold these toWnsite properties, but
1t is on his authority-or, at least, his
northumberland the statement
office. Mr.. Wright knows what they
have DONE and does not regard 1t as
a violation Of law or Of propriety.
The employees of the Indian inspec-
tors office have been permitted to buy
lots at any time they might consider
the opportunity favorable. Before the
plats and maps were approved by the
jnSnactOr and before the annrajSo.
ment was made under the Inspector
direction, and subject to his appro-
val, the employees might take advan-
tage Of any Information in their pos
session to get hold of the desirable
localities.
In order that the matter may be
understood it is necessary to explain
that, when a toWnsite is located, the
people who already have improve
ments on the ground are presumed to
be rlghtful occupants, and receive
preference over all others in the pur-
chase Of that ground. After the in
spector's surveyors have laid out the
streets and boundaries the property is
all appraised by two commissioners,
one representing the government, and
the other the Indian tribe in whose
lands the town is located. Then the
property is sold; but the person hav-
Ing any improvements on the land is
permitted to buy the land at SO per
cent Of the appraised value.
Quite an lnterVal-Weeks or months
usually elapses between the survey
Of a town and it's appraisement. Dur
ing that interval it is possible-and
it has been customary-to locate a
promising lot or two or three, and put
cheap improvements on them. Thus
the lots are secured at so per cent
of the appraised valuation, instead of
being sold at auction to the highest
bidder. The person employed in run
ming the town lines, or making the
first map, Is clearly at an advantage
in securing early information as to
the desirable sites in the town, and
has something of a lead over out
siders in any pre-emption he may be
disposed to make.
Inspector Wright, it should be
stated does not think so.
Everybody" says Mr.. Wright, has
notice, and is invited to make OBJ
jections, and to examine the map, and
generally to talk things over The
man in the office has no advantage
over anybody"
While the valuation of the town
lots is made, as stated, by commission
ers, the appraisal of the latter is not
final. The Indian inspector has the
approving or disappearing of the COM
missions report. He may declare the
valuation too high, or too low, or he
may reject 1T as uneven, or unfair.
In numerous instances he has done so.
In cases where corner lots, were val
ued at the same rate as inside lots he
has sent back the report for change
When the report is finally satisfactory
to the inspector it is sent by him to
the secretary Of the interior.
1t is apparent, therefore, that the
inspector has it in his power, if he
were disposed to misuse his official
position, to manipulate prices in a
way that would be to his personal ad.
vantage. 1t is not charged that In.
spector Wright has dealt in townsite
properties, and the question of his
powers has no bearing except as it re.
lates to the dealings of his office EN-.
ployes. However, it is believed here
that this phase of the matter will be
sufficient to direct the attention of the
investigators to this subject. &
AS bearing on the possible misuse OF
authority in the location and p1attine
of townsites, it is worth mentioning
In this connection, that it was MOI
many months ago that one Of Inspec.