The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-07-07
ALLOTMENT OF PASTURES.
Homestead Filings by Usage Tribe Of
indians.
Special to Daily leader

bpeclal 10 Daliy Aseduef
Pawhuska, okla, July 7.-One OF
the first matters Of Importance to be
and passed upon by Capt
Frank Frantz, the rough rides candi-
date recently appointed agent for the
Usage trieb Of Indians. will be that
of the allotment Of homestead lands
to the members Of that tribe. While
many OF these allotments have been
taken and approved by former agents,
yet recent events endanger the valid
ity of these allotments and may call
for strict investigation.
For several months prior TO the sus-
pension and almost Immediate resigna'
tion of Indian Agent Mitscher by sane
tion Of the interior department, the
Osages were allowed the privilege OF
filing on 100 acres Of land each, the
same to be known as a homestead
filing" Thus in a peaceable and ia
cilitating manner the Indians were
themselves accepting the allotments
adm doing for themselves the work
being done for the Indian territory
tribes by the Dawes commission.
The privilege ef making a home
stead filing was really the beginning
of the final allotment of all lands in
that nation, and was taken advantage
of by good majority of the Osages
These homestead filings are still being
made. and will, when the time comes. !
he OF material benefit to those who
may he commissioned to superintend
the actual allotment Of these Indians.
In order to encourage the Indians
in making these home'tead filings ana
thus further the allotment idea among
them. 1t was the policy to allow the
homesteaders to enter INTO contracts
or leases with white men, and in many
cases with members Of the osago
tribe. to cultivate and improve the
Iisnds filed upon.
large number Of homestead nj
,nes were made on lands within the
regularly surveyed pastures on the
reservation; great many Of these
filings were leased-informally' Of
course-for agricultural purposes, and
when the original pastures were ad'
. yertised for lease this year the acre
age represented in the actual home
stead filings was deducted from the
4 gross area OF the several Enclosures.
Leases we're made on the remaining
acreage in each pasture and forward
: cd 10 the interior department for ap-
4 nroyal. In approving the contracts
Z the acting secretary Of the interior
Z gave to each lessee the option OF III
3 Guiding in his lease the area embraced
4 in the so-called homesteads not actu
4 ally occupied as q home personally pS
s an Indian, to be used by the lessee an'
e paid for at the same rental paid tol
4 the entire pasture.
3 Until the announcement OF the new
= leases is made it would be difficult t'
q surmise lust what portion of the les
e sees of pastures will want to take ad
q vantage OF the option offered to them
e in fact much of the acreage include
z in the homestead filings has beel
3 broken and thus rendered impossible
3 for grazing purposes, while under IN
x rules of the department and the term
e of the pasture leases the land can no
q he used for other than grazing Pun
z poses Much Of the land is still
g grass and can be used for grain
q purposes II the lessces want it,
~ AS there are large interests at staR
z in this proposition, including man
- indian citizens OF Pawhuska and otl
er members Of the tribe-all WI
have selected homesteads-much an
= iety IS being telt as TO the final on
come OF the departments action rel
tive to the homestead land. Speci
Agent Conser. who has been In chars
pending the appointment OF a suece
sor to Mitscher, has commenced q
Investigation Of the matter for the
terror department acquainting himse
with the actual conditions. It Is tea
ga ed among the influential ana progre
siye trihesmen that the department
. action will interfere with the IN
allotting of lands and probably del'
it for years, as the full blood eleme
and many of the mixed breeds becon
rebellioas and ugly when restricb
: too much by the department; on Il
other hand. if left alone, the allottiI
Of the lands would be accomplish
without any trouble whatever.