The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1904-07-14
ALLOTMENT OF PASTURES.
Homestead riiinss by osase Tribe Of
indiana.

or importance to be investigated ana
passed upon by Capt. Frank Frantz,
the Rough Rider candidate recently
appointed agent for the Usage tribe
of Indians, will be thaC of the allot.
ment of homestead lands to the mem
bers of that tribe. While many Of
these allotments have been taken and
approved by former agents, yet rec
ent events endanger the validity of
these allotments and may call for q
strict investigation.
For several months prior to the sus.
pension and almost immediate resig.
nation Of Indian Agent Mitscher, by
sanction of the interior department,
the Osages were allowed the privi.
| lege of filing on 160 acres of land
| each, the same to be known as a
homestead fling" Thus in peace
able and facilitating manner the In.
dians were themselves accepting the
allotme ents and doing for themselves
the work being done for the Indian
Territory tribes by the Dawes com.
| mission.
In order to encourage the Indians
in making these homestead filings
and thus further the allotment idea
among them, it was the policy to al.
low the homesteaders to enter into
contracts or leases with white men;
and in many cases with members of
the Usage tribe, to cultivate and i'm.
prove the lands filed upon.
A large number Of homestead fl
ings 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
advertised for lease this year the
acreage represented in the actual
homestead filings was deducted from
the gross area Of the several inclo.
sures. Leases were made on the re.
naming acreage in each pasture and
forwarded to he interior department
for approval. In approving the con.
tracts the acting secretary of the in.
terror cave to each lessee the option
OF including in his lease the area en-
braced in the so-called homesteads
not actually occupied as a home per.
sonally by an Indian, to be used by
the lessee and paid for at the same
rental paid for the entire pasture.
Until the announcement Of the new
leases is made 1t would be difficult
to surmise just what portion Of the
lessees of pastures will want to take
advantage of the option offered to
them; in fact, much of the acreage
included in the homestead filings has
been broken and thus rendered use.
less for grazing purposes, while under
the rules of the department and the
terms of the pasture leases the land
can not be used for other than graz.
ing purposes. Much of the land is
still in grass and can be used for
grazing purposes il the lessees want
1t.
AS there are large interests at
stake in this proposition, including
many Indian citizens of Pawhuska
and other members of the tribe-all
who have selected homesteads-much
anxiety is being felt as to the final
outcome of the departments action
relative to the homesteaded land.
Special Agent Conser, who has been
In charge pending the appointment of
a successor to Mitscher, has com.
menced the investigation of the mat.
ter for the interior department, &C.
quainting himself with the actual
conditions. 1t is feared among the
influential and progressive tribesmen
that the departments action will in.
terfere with the final allotting OF
lands and probably delay 1t for years,
as the full.blood element and many
of the miYad. .hraoda hoae