Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-06
WRITES FROM MIAMI
FORMER SOUTH oTTUMWA WON.
AN TELLS OF TOWN IN THE
INDIAN TERRITORY.
Mrs. Myra Pepper Says Climate is
Much Less Severe Than in Iowa
Town Lighted With Electricity -
Two Hotels and Banks.

Mrs. Myra Pepper for many years
resident Of South Ottumwa and a
prominent worker in woman suffrage
circles writes the Courier an interest
ing letter from the Indian Territory
where she has made her home for the
past five years. The letter follows:
Perhaps some of your readers will
be interested in hearing from this part
of the country. Miami is pretty lit
tie town on the north bank of the Neo-
stu river and is the commercial center
ct the Quapau agency.
The town is but eleven years old
but has population of $500, has
wide streets, well lighted by electri-
city and some of them are now being
paved, which will add much to the
appearance and comfort of the place.
There is but one railroad, the. San
4 ia Fe, and a fine bridge spahs the Neo-
stu at this point, there being also a
wagon bridge which takes the place OF
1.-THE one-time ferry. -
5------4 EFsi ;.e- Artssian Wen.
there is a very fine artesian well
re, from which the city is supplied
III excellent water said to possess
edicinal qualities of great value. The
water is obtained at a depth of 1000
Feet and there is a flow of 100000 gall
ons day.
The federal court and recorder have
sfices here, and as Miami is centrally
located it is expected the county seat
will eventually be established here.
The first free school in a territory
town was located in Maimi in 1898.
The town is incorporated into a
school district and there is an excel
lent building of modern style where
above 500 pupils receive instruction
from able educators.
Thirteen church denominations are
/ represented, several of them having
neat and commodious buildings.
A fine stone building on the corner
of Main and Fourth avenue is one OF
the ornaments Of the city. The first
floor, is utilized as an office building
while on the second is a pretty opera
house said to be the finest in it's APP
i pointments between Kansas City, Mo.
and Dallas, Texas. All the leading Sc.
cret orders are represented and have
handsomely equipped apartments.
Have Two Hotels.
Two hotels look after the welfare o.
travellers and the town and country
& Supports three weekly newspaper:
published at MiamD. There are twt
banks, and the merchants are quite
enterprising. The display of goods
would do credit to many department
stores in larger cities.
The Quapau Agency.
The Quapau agency in the extrem,
northeastern part of the territory ant
is comprised of the seven following
Indian reservations: Quapau, Peoria
Modoc, ottawa, Shawnee. Wyandott,
and Seneca. The agency consists o
219,29S acres of land, all of which wal
been allotted to the Indians in sever
ality and who now hold patents fo
the same.
May Lease Lands.
BY a special act of congress, approx
ed June 10, 1896, the entire Quapal
agency was open to white settlement
the allottees being allowed to leas,
The diplomatic housewife will agre'
with the cook that the fault is will
the oven.
their lands for term of three to fiv,
years without the interference or su.
pervision of the government and OF
whatever terms was agreeable. Sew
eral thousand whites took advantage
Of this and have found that this is
very productive and fertile place, pro
ducing the finest grain and fruit in tn
world.
Want Permit to Sell.
A project is on foot to gain perrni
whereby the Indians can sell all but
reserve of forty acres of their land
and pending this act, or until som
settled title is effected the progress o
the country is delayed.
The Surrounding Country.
The country around Miami is wei
watered section of high rolling prairie
the streams which intersperse ar
skirted by heavy timber which fur
nishes abundant fuel aside from tn
coal supply of the native mines.
Mineral Resorces.
The mineral resources of the agen
cy have attracted the attention of min
ing experts and various interesting re
suits have been announced. One we
five miles from Miami and another i
the city limits produce oil which ex
perts pronounce of better grade tina
that from Beaumont, Texas. Whe
the present restrictions are remove
there will no doubt be an awaken
ing among the prospectors and de
Yelopers of mines and oil wells.
Indian Population.