Albuquerque evening citizen., 1905-09-09

Okmulgee, |. T., Sept 9-When the
t. aveler reaches this town, capital of
the Creek nation, he asks, Where are
the Indians?"
And the answer of a citizen is:
They're out in the hills, and seldom
come to town. When the annual
meeting of their national council is
held, they are thick enough. At other
times they rarely come in"
How do they live, by farming?" Is
asked. That is where a bored, almost
pained, expression, spreads over the
pioneers countenance.
Farm nothing" he exclaims. THE
only farming these Indians do is in
government reports. The raft of gov
eminent officials out here have to
make showing, and, in their reports
to Washington, they picture these. In
dians as farming. You would think
that, compared with these mythical
Indian farms, an agricultural expert
ment station was nothing but crude
stab at getting up crops"
How do they live?"
We'll, you know they don't get a
government bounty, their lands having
hustle for their food. Most of them
get along by planting about five acres
of the 100 they own in corn. They
also raise pumpkins. The corn, when
harvested, is shelled and placed in
sacks, which are slung on the farters
to dry. In the winter the corn is pull
veIized by the squaws and converted
into sofkey, a sour mess that is a
lfgh 90 . Ia,
ally a buck will go out and shoot a
wild pig or bag a little game. You
would be surprised to see on what
limited rations an Indian can live"
In this indictment the pioneer con-
demns a large number of the Creeks,
but it is true that many members of
the five nations, especially those OF
mixed blood, are successful merchants
| and stock raisers rich and intelli-
gent.
The show place of Okmulgee is the
! great council house of the Creeks.
The legislative body of the Creeks
meets in annual session in October.
The legislature includes a lower
/ branch, called the house of warriors,
and select upper body known as the
| house of kings. The last meeting of
the legislature will be held next Oc-
! tober. Congress abolished the tribal
| courts several years ago. With this
! year there passes the last vestige of
! Indian government. II is a pathetic
sequel to the solemn pledge made by
! Congress in its treaty with the In
dians when they were removed to this
country over seventy years ago, thar
they should not be disturbed while
grass uTOuG and urafnv rms
4 In the grove surrounding the coun
ell house is a tIee OF medium size that
is celebrated as the execution tree.
Criminals condemned by the Indian
courts To- be whipped We're tied to that
tree. Under its branches men stood
to receive The death penalty, which
was executed by shooting.
An Indian sentenced 10 be shot was
not imprisoned, The court notified
him Of the day of execution and or
} dered him TO he present. Until tha
} time he was al liberty. There is ut
case on rCco.d of such a parole having
, been broken.
Okmlgees growth lis marvel
Five years ago the business distric
consisted of half a dozen wooden
- stores and there was a scattered popu
. .arluu of 400. I'm 1900 the Frisco rail
road sytem reached the town. Nov
5 there is a well built city of nearl!
1000 people Business houses are o
, brick and stone, of attractive desigl
- and having well lighted store rooms
The city has water works, electrit