The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-02-11
LAND IS SCARCE
HOME. SEEKERS MEET
DISAPPOINTMENT
Eind Thag Very Little Lamd
im INDIAN TcrriGoFy
6s s0r Saleo


/ Gf hemeseoiers arc row cunllns h
iudian territary only 10 fnd that l1ers
is iWle lani gog sale, anA ihai elp
real enaia maG ant ticat companies /
who hold 10 are uol an2icus 10 soiL
Tho general impression has gainc /
currency dat with the advent Of state
hood g l0'ge uortion of the tillahle
area OF indisn territory vouid be
placed on sale. but such an iCea couli
not he farther from the truth
The katy Flyer today brought in
the first crowd of homescekors since
the passase OF the Hamilton pfn h5
tho senate. most of them coming fo..
tno purpose OF buying farms The
were greatly Surprised wien hey we.tI
TO the real estate offices and f3unt
the land men inGnerent as to whether (
they sell their land q. keep it TheH
mercy stated 'hc price a. whi,h thew
would sell and toll .he homeseokecs
that II they wanted to buy they nigh,
drive ont. and look at the land. They
informed The strangers that the price
of farm lands IS steadily advancing and
that land owners can make more
money by retaining farm property
than hv selling i The prices aske II
are not as hiph as that Of land Of sini-'
liar productivthess in the states. bpt i;
IS not selling for a song by any mean7
This condition IS due to the fact
that only a very soan per cent Of the
land IN maisn territory can be sold T.
Is estimated that there are % 009900
acres u farm land in Indian territory
and that less than 100000 acres Of al
have been sold. It is practically inl
possible 10 hVy land in cry Of he five
tribes except in the Greek territory
where a 'erv limited amount can ne
purchased after a large amc uni OF
red tape has 5een mwound
la the Chottaw and ChlCkag,,w ma
tiers each citizen hclds q hon es. .eaI
Of l6c acres. which is inalieuabe for
swenty-one years. The remainder os
+. his allotment lie may sell after TIE
patent has been recorded by the Dawes
commission. approved ny the seclc
tary of the interior ard the governor
of the nation. for first payment in
cash AMI the remainder in install
ments extending over a period of five
p years The salc of land in those ma
tions. however is practically shut oF
:. for the present by disagreement be-
tween Secretary Hitchcock oad the
go, ernors of the Chickasnws anG
T. Choctaws. who refuse TO recoenize the
necessity Of the secretary aftixng his
approval Of the deeds efore hey are
turned over to the allottce. The gov
ernors are holding a large number
OF deeds which they refuse to ap-
prove m.tl the iruddle is settled AMI
The secretary Of the interior is holding
> up the rest until ;he governors give IN
As a result. very few titles have been
given to alotments in tho Choctaw
|. and Chickasaw nations and no land
i is heing sold there
d The Ssminoles by their agreement
0 cannot ALLEVIATE thei, surplus lands
until after tribal relations are DIS
solved in March. 1906
5 No land is being sold in the Chez
= okee nation hecauye of the fact that
i allotment is st'll going on ant no
T. dcods aave been delivered to allotteea
The Only place in the territory
where lndian land can be bought Is
G in the Creel, naiica and there purchas-
!. ers are confronted by almos. prohiL-
tive rules prescribed bs the interior
department One Of these is Sccre.
tary HitcEcock's regulation OF October
> g. 1904 providing thu. the Indian who
Z would sell his land must accept pay
y for it in inrtallments OF $40 a month
Z without interest
The Indians absolutely refuse 90
u sell any part Of their allotmeEts und-
er this rule and It has entirely stop
g ped the sac OF Indian lands through
the Creek land sales department cf
The Indian agency.
The only way TO purchase land in
Indian territory direct from the allot-
i tee ie to eet it from some of the few
Indians who have had their rearic-
tions removed, TO fnd some freedman
who has not yet disposed Of his sur
A. plus holdings or to buy it OF The real
r esiete man who does not care to sell
~ except at good profit.
e The restrictions have neen remove I
n from less than 90 Indians. and most
y Of these have already sold their hole
ings. When the restrictions were ta-
ken from the lands Of the negroes or
2 freedmen pf the Greek nation Rhcut
a wear ago. neagly ali @h9 rcaid dis
pose AZ their land did so "a is very
difficult at the presen, time 10 Pur.
chase land fror, the freedmen, as most