The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-22
INDIAN TERRITORY OIL FIGHT.
APPEALS FROM KANSAS AGAINST
THE FOSTER LEASE,
which Covers Some 1000, 600 Acres and
Which tho Kansans Say Is In the
Standa rd's Hands, Congressman Nree-
land Says Land Is worthless.

WASHINGTON, Feb. PA new turn was
given to-day to the fight Of Kansas against
the Standard Oil combination by the send
ing by the officers of the State Legislature
of kilograms to Speaker Cannon and other
members OF the House protesting against
tho renewal Of the Foster lease. The
lease Is now controlled by the Indian Ter
ritory Illuminating Oil Company and en-
braces some 800 900 acres OF land In the
Usage Indian reservation.
The ground OF protest against it is that the
Illuminating company is one Of the large
number of Standard Oil subsidiary con-
Germs and that it is trying 10 monopolize
the oil business in Indian Territory and
Oklahoma.
news despatch from the Indian Terri
tory alleged that W. j. Bryan, Chairman
Taggart of the Democratic national com
mttee, Col. j. NJ. Guffey OF Pittsburg, the
head OF the Democratic organization IN
Pennsylvania, Senator Penrose, Representa-
tive Sbley and other politicians of national
fame were interested in the lease as stock
holders.
In answer to that charge Representative
Vreeland of New York tomorrow will
file lists OF the stockholders of the 1llum-
mating Oil Company with the Indian com
mittees of the two Houses. He exhibited
the list to number Of members to-day
to show that there is no truth in the allega-
ton from Kansas
The list was made by the Corporation
Trust Company, transfer agent of the
oil company and shows the stockholders
OF record ON Nov. 10 last, the latest in exist
enoe. Not one OF the men named appears
as a stakeholder of the company which
owns the lease but constituents of tho
Congressman mentioned are among the
lessees of the Illuminating company.
The Standard has not penny; INFESTED
in the Indian Territory field said Repre-
sentative vreeland to-day. What ia
stranger still ia that il does not own a single
lease. There Ia no other field that has such
distinction. The Standard has at least
lease in every other field. The truth
about this matter Ia that the Standard
regarded the territory as such a wild cat
that II paid absolutely no attention to II,
Foster, the man who got the original
lease had a brother who controlled
savings bank at Westerly K. |. The bank
backed him to such an extent that 1t had
to close its doors. Ii appears in the list
OF stockholders al the owner of 900
shares Of the capital stock. / ina CINE the
depositors Of that bank would be very
glad to learn that the Standard is back Of
the illuminating company. They might
The territory was such poor thing
that even after oil was found it was given
away. When the owners Of the lease did
get a spur of a railroad into the territory
the rate OF IS cents barrel was absolutely
ruinous. Recently. however. the com
psny has induced the Standard TO lay a
pipe line to the field and something is com
ing back on the original investment. The
company has gone broke three times in
trying To develop the field.
William I. Leahy, member Of the coun-
Gil Of the Usage Indians, to-day issued a
long statement in which he charges the
Secretary of the Interior with breaking
faith with the Usage tribe in connection
with the Foster blanket oil lease. He
also charges that the modification OF the
lease as approved by Secretary Hitch
cock is just what the old lessons wanted
and just what the tribe did not want.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Leahy's statement
in this connection and the evident dissatis-
faction Of the Osage Indians the controversy
was closed to-day when the matter was
discussed al the Cabinet meeting. The
President Is satisfied that Secretary Hitch
cock secured the best possible terms for
the Indians under the circumstances, and II
IL said he indorses the Secretarys approval
OF the blanket lease.