The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-02-28
"khTY's' LAND GRANT.

the Indian Territory
The original act OF congress under
which the Katy was built, provided
in the event OF the extinguishment Of
the Indian title, every alternate sec
ton OF land along the right Of way
should be and become the property
OF the railroad company. At the time
OF the passage OF the act Of congress
referred TO the Indian Territory was
nothing more or less than an Indian
reservation there were no towns Of
any Importance and but few white res
idents, and such as there we're con.
sisted Of railroad men, licensed trad
crs and their clerks and cattlemen.
The white population probably did not
exceed 1000 people, and their home in
the territory was considered Temporal
ry There were no schools, churches
or public buildings This gift Of land
was made TO encourage the building
Of railroad across what was then
considered a waste. The railroads
were slow to build across a country
where no freight would originate and
but little be shipped in. From the
southern boundary OF Kansas, where
the Katy" enters the territory, TO
the Red river, where II leaves II, the
distance is approximately 247 miles
No one Dreamed at that time what
marvellous strides would be made In
the development OF industries and
growth In proportion, and for many
years the Katy" was operated at a
loss so far as its Indian Territory bus.
mess was concerned. With the influx
OF the whites, towns and cities sprang
up, as II by magic, trade increased
wonderfully, mines were developed,
schools and churches were erected
and the Katy's claim, which at first
appeared to be of no great value, is
now estimated as being worth from
H,0OO.O00 10 s5,00O,00O.
The railroad company contends with
the allotment Of LANDS in severalty,
and afterwards the sale Of such allot.
ments. the Indian titles is cxtinguish-
cd. and they, therefore, now claim
the alternate section granted them by
act OF congress.
The interior department has never
| seriously considered the road &
claims. and townsites have been seq.
regated and towns built ana allotment
made on the alternate sections. To
prevent the extinguishment OF the
Indian title, there has been inserted
In the bill n, pending in congress-
providing for the final disposition oi
the affair Of the five civilized tribes
clause which Is as follows:
THAT the lands belonging to these
tribes shall, upon the dissolution OF
the tribes, not become public lands
nor property of the United States, but
shall be held in trust by the United
States for the use and benefit OF the
Indians respectively comprising each
OF said tribes and their heirs as the
same shall appear by the rolls as II
nally concluded as heretofore pro
vided."
There were some members OF the
senate committee which had this bill
under consideration who thought that
this effort to keep the lands from be
coming subject to the railroad grant
would not succeed, in other words
that the attempt TO hold the lands
In trust would fail. They suggested as
further precaution that the tribal
governments be continued In force an
other year, by the end OF which time
these lands, which are tho residue
remaining after allotment, could be
disposed OF by the tribes either by al
lotment or selling them. The Indian
title TO these lands is tribal title.
and unless the pending bill should pro
| Nlde otherWlse the trlDal relation VIII
cease after noon OF March 4, next. The
fact. It is held, even should the gov
ernment assume to take the land as Q
trust fraud. woud be signal to the
railroad to begin legal proceedings
for this valuable property Thre II
urgent need, therefore, that congress
take some definite action before
March 4.
Secretary Hitchcock is bitterly op
posed to the continuance OF tie tri
bal governments after March 4, 1906
believing that 1t is not necessary u
prevent the railroad 10 seize On tLi'
land by virtue OF the OLD grant.
Senator Spooner remarked, ~
would be a uational crime II the s'r