The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-16
Secretary Hitchcock and BarnsdalI's
FrlendIs Friend.

It has not been forgotten that on
May 10, 1905, Governor FRANK WAYLAND
HIGGINS wrote on the official stationery
Of the State Of New York to President
ROOSEVELT that THEODORE N. BARNS
DALI Of Pittsburg had acted -in good
faith" in the transfer Of certain Indian
Territory oil lands and that great in
Justice had been done to Mr.. BARNsDALL
by Secretary ETHAN ALLEN HITCHCOCK
Of the Interior Department. Neither
has it passed from mind entirely that on
June 7, 1908, Mr.. BARNsDALL appeared
before Secretary HITCHCOCK in Wash
ington to defend his dealings with the
Department and was sharply rebuked.
Through these Incidents the matter Of
oil land leases In Indian Territory ac-
quired an interest for the New York pub
lie. That interest wa intensified by the
occurrences in Washington of June 10.
On that date Secretary HITCHCOCK
gave a hearing to a delegation Of men
interested in the oil business, among
whom were NICHOLAS v. V. FBANCHoT
of Olean. Mr.. FRANCHoT is the Super
intendent OF Public Works Of New York
State. Besides holding this responsible
and remunerative place he enjoys the
close personal and political friendship
Of his fellow townsman FRANK Way
LAND HIGGINS. Mr.. FRANCHor ex-
planned to Secretary HITCHCOCK that he
had one lease Of oil lands, covering eighty
acres, in the Cherokee Nation. That Mr..
FRANCHoT's official duties do not bur-
den him unduly is indicated by this para
graph in his testimony:
Mr.. ~FRANcHor-i have been in the oil business,
practically my only business, since 1875; am the
owner Of considerable oil property IN Pennsylvania.
New York. southeastern Ohio and a little In indiana.
Have had interests In West Virginia and other
States. Follow the oil business as my business"
Mr.. FRANCHoT explained to Mr.. HITCH
COCK that at a meeting Of the Mid-Con-
tinent Oil Producers Association on June
7 a committee had been appointed to
present a resolution to the Department
protesting against certain restrictions
imposed on lessees of Indian oil lands.
This resolution was handed to the Sec
rotary by d. W. FRANCHoT, a prentice
oil man and son Of NICHOLAS v. v.
FRANCHoT. Secretary HITCHCOCK ex-
hibited a lively curiosity as to the rep
r~esentative character of the meeting that
adopted the resolution. He asked how
many oil operators were present at the
meeting and how many acres they rep
resented. He was told that about 100
men were present when the resolution
was approved, but as to what they rep
resented he could get practically no in
formation. The hearing is reported in
this language:
The Secretary-WhA I want 10 know Is what
this protest represents, what part Of the oil inter-
ests. so far as privileges have been granted: what
It really represents
Mr. N. v. v. FRANcHOT-I believe that I rep
rcsents practically all OF the men who have taken
these leases In the Cherokee and Greek nations.
The Seoretsry-Tha Is q pretty broad state
mcnt. because we have, as Judge SNTIH says-he
has charge OF this business You have just heard
him say mat there are some 1000 leases; they rsp-
resent a large acreage. and / can hardly under
stand or conceive that ioO small operators b . rep.