The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-04-01
GERNER BECOMES
vINITA BOOSTER
Karl eerner Writes The Dispatch a
Very interesting Letter From
Land Of the cherokees.

NHAaNfNAAAHAA
article OF praise for Vlnita:
Vinita, Okla, March 19.-No one
can travel very far these days with.
out seeing something that is new, and
hearing things that he never knew ex-
listed.
In a trip to Oklahoma this week, /
had the pleasure of riding for the
first time In an all steel passenger car
from Chicago TO Kansas City There
was but little wood used in the con-
structlon of the car Heavy steel
beams and strong sides, and the pas.
senger feels sense Of safety as he
rides. No chance OF smash.up In a
collision, and no burning OF passen-
gers in the wreckage. These cars
ought TO be in use everywhere and
their general use will lesson the loss
of life In wrecks Travel is made safer
in them and yet when we crossed
the high bridge at Kansas City, ]
wondered how we should fare In these
steel chests II the train should hap
pen 10 drop off the bridge into the
muddy waters OF the Missouri river,
A few hours stay in the union sta.
tion at Kansas City was made interest
ing by watching the thousands and
thousands OF passengers arriving and
leaving. You naturally speculate as
to where all these people came from
and whittier they are going. The
American people travel more than
any other people on earth. They are
restless and cannot content them
selves in rusting away in one place.
The lure OF the west Is drawing thou
sands Of people to the new and UNI
tried lands. About every man you
talk with has the land craze. Land
seems to be the universal want, The
most Of these land hunters know moth
ing about farming and they have
vague idea that ii they only owned
land they could soon roll In wealth
The high price OF hogs corn, wheat
and other products is responsible for
the immature ambitions Of people who
have lived Ia cities and now are crazy
70 farm Little they know Of the
years Of toll necessary to make the
wild lands OF the far west fruitful
We stopped at Vinita, called the
gateway city Of oklahoma This en-.
terprising city has a population of
about six thousand ana there Is stir
and hustle on the streets. This Is
the heart OF what Is known as the
Cherokee country. For seventy-five
years the Cherokee Indians have liy-
ed here and now they, too. will soon
pass away before the invasion of the
white man Il was from the lips Of
an educated Cherokee that We learn
ed the history Of the migration of that
tribe from the state of Georgia In
1885. 10 what has long been known
as Indian Territory There were five
tribes known for years as the five
civilized natives and they all came
from the southern part OF the United
states.
The Southern people practically
drove the federal government into
taking the Cherokees. Creeks, Chloe.
toWs. Chivkasaws and Semlnales from
their ancient homes and moved thcm
across the Father of Waters to the
western plains. Here milllaua Of
acres Of land were given them and
they were told 10 follow the ways Of
the white man ana be happy The
Cherokee Indians soon adapted them
selves quickly to their new homes. as
they lead an the red men Of this eouu.
try In intelligence, property social
moral and religious development They
built schools and churches. they wei
coined missionaries of the different
Christian creed they built asylums Tor
the blind. the deaf and the insane
They took pride In their development
They lead a pastoral life raising cat
tie and cultlyating just enough
ground to raise wheat and corn for
their own use. TO this day but little
OF the land Is under cultivation, il
awaits the plow of the coming farmer
The Cherokees are a proud people and
on the streets OF this city you meet
lawyers, physicians, newspaper men,
real estate dealers, merchants. min
isters all proud Of the strain of Cbero.
kee blood in their veins. Senator Ow.
en-, a part Cherokee Indian, now repre-.
sents Oklahoma in the United States
senate.
Under the original compact with |
the government the Indians we're not |
permitted 20 sell their land 70 the !
white men aud II has only been within |
D year or so that this restriction has
been removed by an act Of congress
and the Cherokees can now sell their
ands to the white settlers This Is
he reason why SO little Of this ooun.
.ry has never known the touch Of the