The Dickinson press., 1910-09-24
y. $. SALE Of LANDS IN
OKLAHOMA COUNTRY

OF good tillable land. That the farmer
and investor appreciate the plan and
have confidence in it is demonstrated by
the fact that within the past twelve
months approximately n million dol
lars have been paid for Indian land to
the United States Government through
the United States Indian Superinten-
dent at Muskogee. Oklahoma.
For several years the question of land
titles in that part of Oklahoma, formerly
Indian Territory, has not been looked
upon favorably by those desiring invest
men,s. Land that will raise one bale
of cotton to the acre. sixty bushels of
corn season after season. better than
one hundred bushels of oats. two crops
of potatoes in N season, averaging
one hundred bushels to the acre, and
adaptable to raising a corresponding
crop Of any Of the staples, has gone beg
cling and remained idle on account of
the title bugaboo. The same Grade of
land in Missouri. Illinois. Iowa, Kansas
and the other agricultural states. was
bringing from SOS. 90 to $50. 90 per acre.
while the Indian lands in Oklahoma
were taken by the weeds for the lack of
purchasers at ten and fifteen dollars.
Within the past year. however; things
have greatly changed. The Government
decided to sell the restricted lands for
the Indian and supervise the proceeds
from the sale of such. lands. The Indian
is, as q rule, inexperienced and in any
business pertaining to his land. such as
renting or leasing, only succeed in get
ting the title clouded. hence the scare of
poor titles.
The plan of the Government officials
is to clear the land of such clouds,
appraise the land and improvements,
and offer the same to the highest bid
der, thereby insuring perfect title. the
deed being prepared in the Office of the
United States Indian Superintendent.
From the beginning the plan proved
an excellent one and before the third
monthly sale the lists of lands were
sought by people in all the states. The
United States Indian Superintendent
has today on his mailing list of monthly
land sale notices some five thousand
names of interested persons in other
states, who are desirious of purchasing
the Indian land.
Tho oVyopoHn oopooHn oRopol ro0nkh1~y
by the United States Indian Superinten-
dent is 20. 600. and some months the
list more than doubles that amount.
The October sales now being advertised
show fifty thousand acres, j majority of
which is susceptible to the highest state
of cultivation and will raise in abund-
ance all the crops of the temperate
zone.
These tracts are appraised by two COM
petent land men. one a regular land APP
praiser and the other the District Agent
in the locality where the..lani is situated
and who is familiar with the conditions
in this locality.
The land is advertised for thirty
days in the newspapers of the state and
by printed posters distributed by the
mailing list system. The bids are
opened on the dav specified in the adj
vertisement and the highest bid, if it
exceeds the amount stated in the ap-
praisement. gets the land.
AT the time of sale ten per cent of the
amount offered must accompany the bid
and the balance..to be paid on receipt of
notice from the Indian Superintendent
to the effect that the deed has been ex-
ecuted and is ready for delivery.
There is no doubt as to a clear title
to land purchased in this manner as the
records are carefully examined by the
representatives of the Indian Superinten-
dent and if nc clouds affecting title are
found. the land is advertised. When
an Indian makes application for..the re-
moval of restrictions upon the sale of
his land the same is submitted to an
appraiser for ar investigation as to it's
quality, improvements and .value-con-
sideration being taken as to the distance
from marke, kind of market and the
roads. At the same time the District
Agent is given a description of the land
and the checks the county records where
in the land is located to ascertain
whether there are any illegal instru-
ments of record. If such instruments
appear of record the Superintendent will
not advertise the land until the title
can be cleared. $
The land advertised through the office