Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-08-31
CREEK NATION 70
OFFER BIC FIGHT
VALUABLE SANDBAR TERRITORY
AT LOST CITY BONE OF
CONTENTION.
The QUESTION AN OLD ONE
National Attorney Now In Washing
ton-Riparian owners Also TAX
ing Up Hostlities.

A fight to a finish and ono that
much discussed ownership Of the
sandbars along the Arkansas river
and other streams Of Oklahoma Is
now inevitable, result of the dis
coYery Of the New Lost city oil pool
five miles west Of Tulsa.
The Creek Nation. In whose terri
tory this pool lies, IL not disposed
tn give up this great body Of mineral
wealth until It's rights are finally
ad1udicated by the Supreme Court OF
tha United States.
NJ. l.. Mott, national attorney OF
the Creek nation is now In Washing
ton. ID. C., as Is also J. George Wright,
commissioner Of the Five Civilized
Tribes looking out for the interest
of the Indian in this oil property
The fact that the state Of okla
homa has advertised all OF the sand
bars OF the rivers of the state for sale
on the tenth OF September Will cause
the contest to become especially Bit
ter. The intention OF the state to
use such revenues for the general tax
fund instead OF for school or charlt
able purposes is calling down criu-
cism from great many disinterested
souI ces,
glIe Creeks have considered this
territory theirs from the first ana
they do not look with favor upon
the states plan for selling their
property and using the proceeds to
pay the salaries OF the present ad-
ministration's multitude Of office
holders. Consequently the Creek Ma
ton will make a stubborn resistance
to any effort on the part Of the
state to sell this land.
Riparian owners have organized to
assert their rights as against both
the state and the Creek Nation, and
will not be content until the highest
court in the land has passed upon the
question. They base their claim on
the fact that the Arkansas river is
not navigsble. claim at present time
supported by facts. as view or the
river will demonstrate. They furth-
or are fortified by the decision Of the
district court court of Pawnee coun-
ty, in case In which the Usage Ma
ton, the United States government,
the state of Oklahoma and the ripari-
an owners were parties. In this case
Judge Poe held that the river Is not
navigable. There was introduced evil
dence as to the non -navigability OF
the stream covering period of forty
years which was heard by the court,
md riparian owners contend that this
decision ls therefore to be accorded
greater weight than the decision rend-
eIed by Judge Campbell, In which he
incidentally held the Arkansas was
nav gable, for the reason that in the
case before Judge Campbell, all OF
the parties admitted the river was
navigable. No issue was made or evil
dencc offered on that point, and for
this reason Judge Campbell did not
have the question of the navigability
of the stream before him, and did
not hear any evidence concerning IL.
The Greeks are al this time prepar-
ing application to the department OF
the Interior. asking for the right to
lease for oil and gas development the
land involved. In this particular In
stance-the Lost city pool land-tho
stndbar is an extensive one, running
for about two miles up and down
the river, a total distance of four
miles
The value OF this land is only
matter of figures. running into hun
dreds of thousands OF dollars, II not
into the millions. in this one instance.
Immediately adjoining II are oil wells
flowing as high as 80 barrels an
hour without ever being shot. and a
half dozen or more are making from
$50 up to $50 barrels day. With
crude oil now selling TO the pipe line
companies at s1.05 barrel II may
quickly be determined why both the
Creek nation and the riparian land
owners have concluded II worth going
to the highest authority TO settle It's
ownership.