The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-10-18
Special! These WOOIenS at 81 Yard
Creek Indians Compelled to Take the Land
Where Mammoth Oil Production Is NoU Found

PEMETA, Okla, oct lS.-Chitto
Harjo. the longtime leader OF the re
belllous Greek Indians known us the
Snakes. did more for his handful Of
followers than he ever knew when
he advised them, during the early
lgOUs tu resist the allotment Of
lands and refuse 10 accept deeds from
the government. 1t was his idea, OF
course, that by rebellug they could
force the government to their terms
but II worked out just the other way
The government allotted the rethlcit-
rants arbitrarily giving them the
only lands that were LETT, the hills,
hulIows, ravinrs and stony points, and
these have turned out tO be- the most
wonderfully productive sections from
an oil standpoint that the world has
yet known.
The campaign Of the Suake In
dluns against allotment and against
/ breaking up the old tribal form OF
government dates back to the late
/ 9Os. when II finally became known
/ beyond any doubt that the Greek
/ country would be allotted, which
meant the dissolution of the old or
/ der Of things among them. The sur
ycy " the Creek nation, Tor the pur-
/ pose Of allotment was completed
about 1895. and the commission to
the Five Civilized Tribes opened the
hand office ut Muskogee for the
/ Creeks to select aud file ou their af
/ lulmruts IN April, ls90 Immediate
/ ly the Snake uprising began and II
/ continued on down through the years
to as late as 1903, when there we're
sun 2.O0O Greek land patents yet un.
called for In the office uf Chief Muty
Tiger.
The Snakes were Joined by many
other full.hlood Creeks aud hy many
Creek negroes, all Of whom Insisted
that they had treaty with the fed
pral government to the effect that
the land, awarded the tribe IN old
Indian Territory, was 10 be theirs as
long as grass grows and water runs
And they believed this 50 thoroughly
that they refused 10 recognize any
other condition. They maintained
also that later treaties, agreeing tc
nllot the lands, were never made with
the consent or permission Of ma
-iorlty of the full bloOds, aud during
the winter ~ l9OOOl. they were ready
10 fight to maintain their homes and
their lands. This was known ~ tn,
. / -
ular army soldiers was sent To Henry
ctta and went into camp there as d
, protection against the Indians.
, when the land office was frs
opened IN Muskogpc back In 1900
there was a rush 10 file by those cit
izcns NJ the Greek nation possessln,
the lehst Indian blood. These secured
, naturally. the cream of the Creek lane
from an agricultural standpoint
Later, the full.boods began slowly I,
. file upon their allotments but I'm al
ID most every Instance II was found tina
b only the second ard third grade Ian,
I was left The best land, lying alonl
the streams aud adjacent 10 N,
! thriving towns, had all been take
, up.
We're Given What Was Left
After II appeared that all VIII
, would file had done 50, there was
hlg remnant NJ the Greek tribe whlcI
had refused absolutely to accept IN
situation and their part " the CON
mon domain IN seyeralty They wer
arbitrarily allotted and filed hy IN
Dawes commission upon lands In tn
western part Of the nation lying 10
the most part twenty-five 10 fift
miles from their cabins and sofk
patches
The lands In tho northwestern col
ner OF the nation were particular
rough and rocky, with steep hill
deep raylnes and many groves &
knotted. gnarled oaks as their prime
nal features. Practically none " mi
section had been voluntarily selecip
by the Indians, excepting such part