The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-03-01
MOVEMENTS
FOR SALE OF
COAL LANDS
IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA, BELONG
ING TO THE CHOCTAW AND
CHICkASAW TRIBES, HAVE EN-
GAGGED MUCH ATTENTION.

McAlester, Okla, March 1.-Numer
Gus movements have been made in the
last decade looking toward the ulti
mate sale of coal deposits on lands
in eastern Oklahoma, belonging to the
Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. The
disposition Of this property has en-
gagged the attention at different times
of the tribal governments, the constitu
tional convention of Oklahoma, cabi
net officers and presidents of the Unit.
ed States, it was pointed ont recently.
From the time mining operations be-
gan in the district, which was in 1872.
until the AtOka agreement in 1898. the
mining industry was carried on under
national contracts which were entered
into between the operators and two
tribal officers called national agents.
The term of the national contract was
six years, subject to renewal, but be
fore the operator could get the CON
tract, he had to have an individual
contract with a Choctaw or Chickasaw
citizen, who had the right of original
discovery. During this period the In
dian citizen received a royalty of one
half cent a bushe of 50 pounds on
screened coal, it is reported.
The AtOka agreement, made in
1898, which allowed a royalty to the
Indian citizen of IA of one cent a
bushel of 50 pounds of screened coal
and which fixed the terms of the coal
leases at 80 years and limited each
lease to not more than 500 acres, rep
resented the first attempt of the Unit
ed States government to outline a
plan of settlement of the affairs of
the Five Civilized Tribes.
The tribes and the government
agreed that this agreement would not
be satisfactory to the tribes or the
new state to have the national govern
ment hold these lands in trust for an
indefinite period, so a supplementary
agreement contained a provision for
the sale of this property. That agree
ment was ratified by the tribes in
1902. 1t made provision for the sale
Of both the mineral and the surface.
leased and unleased, at public auc-
lion within three years from Septem-
Der, 1902, by a commission on which |
he tribes should have representation.
Under this act the Unbiased area. ag-
337642 acres, was segregat-
I'd by the department.
In 1904 congress repealed the coal !
provisions of the supplementary agree
nent and provided for the sale of only
he Unbiased area, surface and mineral,
It sealed bids, placing the sale entirely
lnder the secretary of the interior.
'arrying out this act, the department
liyided the Choctaw coal field into five
districts of 500 tracts each, containing
go acres. All bids were rejected.
Congress withdrew the coal lands
nd coal deposits from sale in 1906,
ntil the existing leases expired or
Intil congress saw fit to authorize
sale. The same year congress ap-
ropriated $4,000 for an exhaustive
Investigation of these deposits and up
n the conclusion Of the work, William
'ameron then supervisor of mines. ap-
raised the deposits at $12,319,O39. in
report dated 1909.
A recent report showed 116 leases
effect in the district covering 1O6.-
80 acres. The Unbiased area COM
rises 3S7642 acres, making the So
allied segregated coal lands embrace
total of 443,S72 acres. 1t is estimat-
d that investments aggregating So
10000 have been made in the mining
ldustry in this district.
Since 1898, when the present svs.
I'm of collecting royalties began, up
June 80, 1915, the royalties col
,cted by the United States govern
tent aggregated $3,S95,962.62, accord
lg to reports Previous to July l, it
estimated that about 100000 was
)llected by the tribes under national |