The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-01-11


Of Southern production. AS soon as
the survey was concluded, all the
Choetaw purchase was organized into
counties. by legislative enactment, a.
which time the boundaries Of Lowndes
county were very materially enlarged.
Beginning at the mouth Of Butta-
hatchie creek, the northern boundary
was extended west, to the northeast
corner Of Oktibbeha county, thence
south along its eastern boundary to
the northwest corner of the Noxubee
line to the Tombigbee River, this
doubling its former area. The estab-
lishment of the land office for the
sale of the lands in the Choctaw pur-
chase, at Columbus, greatly increased
its Importance and made it center
of attraction to land spectators and
those wishing to make settlements
thereon.
These land sales being most I'M
portant events it is deemed proper to
compile, for historical use, descrip-
ton of these sales and the circum-
stances attending them. AS soon as
the surrey was made and the records
satisfactorily deposited in the Offices
Of the government, the president Of
the United States issued a proelama-
ton appointing the time and place
for the land sales. The land sales
were to continue for period of two
weeks. The number of townships and
sections to be sold were specified de-
finitely in the proclamation of the j..
president, and the sale was limited
90 parcels of IA of a section or 100
acres at each offer. They were Of
fered by an auctioneer at public out
cry to the highest bidder, a specified
amount being named as the lowest
bid to be received. In case Of the
Choctaws this amount was $500 per
acre. The sales of Choctaw lands
occurred in Columbus, Miss, in 1884
&c., and were continued for two weeks
at each special sale, and repeated
from time to time as the presidents
proclamation directed. sit is charged
that great frauds were committed by
purchasers or bidders combining not
to bid against each other, although
these frauds were forbidden by law
under heavy penalties. Messrs. Buck
ner, Harris, and Boyd were respect
lively the first registers and receivers.
Nimrod Davis, of Columbus, former
sheriff, was the auctioneer.
These sales were unsatisfactory
both to the government and to the
purchaser, or those willing to pur-
chase, on account Of the short time
allowed for examination and selec-
ton between the survey and sales.
Great advantage was given to land
spectators and those having large
sums of money in obtaining inform
alton from traders and Indian agents
in the location of the best lands. An
other drawback was the reluctance
on the part If the Choctaw Indians
to leave their lands, many of them
remaining pretending to remain for
the purpose Of availing themselves Of
the homestead offer to the Dancing
Rabbit treaty. 1t is also charged
that the United States commissioners
were Intentionally or negligently re-
miss in furnishing the Indians OPP
portunities for locating their reser-
vations. The Chickasaw land sales
occurred at Pontotoc, Miss, begin
ming January 1st, 1886. Important
differences existed between the terms
of purchase Of the Chickasaw and
Choctaw lands by the general govern
ment.) The Choctaw lands were pur-
chased by the government for stip-
ulated amount Of money payable in
annual installments, and very large
reservations, of lands allowed to their
chiefs and families, as well as a given
reservation Of land to each Choetaw
Indian who desired to remain and be-
come an American citizen.
The Chickasaw lands were sold for
the Chickasaw tribes, the expenses
of survey and sale of land to be de-
Quoted therefrom.
The influx of land speculators and
persons desiring to examine and pur-
chase these lands began to flow into
Columbus many months before the
land sales. The hotels and boarding
houses were crowded to- the utmost
4 limit of their accommodation. Rooms
and bedsteads were almost uhattain-
able A place to eat and room enough
on the floor to sleep were the best
that could be obtained. The houses
of of the citizens were converted
into boarding houses, and many COM
panies Of friends brought with them
their own tents and provisions.