The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-29
FLOW OF GOLD
NEAR END IN
OIL KINGDOM.
Osaqe Indians Will Drop
from Pinnacle of Riches
to Poverty Depths.
FEW INVESTED MONEY
Head Rights Once Valued
at $4,000 Yearly, Worth
Only $35 Weekly.

EuN EA Scrrice
PAWHUSKA. Okla, Aug. 90
The golden food of wealth that the
rich Oklahoma oil fields. through
an inexplicsble oversight on the
part Of the Great White Father
turned into the laps of the Usage
Indian tribesmen q decade or moro
ago. is subsiding TO mere trlckle.
The Osages. for time the rlcheSI
neople in the world, per capita
are sliding back into the poverty
from which they emerged some nj
ton years ago and the 2,279 head
tights. on the rolls. each good a lew
vesrs ago for an annual income OF
more than $4,000, today are worth
lust s35 a week.
Thus comes to an end one OF the
nueerest. most ironic dramas OF the
history of a tribe of American IN
dians who in the last fifteen years
have received s575.000o00 in oil
royalties.
The oil. found most unexpected
" beneath the barren hill country
of this part of Oklahoma. made the
Osages rich. 1t brought them the
things that go with riches-luXury'
soft living, comfort, not to menlloi'
decay. tragedy and bloOdshed.
Well Playing Out
Now the oil is petering out. The
Osages, for the most part appar-
entity will be worse off than they
were before. Some of them have
saved their money-but many
many more have fallen into habits
of tdleness and face an extremely
dismal future.
The strange story of the Usage
nation began in the early days OF
the twentieth century. The Osages
had been a docile, unwarlike tribe
migrating to Oklahoma from the
eastern part of the country CEN
turv and more ago; and when Okla
bona began to fill up with Whlte
men. it became necessary to tlnd
a place for the OSageS.
The red man never has been dealt
with any too generously by the white
man, and the case Of the OsageS
was no exception. The rocky hill
country in this part Of the state
was given them, chiefly because 1t
was considered the least valuable
land in Oklahoma.
But it turned out to be about
the richest of all.
Sudden Leap to Wealth
In 1917 came the oil boom. The
OsageS' tribal property was found
to cover one of the richest oil fields
in the southwest.
Each member of the tribe had q
head right. or proportionate share
in all tribal funds; and in short
time the OSages were drawing
average yearly incomes Of $4,000
apiece.
Nor was that all. Head rights
we're lnheritable. In the course OF
time some Indians came into pos
session of ten or more head rights.
Indians with incomes of $4,000 and
100000 a year were not uncommon
Many intermarried with the
neighboring KawS, of which tribe
Vice President Curtis is a member
Few Save Money
A few Indians invested theil
money wisely. A few set themselves
up as stock raisers with their new
wealth. or went into business. But
not many.
Most of them acted precisely as
might be expected Of a people. one
generation removed from barbarism
given almost unlimited funds in q
modern world.
The government is holding severa
million dollars for some of then
until such time as they shall be
adjudged competent to receive it.
OF the 2,279 Osages VINO are
drawing head rights" it is sale
that not more than 100 have made
investments that will take care Of
them when the oil wells finally give
out.