Mulhall Enterprise. (Mulhall, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 48, Ed. 1 Friday, November 29, 1901 Page: 6 of 8
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GOVERNOR'S REPORT
Gov. Jenkins Report to the Secretary of the
;rior A Comprehensive One.
OF
The Opportunities and Advantages in this Rapidly Growing
Country Set Forth In a Convincing Manner.
.v ox Tin lirst annual n
t vernor William M .1 * 11Ki 11- t
i r- f.iry of tin int. rinv ha- bee
publi at the* departincut It =•»
W
JM.I1 t
the >
mini
oomp'.vin nsive review of tin .l* v»
mcnt of the* f«*rrite»ry ilurinu tin- past
year. in ill it" various branche > —com-
mercial, agricultural. educational, pro
f('KSl( MIMl 21 It' 1 |N»plllati« Ml I In ^(tM'I'llnr
also submits many r< conunemlutienis to
the secretin y tin m important be ing
in favor of statehood tor oklahoma,
i11K)ii this nutMioii tht gov. lfior makes
no specific roi oiniiM ii'latioii in favor of
either Kindle or double- sfutehoe*l tor
Oklahoma ami Indian territories. but
merely submits facts and figure-* tor the*
guidance of the secretary and ciingices
in dculing with the pmhlem.
In commencing hisrejiort tla gover
nor refers to the j»ast history of okla-
homa ns follows
>OM I MISTOKY
Historically consiih red. Oklahoma as
k territory is of recent origin, hut an a
small portion of tin- great tract of south
western country known at various
times and under various circumstances
m Louisiana, RCandan territory, the
great American desert. uninhabitable'
land* ami the Indian t« rritory. it has a
place in the history of the nation dating
back to the days of the Spanish explor-
ers, who sought in the great south\v* -t
unknown empires and then- reputed tab
ulous we alth
Following the course of travel «h-
scriN'd m many early Spanish manii
scripts am! books, one is n-adily 'tin
vmced th..f the luminal Oklahoma
lioomers we re the little army of adveii
turons spirit* who traversed the south-
west tinder the leadership of De Soto,
and that v were follow*-1 by Jesuits
r- who sought wealth in the
• ins nt the mount.mis and
I territory. tin ve are unuiis
igns m lately discovered ruins
and places of early abode,
Lewis "i n • i Clarke visited the territory
in one i.?' their early « \ploring expe-eli
tioiip. aim the prairi« s and v tvlleys «»l t!u
territory w« re the hunting grounds of
the enrlv tribes of Indians, from the
earliest time "t which there is record of
the movements of the aboriginal \nier
lean s
When the Imlinn territory was ere
iit'ii hs a home for all of the Indian
tnh(-s ;»nd with the intention of senm
dnv building there a great Iml'an state,
most of what. i- now oklahoma terri
tot v. was included w ithin it- iH.nnds.
and Washington 1 r\ inu . 1 . in IS ;•
made a himtiiig trip here, describe*
most graphically the 1 »•:».*t \ ntul wealth
of Oklahoma's natural endowments iti
his skedee " A Tour of tla- I'raine.-."
Some time early in the 'seventies the
name of Oklahoma tirst ap|M ars. in pol-
itical history, the occasion being* the in
troeluetiein in ceuigre*-* of a bill to civat
a territory out of a | Miction of the Indian
territory to lie* known as Oklahoma.
The measure failed of passage, and for
more than \ decad« little or nothing
was li- Mt ! • >f this e'outif ry
Th"'i .une the agitation stnrtnil by
f\ivne at «' « iMich and kept up by tlieir
' at Its admission; with a school popula-
! tion almost double the average |>opulu
| tion of all of the states when granted
self-government: with an area almost
equal to that of the state of Ohio, and
; greater than that of thirteen states;
with a free school within easy distance
| of every home and a higher college or
university education offered without
price to all of the youth of the territory,
of whatever race or sex or condition:
with well-governed cities and counties
j and laws enforce!I in every way; with a
, i*•<>ple !Hl per cent American born and
| all loyal and patriotic citizens; with an
annual production of *'0,000,000 bushels
«if wheat, 150,000,000 bushels of corn.
' 150,(KM) bales of cotton, other agricul-
tural products in probation and herds
that pass the million mark; wirhafmait
i cial record without a stain of default or
repudiation; with n financial, conimer
cial and business grow th equaled by no
other state or territory, is not Oklahoma
dearly entitled to admission to the sis
tel hood of states '
\nd if it In- that the lawmaker* of the
nation deride that * )klahoma and Indian
territory shall U* admitted only as eim
state, how mtich stronger is our claim
for immediate reeognition :
l'or the Indian territory has a jieepulu
tion almost equal to that of Oklahoma,
and combined the state would have a
Imputation ling a million, or about
the average population
Kentucky.
~~ Whilo tlw> xrowth of okltilmnm in lh" ' nf tii>- trrrinir.v's Mutovv. Tho twlnnw ; rnm-.l thorn wi.l tho tf-rritory wonM
inist liiiK Iki'11 most |ihiMioim«iml, I !»■ is ill w.irwnt imlfbtoilm wi ii<viimulut- Imvi- Uh>u nt ronsi.Ural.te loss, hs it
believe that the increase of )>opnlntiou in;'by a casual deficit each year, and hardly seeius probable that there
will be still more rapid in the future
long struggles to secure tile various en
actments ill' i'(i!!:,rn» r. quired to bring
it a'ooiit. ol' the succe^ivi great rushes
..t settl« r-to the eiMintry. of the strug
gles to build up h« r an id- at \tncriean
common wealt h. and <»f the gi>iat meas
nr. of success attained, volumes might
Im written.
In the little more than a decade which
has elapsed since tie* cit ation of the tel
riton the people have accomplished j eighteen times the average
hen- more than any other community of tlu- states of \ermont
had e\er ac''-ouiplijied in a quarter of a , l* nnessee. t>lii«». Louisiana, Indiana
. nturv The sturv of the achievements Mississippi. Illinois. Alabama, Missouri
ot this people. whose progreMsivetiess. Arkansas, Michigan. I' lorida,
» gv. industt v mid Aqn ricati citi/eti Wisconsin. ( alifornia, Minnesota. o^n>
ship has never betm equaled, reads al «on, Kansas, Nevada, Nebraska, or Col-
most like a fairy tale, and the gn at and «>rado when admitted as states.
lasting results attained can only !*• ' It is claimed by many that the condi-
realized by hint who comes and \ >v. tions aiv not right in the Indian terri
and {Minders. ! tory for statehood, and it is true that
there an- conditions there which present
llll- I'Ifct-•■•KN I. . , . .
; a serious problem for the future, but
i.ooliiriK back ov*t tho brief but event- ^ ^|u.v (.uu )h. worked oat an well, orrvm
fnt hintorr of tin ir territory, voootiutiiijy; better, tmdor ^tnt«• goverutuent.
their straggles aud trlnmpha, »nd oom-1 True, there li no land to tax ut
|il:i.,nti.vM. « iiiK tlo ircoint'omblf unit | ,,Ilt llllt t|„. fim,. rapidly eotuitiK
proaporon*surroundiug*, tin- people of when there will l»\ nnd, as shown
(Iklahoma iu>* woll sansfled with their j ^rbero in thin report( a careful aud very
pri-M iit (■(Miilitioim mnl 1 « Iv•• tln ir fn j (.(m^ rvativ*1 ft-titintt,■ of tin1 pi*o|MTty
two prospects are brighter and greater , ti„.r,. t|mt wtrajf\ \H, taxable beforestato-
than those of any people on earth. | t(t. fn]i v completed were an
With an area a little greater thau that ( eaabling act passed tlii» winter, is
of the state of Indiana, with a climate | 000,000, which is greater than the taxa-
whose health-((ivingbroenesare nowhere j W(. Valnation of tli.- states of Arkansas,
i'M-i'llod: with :m altitude invigoratiin' j
.out i!i*pirini;: (.'eomraphieally of the
south hilt jioli ti < al I > of the north; with
mrvtuie of nortlK 111 push and energy
and oth
iiihi«r;J
hills of
tnkabi*
Of 11) . P'
llltl e:»'
March
gress.
India*
the op
the lit
• band
in the dying
•lidmefit wa-
lotnet> until, in
with southern comfort and hospitality; 1
with seen n of ragged mountain and
valley ; far-stretching prairie and wood
e<l hill: with foil as fertile us the valley ;
id ;i»e Nile: with rainfall aud other eli ;
matic conditions favorable to the sue
cessful growing of all tho crops of tla
i* ni]»-rat>- /'one. here is the ideal loca- ,
tion for a home and the opportunity for
agricultural end commercial enterprise, j
And when to the natural advantages
with which the territory has tieeii so
neill V endow « d. the people have added
thriving cities, growing business enter
pri,. «iii-i -ssful farms and orchards
and vineyards, school houses and
churchcf. coil* yes and universities, com
»• it ♦ aid- and |n-nua*ie»ii h«»m« > surround-
ed by all the • ocial advantages of a pnro-
]\ American ♦ • immutdty. i» it any won-
der flint they an envied by countless
tla.1;-aid*, w ith i■ lavorable surround-
inus ij» the «•*' »w .!« I enmimi?iit i«-> of the
..th» i states I - it strange that the rail
way trains are loaded with hotneseekers
w Iiom «:• — 1111;11ic'ti i* oUlahotn i. ami tb
wajoti reels nre constantly traversed
with whit- topped wa;:"iis loaded with
families di« -iuiraged or disheartened at
the adver-e conditions in iminy older
canimunitie>. and se*Uing the opjior-
umitie-. and ndvautag* s which all enjoy
here in this iiesv commonwealth:
To all who havo come Oklahoma has
, \fetl< let I a Welcome hatld, aild t<» the
countless thousands who are weary of
the c>'Useless ut itid. the galling bond of
c. at vent ioiial it \ atid cias-and the over
ernwding of sill lines of business, pro
t'« ->iniis and agriculture, sin- extends an
invitation to come and participate in
lie
mriutu
ill
pn
tor
ig t«»
♦ h)i» u r
gn at t«
This I
18KW. ai
«)klahoi
oj)eniu^
gov 1 • '
-eft lean-lit
ii known
than H,o(i
heart of
holm
area of Ian
11a. einbracii'
«> now I viug
lTitory
an>i was opem-d on \pril
d ti" ii o.-.Mirn • I the tirst g*« it
na rash The brief legislat ion
the land provided no form of
ueiit. and for over a year the
fX'ople of the territ(»ry were a law utito
♦ laiti ' lv e- Tini onl* jov rnineiit dur
ing ti ih runl was that created sin I
maintained b\ ctMinin-u ceii>eiit. y.-t
therr was no law I- sun--, or outlawry
wild pro]"M-rty and life were ;»»!,-(^uate!\
protec ted at all time*.
In .Inn. 1SU0, the territorial govern
nicut came into cxistctio and 1 »> the
saim* act of congress tin strip of conn
try known sis No Man's Land." em-
bracing 3,081,000 acres, was added a.«
Beaver county. In Scptemhei of tin
Mime vear the news embrm
the fri
ilities
i umlL
(lom nnd |
of the pas
.>1 a future
: .spent
wh
Hid oppor
11 si> the
limits - fia
Ibid any man d
foretell for < >U:d
tion of w hat is t«>
undoubtedly hax
M uiicbausen or :
. >f rest mint i n
i 11 la
red ten
nni but
years ago tn
lay a r
• beet
d jiulg*
me
mall por
lie Would
n classed with
tla tit subject
htm for the in
has In-eti aceom
\ml in v if w of wl
piisheil in the-se ten
n*it l ied land t»y a |^'
capital sa\ tIn ir -ti
actii e braii who <1
fnt are. now that tin
«.f agricultur
the lesson of
d, and not only ^-ople, but eapitul and
wealth are coming aiiul taking hold «»n
• very hand to make the future tar
eclipse the rapid progress of the past.
Here today is a grow ing, progressive.
\nicricau community of more than half
| a million jieople successful in all lilies of
■ ears in :i new and
• pie win • had lit11«
' mg right arms and
ales predict for the
success of al 1 lines
and buaim aw assured,
i*x|»eriencc has bfeti learn
in the
watomie reservations, in the eastern
l»art of the territory were o}x»ned to >
tleinent. and the following spring came
irk, with schools and colleges and
Sauk and Fox. Iowa ami Pott a 'if«
universities beyond those of half the
states; with a code of laws equal to
those of any state; with ;» taxable
the 4,297.771 acre* of Cheyenne and wealth sufficient to carry on nil «>f the
Arapaho land. September IB, 1898, the I functions and institutions of self-gov-
Ohemkee' strip was opened to settle-
ment, and the counties of Kay, <»rant.
Woods. Woodward. < iarfield. Noble and why all the rights and piivil
Pawnee created from its 0,0J 4,$19 acres government should not be accord-
of fertile land In 189."> the Kicka])oo tiiese js'opl
crnineiit w ithout burdening the ;xMiple.
Who. then, can give any good reason
i of self
I
reservation of i?00,(Wi2 acres was settled,
and the year following, (ireer comity,
which bad been previous to that consid-
Let him who disputes the claim of Ok-
lahoma to n place in the galaxy of states
carefully pcrvse the pages of this report
"red a ]*>rtion of Texas,' was given to as showing the past prog re:
pre
the territory by a decision of the
preme court of the United State's.
AH these». w ith the Kiowa, Oomaindie
and AjwicJic and Wichita Indian reser-
vations just o|ieiied, give the* territory a
settled area of '^4,000,000 acres,
04(i, still being included in Indian res
ervations.
STKt (Kil.r.s ANOTHER STORY.
This, in brief, is the' story of the ere-
onditieMis ami future ]xissibilities of the
territory, and lie* can not but Ihs cem-
vinced, even against his will, of her
right. te> statehexsl,
POPULATION.
With a population several times great-
er than that of any territory ever ad-
mitted to statehood and greater than
that e>f thirteen different state's of the1
union at this time; with a taxable valu-
Florida, Iowa. California. Oregon or'
Kansas at the time eif their admission,1
and |s r ce-nt. greater than the taxa-
ble valuation of «>klahoma live vears sil
ter its organization as a territ< y
\s w e find there pros]n-rons e uies and
towns, rapidly increasing agricultural
siml mineral ele\eln]»nie!it, and a people
fully capable of assuming tho responsi-
bilities and pri\ ileges of statehood.
In view of sill tlie.-f facts, aiiel of tin-
many nieire (Convincing arguments to be
deducted l'rotn tlu- statistics and infor
mation upem every subjeet which fol-
low in this report, it seems to me that
no reasonable ob j> cfioti can be made tu
tin immediate* creation e>f a state eithe r
of < ►UhduMiia alone or of < )khiheima ami
Indian te rritories combined.
ten \ Tie I\ VNDAtn.a
oklahoma ten'itory lies between
34th and 87th parallels north latitude
ami mostly Ih tw .-n '.'e; degree s. ; o mit.
ntes sltld PK> deLrrees Wesf longitude.
Its location, north and siioth. coine'id*'S
with that '»t T 'im -»» e ; east and W» st
with e. ntrat Kansas and Te va-
in Lri neral tin- surt'ac is rolling pro
irie. with timleer -kirtod streams
thrmnJuirt. -dine eon.-iderable4 timber
i an-si in the east, roimh hills iti th»* ceti
tral w» -t. aud rugge*d mountains in tin-
! southwe st.
The e limate is licalthful, th» rainfall
' sufticieiit for agriculture and horticul-
ture. tin whole- sire i well watered w ith
streams, and gewwl wati r found through
imit the territory at a de*pth ranging
from -JO to too feet.
l'Ol.n l( \l. -I'i I \TION.
Tlie political situation in oklahoma
has be en somew1 uit mixed at tinn*s. sil
theili;Jl in the* twe'lve ye ai'S of the' te-rri
torv's history the r< pul lioans seem te.
have be*en in tli ina.joritx nmst of tin*
t i T11 • ■. a * I d Willi til e \ C I t it ill e if the* t we.
years-from 181X4 to I8i)b tho territory has
always been represented by a republican
| de le /ate i*i co.ign -s. atid the lirst. third
and fifth Icgislsiture.- \M-re controlled by
the republicans, i! ^seeoudand sixth be
ing contmile 1 l»v the republicans in one
branch and tb:* unti tepnblieatis in the
other, while tlie fourth was almost
unanimously anti-republican. Neither >
the democrats nor populists have ever
oarried the territory alone or controlled
I'ithe-r bram b of the 1- .'i-datun
SOe I AI \M» t:i l.i« -T(U".s.
"Vsitv luisilifnrna d If in the
s*.ne's look u]hiti i UJnlioinu sis tii« home-
of the savage and s» e*ie of outlawry and
barbarism, w lu-n iiotbiuge'sin be further
from the- truth The Jie-nple of tlie te r
ritorv. as a rule*, are iiit«'lligent, etilti
Vsit«*d and eilucaU'd to a degree beyond
th«»s»* of tli»* majority of the old*-r cemi
munitieh Sicial lif* litis much the
same assets as in the state s, and ye't
the**!■• is St elltfei, nee ; for there lire» no
ilistim tions «»f caste «*r class te» N* found
here*.
Oklahoma has lieeti settleel by a re-
markably strong, se lf reliant and «m-r
getic J**0]>le the* nioif active atid eli
te rprising element from all the sfstfes
who brought with them tieither *'purse»
nor scrip,'* settled upon homesteads of
ir>0 acres, each man re iving upon his
own resource s, often consisting of but a
strong right arm and an intelligent
mind, to build for himself a home nut-
rounded by the comforts and privileges
of a civilized life
Our progress has bee-n phenomena!,
and the> wisdom of the homestead law,
which encourages the citizen to own his
! own home and successsnlly employ his
[ own labor, have beam fully demonstrat-
ed here.
We have here a thoroughly democrat-
ic community, where all have equal op-
portunities for advancement stud prefer-
Thc fact that almost a million and a
ejuurter acre's wvre tiled ujxui for home-
steads ill the various eirganized eeuintie*s
«if »lie territory during the |*ist year,
would indicate* uu increase*- in popula
tion, by the taking oi thct-e homestead
lauds, eif from Ma.ooo to 4e>.0eMi. ami tin
growth of the* cities and towns and of
rural communities—as well as in the lo-
calities where there was no homeste*ad
land- in addition to these, would irnii
cate sm incn a-e over tin tignre e»f the
I9(X) census suftlciemt to make the pecu-
lation of tla- territory sit this time fully
-1 HO,000, and the ojieiiing of si large are*a
of Indian land to settlement w ithin the
next sixty days, will bring another
great influx of |ieople, carrying the- ag
gregate popnlitioii of the territory tee a
point in excels of half a million inside
of ninety day ®.
The jieeiph* of Oklahoma arc (nisnn»p
olitan, coming from e very section the*
nation, ami a few from foreign lands.
They are energetic, progre^ssive and in
dustrioiis to an extent that has caused
tlietn to build up in the space* of a de-
cade a commonwealth tlwit has never
liceti equaled for progress anywhe*re* in
the* history eif the world They an* «lis
linctively \mericau, with less than ,"i
\n r cent e»f foreign birthaml with a jier
cent, of illiteiiicy h*ss than tlisit of tliwe*
fourihs of the- states of the union. They*
an* hospitable* and oiien-lmarted, loyal
Iowa, and patriotic, not only tothe nation but
On* to their own rising commonwealth,
which e very man, woman or child, res
ident there in, Is-lieves te» Is* sttpe'rior te»
any eithe r tinder similar conditions, and
si coming state* which shall \
by few and excelled by none.
TAX Alii.K. l'ROPt:KT\
The teital valuation of all property in
the- territory as re'turned tor taxation in
1901 was $<>0, tti4,01/6. an increase of ^11,-
r>t»,o:r) eiver 1900. Of this amount $4.-
was railwv property, >*1 ».*.•*.•.-
809 farm lands, ^.0Tr,>,e>;i; town pmpev-
tv. :<•?.a.Yj.moneys and cre dits ami
other perse nisi I property
Farm lands wen* n turneel sit an aver-
age of ijjll. 4 ' iH-r acre, cattle at AlV.aS,
horses at *17.14, sheep at ^ 1.-iO and hogs
sit 4»). which shews that projiert.v is
returned at a ve-rv s*ii;ill psirt of its re'al
value.
The* total assessme'iit of e ach
counties is gi\en U-low for thre
for comparison.
TAXABLE VALUATIONS FOlt
VKAKS F AS'i
niostlv cause d by the failure to realize' will ho opened or added to this terri
sulV'e ient from t!> general fund levy of torv any further reservations in which
three mills to meet the warrants au-
thorize". to Ih* drawn on the fund. This
does not include the indebtedness in-
curred in the erection eif the Northwest-
ern noun d school, amomiting with in-
terest to a little over $100,000, and pro
vision for the i i\nicut of which was
made at the lust se.-sioli e.f the legisla-
ture hv the levying of si sjieeiul tax. All
thi< indebtedness Vx-ars ]H»r cent, in
terest, but it could lee* funded into long-
time bonds nt a much lowe*r rate*. Ibis
procedure, would, 1 believe, be advisa-
ble and of great bene tit to the territory,
iu thsit the annual interest charge would
be reduced and sill of the territorial bus
iness 1*' put on a cash basis.
The present territorial revenue s are
ade quate to im . t all e-xpcmliturcs. and
the rapid growth of taxable wealth
would makee it ens* te» accumulate a
sinki»u fund f«• take up the bonds when
it the
years
HKKK
net.
m.rliaii
:. • v • *1 une 1.
aster
Kay
K ingftslier
Lincoln
I* i^ilfl
e M;i.ili-'in»
Paw llee
PlO ll»
s',1
Putt
R"
Mill-
i
I.- <l.N
Total M»,98S,4W t4S,8B9,Q01 $fl0,40'i,0n0
r \ x i
\e\es in any n< w country wln*re-
there ire so mau> tilings to lie imiugur-
ated, sire' apt to be somew hat higher
than in old s- tied communities, but the*
territorial tax »>! ♦ >klahoma has bee n an
esception to this rale, having always
been less than the state- taxes of most
of the* state -. Tin* ;« rritori.d tax levy
for 1901 i- i' mills, divide--1 ns follows:
TEIi K1 Te >K IA1. '1' A \ l.KVV l!OI.
Mills.
ei'-niral t'rn<l
I ia «i-r-ity 'ipn'»rt
I n ve-rsity buiMing
University pre] nratorj whexil 0.!J
AMi inal, F■ 1»' - .r.
A^rieailturai lenel
A^ri<-n1un-a' ;ih I ii
S' iitV v- i-a n..n
. r-it v
al building
T<»tal
This is siti increa- of
last year's rate*. H • im-n-ase
ly for the eve *tiou aud
tmildings tor the ai*;■ : ' :
stitutions.
The' amount eif t:*x 1**1 *
pose this le-v> will pro *
«ins C" >utit•. •- iif i la- * rnr i»*•
lows
s:ti<nl|. i \ni»>
(iklal una sprung from an Indian
waste into a inaiured territory: its set
tiers from the- tirst elav of its se*ttle ine-nt
N'ing ale*rt business ine-n, e'Xperie'iu*ed
citizems. alive- to • In- imme'diate and fu-
ture* ne *ds of a progressive, educate el
jM-ople* and si prosjH'n»usreitiimnnwe'altb.
Thus one nf the first projsisitions was
the* permanent endowment of the- pub
lie schools eit" the terri torv, and provi
siemi for a fund w hich wnuld insure the
erection for such public buildings for
state* ami sclnwil as would inspire- within
its people* a fes ling eif |N*rmunciicv and
stability, and remain as inonuments to
epiaU-d intellige nce ami art.
In eiriginat Oklahoma Uenvcr county
and the t'he-ye-nne'and Arapsihoe, Iowa.
Sac and Fox and JNittaw'atomic re serva
tions—there* were n se-rved only tin- re*g-
ular scIkkiI see-tions lei and IW> in each
township: *** the t'lie-nike-e Outlet ih-
side's lt» luid •!♦>. sections IH we're reserv-
ed for the higher institutiems of learn
ing and sections f«ir public buildings.
In ihe Kickaiswe < ouuty sections H'» and
:ie; we'if* n-s'-rve d. ami also a large area
of land in lieu «>f these- sections i*i the
< >sage and eitlu-r n-scrvsitions. In t Ireer
county and the Kiowa., i'ouianciu* and
Vpache and Wiehita reservations, four
sections in each tewnship were reserved
as t hey were in the* < Mu-nikee i )utl»*t
Indemnity lands have at various times
lieeu sedccfed for lands lost by silleit
m nt. reservation, andot her csiuses, and
at the present time there are about
OaO.OOO acres eif public lands held by the
te-ri'itory in frm . for the future state eif
< )klahomu.
On ajiplicatieiii to congress by 4 lover-
nor < ie'orge* W Sn-eie. anthorit \ was
given «act March IS'.H.t to b ase* the
lauds 'under the supervisieui of the se*c-
re'tary eif tin* int-eriea*. t \ingress (by act
approved March 4. 1894,) created the
board for leasing m-IiooI Isolds, to be con
stituted of the-yeivcrueir. secretary and
supe-rint. nde i't e.f public instnie-tion • »1
the tcrriteiry unde r the- rule>. prescrils-d
by the s< cretax*y of the interior, until
sr.eli i une- ; < tie legislature of the- ferri-
torv should make other pro\ isiou, which
has not a t Ih en eh ilie.
The are;: - of land • leeted iti si Isvly in
the Kickapext res* rvatie ?i. in js.i.'i. ii
ll. n eli -clioeel lain i* in the e >:- :-• ::*I'I
other res--r\ a*ions lets U-en very nnsat
isfactory and a >-.nr<" en much annoy
am e ♦'» the i vri:< >rv. and of hsinlship t-e
the jie'opl' e»f tn..1 .'ctioii. tin* i utile ah
selice e»f t ; :.a!'!* hiinl in many school
districis e>>mi><i ■ I wholly or in part by
indemnity lamis in many scluml elis
tricts, and. even whole townships prov
ing a bsirvicr to proper conduct in;;
of schools a.id either important int'-n -
of the eoi'imunity Ti. 1 a1 legislative-
assembly ea temle d some relief to school
<li;.tricts C(»iM ie-e d wholly or iti i«»ri of
indemnity s :onl lands, by preividiti^
that ! jh• i" e*et,*. of all n titals fi-ean th
school lanels in tiie district be jmid by
sucli elistnci. J'his e-n
ury on tin ir ■ -'a oh.
fiKitisfsictory eenidi! ion
• i> • it v -till pn-vaiU. and
1'i re th • territory .-aid
• e i seen re ; gain the lands in
•ti-: rvat ;••;**•. * i.e-h
Up when these hir:a- trae*ts
•• •. i' We ill hi be a 1" a lit l«e
• rntorv. and sin ii -t of jus
ee iinTn un i - i" in w hicli 111«-e
lands are In a.ed
se> large a besly of land could be se-enred
The n si'rvation made by the president
and designate el as tin- Wichita Forest
He servation,* was made s'.ibseHinent to'
the time eif selecting the lands lost in
the other n-servat ions in the Kiowa
country, and was made at such late
dut" that it was impossible to select
lands in lie u of those lost in this resci
\atioii. Tli" territory is entitled to*
soiue ti.000 acres iti place of those so lost
In addition to the* above, the territorv
is still entitled to about 7,000 acres of
lost land from various causes.
Imnu>diately in»oii the securing these
lands pn-partions were made' for their
le asing. The lioard for leasing school
land, protitting )iv the i-xjM'rience in
leasing eif the < 'hemkee Outlet, conduct
e*d that these- lamb should be* vie w%t
and sin ecc.urate n port made on e-acli
epnirter section and a rental value
phu «t eill each piece, this appraised re-n
tal value to be in proportion with the»
same e|uality «»l lands in other adjacent
f the- territory.
■>1-. 'i'i
»;«.». i u
etll t
i mills over
• l>e-inu who]
paynie-nt eif
itcsiiieitial in
9 final pur
m tin* vsiri
v i- as fol
lh" te-Vt
able*.-ti
but a ge.'v-r:
of unta •• at' "
if by s- .me- |
i-rtinn : * am
the 1 Is:i'.*»- al
i
lUOOINi i I K VTl lll'.
Atte r appraising the lands at a fairg-
round value preivision has been ma«U
whereby the- lands shall lx* advertised
and subjected tei competitive bids, and
e ach tract shull then be awarded to the
highest bidder for se term of three years,
that amount w hich tlie applicant bids
over the appraised value' to be paid in
cash and to neeonipsiuy the application
The balance of the re ntal is to l>o paid
in the same manner an 1 time ns the
rental of othe r lauds are rented feu* less
than their valm* and an equality and
correct, ratio for rental is preserved.
In selecting in lemnity hinds care was
taken te» make :i projvr distribution, so
that school districts will not suffe r even-
tually by the loss of taxable property
These lands will be leased when in a
grazing district by sections or tracts of
more * than sections, according to the
land and the- supply of water.
li.ULWAYS.
In the beginning the railway prcceeri
e (I the settler, the* town builder, and the
product ion of crops in Oklahoma, and
though the territory as a whole has to
day excellent railway facilities for
reaching outside markets and sources of
supply . yet so rsipid has been the growth
and developnn nt of h< ctions of the ter-
ritory remote from railway connection
that the railway growth has not ke pt,
tip to the ir needs.
Oklahoma hsis four great railway sys
ti m.-. reaching into or across the terri
torv. w hile several indejiendent line's are
in operation or construction.
The Ate hise n, Topeka and Santa Fo
(* ii If line cro.-i s the' eastern portion <it
the territory from north to south, with I
the Kaste .n Oklahoma branch from v
(iuthlie northeast to Stillwsiter and
Pawn. e. -,\ branch from Outhrie west te»
coniK cta-n with the Hock Island nt
Cashion, ami the Ponca City branch
from I*-mi. a < it.v. northwest, \ ia Black-
s\ • U ;;11• I Medford, to Hutchinson ana '
other Kansas |ieiint>. Their Panhandle- I
blanch a I se i e\fe-nds across Woods and
Weedws'rd eiMifitb in the* tieM'thWe stern
i peatie'i of the t« rritory.
Parallel with the Santa Kc about 10
miles west. tin inajii ln-rth and south
line- of the- ('hi a. ■ . llock Island and
p'acdie Kaliwsi.v e xte-tlds across the* Ter
ritory, while a brunch from Chickasha,
|» 1 to Mangum, < ireer County,
reache:- inucli of the -oiithwesfern ftor
tion «.f the t.-rriteiry The re i> also a,
brunch from Anadarko te> Fort Sill; ono
from Kni-l Tairtlnast to 1'allings. and
tase 11« iti !-'aiid northw* *-t *«• Watonga.
, U- . \te m'a I s(.on te» Anadarl.o The
K1 Paso branea eif this line also passes
diagonally across the « ntral portion of
Be aver i 'oanty.
Th- l ct:;\\ OI i illeilua a "1 e»u!**
road crosses the territory from east to
We t not fai tnmi it- e < ntral |«ortiem.
coming from Memphis on the east, and
ts ing rap
Texas, on
The >t.
enters th'
e x t1 ■ 11 ■' i 11 u
i-*i-true*. 11 tn \tuarillo,
the West.
Imis and Sail I'raia o road
t rritoi; freiiu th" nortiieast.
- n>ss I re,,1a and < )klahoma
«>• Oklahoma City^ while a
i - tin- northern part of the*
fn »ie \ ' an-as t 'itv . I 'dack
• file
TI
itid- • ant •
A very
lau I- ami
vith th
I , iiese
\..M.
e Mdah<»iiia
t'.iw lice
l';»; ae
I'-iit *. \ .♦*■ ittiie-
Rotfer Milk
w . hit:t
Wui.IH
Wu.Hl\varet
T"tul
»i,ti; •»
»>d!in.ua
• i.*-i
10 74S.W
;i»».;#il.5!
1&.SBR if)
( Kvmg to the- fact that no taxe s w hat
eve-r sen* i-eillecte* i the tirst twei years af
te r the* ferrite»ry'h se ttleme-nt. the leie'al
taxe s ill senile- eif the* ceitn tnutilt l< S ale-
e-xe-e ssive lv high for a ye ar e»r twei, but
eve-ry wmnty ami ••ity. and almeis* e*ve*ry
scheml ehstrict is now em e asll basis, atid
the taxe s an* no highe r than in any ue*
five-, progressive- community. While iti
some instances the- ts«\ rate* at first
glance- would se-etn te• 1* high, when it
is taken into consideration that both
real and jiersonal jmipe rty is listed at
about one third its actual value, it
would seem that the rate? was compara-
tively a very moderate one. It is a sig-
niticunt fact that the tax rate in a ma-
jority of the counties of the territory
has lieeti reduced the' past year.
TEKHIT< m IAI. IN1 >K1ITK1 >N ESS.
proRjK'rouH. The ,(>tal ,"rnl",ial inclebtoclne** of
rich hnr 1 Oklahoma on .Inm
mI"* -al . !■';ti« ti t• i the school
In -■ eo! land i'und in the
territory has been made during the last
b W meinths ! the MC(jui.-,itiofi of t >
Kiowa, romatie'he \jestc1: sine! Wl h
i* . ad t'si'le1 • le-,. rvatie'lis and the re-s
e TVSliie •!! for e'leaitnou SChoe lis of s< t lo! s
P'. ii .1 and 1 • »r llt:iv< lsitie-s. colle ge s,
rieirma! se*hoe»ls ami public building pur
posest sections 12} and 3D. in each town-
ship, unle ss re se rve d or ullottee!, and
the selection of lands in lieu of these
a ctiotis best freim various e-ause-H.
imh:mmv taviis.
In the* twe» ivst n ations Isoitls re •
and allotted auienititiug to se>me
000 acres. In lie-n of these* lands it
nece sssiry under the act of <*e>ngrcs>
the* geive-rneir te» se-Iee-t from the* public
j lsttnIs I*-tore the- same? are thrown eipcti
to settle tlie lit. the HUmbe*!' «>1 lUTeS
which we-re* Iti*t 1 found the time elur
1 g w hich the he1 selections conhl Ih
n ade ve ry limited, owing to tin- fact
tint congn-ss had fixed the time which
1 this land was to be thrown open, and
i had prescribed thnt the president should
by proclamation give notice and that
before proclainutiem could be issued the
lands should be sum ved and the; In-
dians sillotteil.
It was therefore necessary to make
the indemnity selections between the
K a n - a t
ti is. and (
:ih and
Te rritor
ports
Foi
the
v direct
on thee
Omaha. St Louis
r great, markets fee
*«• rive-r xutes at
Smith and to the
nniti route?- te. the
erve'd
io;».
for
if -
1 a 1 tie «.n the \vt st.
The- t heietaw mid Northern mud i>
building from <ie arv tieu-th acreiss Blaine
and We»ods I 'eMintie s to Anthony, Kans .
al ee ill t N I miles neiw being ill etjiefsiti
The Blackwell, laiid and .Ninthwest
i rn liie is in opcrsitiein from lUackwell
seiathwe'st to < >k< eiie and building on to
wai'il \ e-ruein, Te xas, which point they
e\|iee*t t<» nub w it h trains by January 1
All but three* of the counties of i )kla
honnt are* re siche'd by railways, and
roads will let built into two of these
within sixty days, yet the areas of .ftir
counties are se> great that there are
ve-ty many sections demanding railway
facilities.
Minn t i;rt mr.
The sheep industry is comparatively
in its infancy in oklahoma l'p to
within a few ye ars sheep wen* reported
inonly two or three counties in the terri
tory, but the assi ssmcnt returns for the
jmst three years show flocks of sheep in
every county. The dry, mild w inters
of the territory are very fax< able to
the miring of sheep and produce?* an
excellent quality of wool, and sh^en
if Hie
ation of Okluhotuu territory, but of the ation greater than any state of the union I comforts of life.
ment, and where all are
We have neither any very rich nor anv (^lahoma 011 .lune ,10, looi, was
j)aui*»r class, and the homes of all our 1 1'le or Rbout ^1 pe*r capita, of this
jwople are reasonably auppliutl with the indebtedm
1 $18,000 is in bonds issued
time that the allotments and reserva- ; raising is destined to become one
tions wen approved by the secretary of important industries of the territory
the interior ami before the proclamation the near futuiv,
of the preside'lit. The time lieing thus As a rule tho farmers of Oklahoma
so limited J found it necessary that ( failed to recogni'/c the importance of
these selections should be made in tine the poultry industry. This is a mistake
city of Washington at te *r si general view for the climate nnd other conditions are
! of the country and critical examination such that poultry maybe more cheaply
of each piece of land so selected. If the and successfully reared here thau in al-
lands had not thus been sclecteel it most any other section of the country.
i for educational purposes in the tirst year j w ould have been impossible to havo se- j Tht local demand for poultry products
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Woosley, Tom B. Mulhall Enterprise. (Mulhall, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 48, Ed. 1 Friday, November 29, 1901, newspaper, November 29, 1901; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc284969/m1/6/: accessed April 17, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.