OCR Text |
Show I It has been held by some that the provisions of the Cnrtis act, restrict-ing the occupancy of land, do not apply to the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations, because it is in conflict with the governmental powers of the nations, wntinned in force with modification for the period of eight yeam from the 4th of Masoh, 1898. As to this, it would seem that the question is really a judicial one and can be very easily determined by the courts on proceedings being instituted under the act against per-sons in these nations for the violation of that provision. TOWN SITES. While the ottice regard6 dl of the matters that are to be performed under the Curtis Act as of importance, the tom-site provisions of the law and of the Ohoctaw and Chickasaw agreement present perhaps the most important of i l l duties to be performed by this Department under the act. This is especially so on account of the opportnnities in the execution of this law for land grabbing iu the way of claims to lots, etc. The importanoe of this matter of laying out, survey. ing, appraising, and selling the lots of the towns is demonstrated by the fact that the people in the Indian Territory very soon after the passage of the Curtis Act took a feverish interest in town-site &airs and seemed to regard the town-site provisions in the act and agree-ment as far overshadowing all others. It became apparent from the correspondence in July, 1898, that a great many people were jumping lots in towns in the Indian Territory and hurriedly making improve-ments with a view to purchasing the lots at ome-half the appraised value. On the matter being presented to the Department by the Dewes Commission, the Department directed that the agent for the Union Agency be instructed "to advise all parties seeking information on that point that no one will be allowed to secure title to the town lots under the Curtis Act and the agreement who does not show good faith in his every act; that jumping will not be tolerated by the Department, and that when the town lots are disposed of under said act a11 persons who have not acted in good faith will not be permitted to secure title to said lots." No action wuld be taken by the Department, however, with a view to laying out towns in the Indian Territory immediately after the pas-sage of the Curtis Act on account of the lack of appropriations available to pay the expense. Congress, however, in the act of March 3,1899, made an appropriation of $30,000 to pay the expense of toarn-site com-missions. Ten thoumud dollars had also been appropriated in Decem-ber on arequest anbmitted by the Department, immediately after the passage of the Cnrtis Act and before the adjournment of the sewnd session of the Fifty-fifth Congress, for an appropriation to cmy out the town-site and other provisions of 'the act. There were, therefore, ) $30,000 available for town-sitepnrposes only, and $10,000 available for i all purposes, town site included. |