USA > Oklahoma > Polk Oklahoma gazetteer and business directory, 1902-3, Pt 1 > Part 4
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Thus has Oklahoma early in her history taken a stand in the front ranks of higher education. These Territorial institutions of learning are all opened free to students from all parts of Oklahoma and from the Indian Territory as well. and are all in a Honrishing condition, accomplishing excellent work and with bright prospects for the future. The aggregate attendance in these institutions during the past year was 1.887, and it will be greatly increased the coming year and each succeeding year. as the youth of Oklahoma come to realize and appre- ciate more fully the magnificent educational advantages offered them by the Territory.
OTHER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
There are a number of sectarian and private schools in the Territory, the most prominent of which are the Congregationalist College at Kingfisher, the Sacred Heart College in Pottawatomte county, and the Baptist College at Black- well. The attendance at the Congregational College has been about 125 the past year, and with the addition of some new buildings it is expected to increase during the coming year. The new building for the Baptist College at Black- well has recently been completed. The Sacred Heart College suffered severe loss by fire during the past feat. but is again ready to continue the good work
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that it has carried on for many years. The Catholics have a college for girls at Guthrie and one for boys at Ponca, the Friends an academy at Stella, Woods county, and the Presbyterians an academy at Newkirk.
There are several excellent business colleges in the Territory, and most of the leading denominations conduct mission schools on the Indian reservations.
UNITED STATES INDIAN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AT CHILOCCO.
C'hiloceo Indian Industrial School was opened for pupils January 1, 18S4, the original building, now known as the "Boys' Home." having been erected in 1×53. Its location is upon a reservation containing 8,589.33 acres in Kay county. Okla., bordering upon the Kansas State line, about 6 miles nearly due south of Arkansas City. Kans.
The institution has prospered during its eighteen years' of existence, so that the plant now consists of a group of over 30 structures. 10 of which are large and substantial stone buildings, mostly fighted by electricity and heated either by steam or hot water from a central station, with all modern conven- iences, such as hot and cold water, school apparatus, machinery. tools, and fur- niture. The stone used in their construction is the durable and handsome mag- nesian limestone quarried upon the reservation, and the styles of architecture are simple and neat, admirably adapted to their use. Additional buildings, in (Inding a roomy and well-appointed dairy barn, hospital annex, 5 employes' cottages, granaries, etc., are frame structures. The superintendent's new stone residence. a stone storehouse having nearly 3,000 square feet of floor space, the electric lighting system, and the ice-manufacturing apparatus, as well as the installation of 2.000 feet of cold-storage space, are among the important im- provements recently added.
The school is preeminent as the best equipped instituion in the Indian service for imparting a practical knowledge of agriculture so much needed by the majority of Indian boys. As an index of the character and extent of its Work in agriculture lines, it may be stated that farm operations during the month of June just closed included, among mimerous other things, the thresh- Ing of 1.929 bushels of oats and 3.622 bushels of wheat. The corn crop last year was 5,000 bushels. Immense quantities of hay (about 2.000 tons the present year) are harvested, and grazing is afforded for about 600 head of cattle. The dairy herd. during the quarter ending June 30. produced about 5,000 gallons of milk,' all consumed upon the premises. The large and well kept orchards, vineyard, and nursery, as well as vegetable and flower gardens, afford means of practical instruction in all these closely related lines. Considerable areas are devoted to alfalfa. broom corn, kaffir corn, millet. and sorghum.
The shop or indoor industrial work covers instruction in blacksmithing and horseshoeing, wagon and carriage making. carpentry and cabinet making, Nie and harness making, painting. paper hanging. broom making, printing, tailoring, stonecutting. masonry. plastering. engineering (including electric), »team and water plumbing, and the desnestic arts-such as sewing. dressmaking, baking, cooking, housekeeping. laundering, etc. Instruction rather than money- making is the object of the industrial training, and the aim of all is to graduate halian youth equipped for successful competition with youth of any race of color.
The regular school course comprises the usual branches as far as the tenth grado, under competent instructors, the requirement being that each papil de- tule half a day to academic work and half a day to some industrial line. Music ** not neglected, and daily practice is given in military tactics. There is a erenlating library of over 1.000 volumes especially selected to meet the require- ments of this class of pupils. Books. tuition, board, and clothing are furnished fry of charge to Indian children between the ages of 5 and 18. The enrollment This past year reached 450. a figure somewhat in advance of the estimated ca- ficity of the school. The average attendance was 39$, in the proportion of 250 Just - in 150 girls. About to tribes are represented.
The school is reached by rail over the Santa Fe and "Frisco" lines, both of which have flag stations upon the reservation, and there is a postoffice at the
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POLK'S OKLAHOMA GAZETTEER
OTHER INDIAN SCHOOLS.
In addition to the Chilocco Industrial Training School the Government main tains 14 reservation boarding schools and 1 day school for the Indians of the Territory.
Most of these schools are in fine brick or stone buildings. equipped with every convenience and appliance, and manned by an efficient corps of instructors.
These schools and their attendance the past year are given as follows: Boarding schools:
Absentee Shawnee 111
Arapahos
124
Cheyenne 142
Fort Sill.
157
Kaw
Osage
1.80
Otve
82
Pawnee
134
Ponca
100
Rainy Mountain
95
Cantonment
103
Red Moon
52
Riverside
İni
Sank and Fox
122
Day schools:
Whirlwind
25
Total attendance 1,748
In addition to the Government schools for the Indians. there are 5 mission schools conducted by religious denominations. One of these is at Cantonment. in the Cheyenne and Arapaho country, conducted by the Mennonite Church. It has an enrollment of 61 the past year. The other 4 are all connected with the Kiowa Agency, and are St. Patricks, conducted by the Catholic Church. with an enrollment of 77; Mary Gregory Memorial, conducted by the Presby- frrian Church, with an enrollment of 25; the Cache Creek, conducted by the W+form Presbyterian Church, with an enrollment of 50. and the Methvin. con- darted by the Methodist Episcopal Church South, with an enrollment of 76.
The religions societies condneting these schools receive from the Govern- went for the Indian children therein the regular rations in clothing to which the children are entitled as reservation Indians. Five school districts in the Territory have availed themselves of the Government offer to pay $10 per capita per quarter for each Indian scholar attending the public schools in the Territory. two of the districts being in Pottawatomie and one each in Blaine, Cleveland and Canadian counties; the total attendance in the 5 districts being 23.
SCHOOL LANDS.
Oklahoma sprung from an Indian waste into a matured' territory: its set- therx from the first day of its settlinent being alert business men. experienced tizens, alive to the immediate and future needs of a progressive. educated jupde and a prosperous commonwealth. This one of the first propositions was !!. farinahent endowment of the public schools of the Territory. and provision to: x fund which would insure the erection of such public buildings for state. and school as wonld inspire within its people a feeling of permanency and sta- Idas. and remain as monments to intelligence and art.
In original okla homa-Beaver county and the Cheyenne and Arapahoe. Town Car and Fox and Pottawatomie reservations-there were reserved only for tranlar school sections 16 and 36 in each township: in the Cherokee Outlet ** ide- 16 and 36. sections 13 were reserved for the higher institutions of learn- ! sections 23 for public buildings. In the Kickapoo county sections 1; end ; wire reserved, and also a large area of land in lieu of these sections in
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the Osage and other reservations. In Greer county and the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache and Wichita reservations, four sections in each township were reserved as they were in the Cherokee Outlet.
Indemnity lands have at various times been selected for lands lost by allot- ment. reservation, and other causes, and at the present time there are about 2 .- (50,000 acres of public lands held by the Territory in trust for the future State of Oklahoma.
On application to Congress by Governor George W. Steele, authority was given (act March 3, 1891) to lease the lands under the supervision of the sec- retary of the interior. Congress (by act approved March 4, 1894), created the board for leasing school lands. to be constituted of the governor, secretary and superintendent of public instruction of the Territory under the rules prescribed by the secretary of the interior, until such time as the Legislature of the Terri- tory should make other provision, which has not yet been done.
The areas of land selected in a body in the Kickapoo reservation. in 1805. in lieu of school lands in the Osage and other reservations has been very unsat- isfactory and a source of much annoyance to the Territory. and of hardship to the people of that section. the entire absence of taxable land in many school districts composed wholly or in part by indemnity lands in many school districts, and even by whole townships proving a barrier to the proper conduct- ing of schools and other important interests of the community. The last Legisla- tive assembly extended some relier to school districts composed wholly or in part of indemnity school lands, by providing that 15 per cent! of all rentals from the school lands in the district be paid by the Territory to such district. This en- ables them to carry on their schools, but a general unsatisfactory condition of untaxable property still prevails, and if by some procedure the Territory could relinquish these lands back to the Government and secure again the lands in the Osage and other reservations, which were given up when these large tracts were selected. it would be a benefit to the whole Territory. and an act of jus- tice to the communities in which these indemnity lands are located.
A very inaterial addition to the school lands and the school land fund in the Territory has been made during the last few months by the acquisition of the Kiowa, Comanche. Apache, and Wichita and Caddo reservations and the res- ervation for common schools of sections 16 and 36, and for universities, colleges. normal schools and public building purposes, sections 13 and 33 in each town- ship, unless reserved or allotted, and the selection of lands in lieu of these sections lost from various causes.
INDEMNITY LANDS.
In the two reservations lands reserved and allotted amounting to some 105,- (W) acres. In lieu of these lands it was necessary under the act of Congress for the governor to select from the public lands before the same were thrown open to settlement, the number of acres which were lost. I found the time dur- ing which these selcetions could be made very limited, owing to the fact that Congress had fixed the time which this land was to be thrown open, and had prescribed that the president should by proclamation give notice and that before proclamation could be issued the lands should be surveyed and the Indians allotted.
It was therefore necessary to make the indemnity selections between the time that the allotments and reservations were approved by the secretary of the interior and before the proclamation of the president. The time being thus No limited I found it necessary that these selections should be made in the city of Washington after a general view of the country and critical examination of each piece of land so selected. If the lands had not thus been selected it would have been impossible to have secured them and the Territory would have been at considerable loss, as it hardly seems probable that there will be opened or added to this Territory any further reservations in which so large a body of land could be secured.
The reservation made by the president and designated as the Wichita Forest Reservation, was made subsequent to the time of selecting the lands lost in the other reservations in the Kiowa country, and was made at such late date
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that it was impossible to select lands in lieu of those lost in this reservation. The Territory is entitled to some 6,000 aeres in place of those so lost.
In addition to the above, the Territory is still entitled to about 7,000 acres of lost land from various causes.
Immediately upon the securing of these lands preparations were made for their leasing. The board for leasing school land, profitting by the experience in leasing of the Cherokee Outlet, concluded that these lands. should be viewed and an accurate. report made on each quarter section and a rental value placed ou each piece, this appraised rental value to be in proportion with the same quality of lands in other adjacent parts of the territory.
BIDDING FEATURE.
After 'appraising the lands at a fair rental value, provision has been made whereby the lands shall be advertised and subjected to competitive bids, and each tract shall then be awarded to the highest bidder for a term of three years. that amount which the applicant bids over the appraised value to be paid in cash and to accompany the application. The balance of the rental is to be paid in the same manner and time as the rental of other lands are rented for less than their value and an equality and correct ratio for rental is preserved.
In selecting indemnity lands care was taken to make a proper distribution, so that school districts will not suffer eventually 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.
RAILWAYS.
In the beginning the railway preceeded the settler, the town builder, and the production 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 rapid has been the growth and development of sections of the Ter- ritory remote from railway connection that the railway growth has not kept up to their needs.
Oklahoma has four great railway systems, reaching into or across the Terri- tory, while several independent lines are in operation or construction.
The Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe Gulf line crosses the eastern portion of the Territory from north to south, with the Eastern Oklahoma branch from Guthrie northeast to Stillwater and Pawnee, a. branch from Guthrie west to connection with the Rock Island at Cashion, and the Ponca City branch from Ponca City, northwest, via Blackwell and Medford. to Hutchinson and other Kansas points. Their Panhandle branch also extends across Woods and Wood- ward counties, in the northwestern portion of the Territory.
Parallel with the Santa Fe about 40 miles west, the main north and south line of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway extends across the Ter- ritory, while a branch from Chickasha, Ind. T., to Mangum. Greer County. reaches much of the southwestern portion of the Territory. There is also a branch from Anadarko to Fort Sill: one from Enid northeast to Billings, and one from Enid northwest to Watonga, to be extended soon to Anadarko. The El Paso branch of this line also passes diagonally across the central portion of Beaver county.
The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf road crosses the Territory from east to west not far from its central portion. coming from Memphis on the east, and being rapidly constructed to Amarillo, Texas, on. the west.
The St. Louis and San Francisco road enters the Territory from the north- Past, extending across Lincoln and Oklahoma counties to Oklahoma City, while a branch enters the northern part of the Territory from Arkansas City to Black- well.
These lines give the Territory direct connection with the Gulf ports on the south. Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, Memphis, and other great markets te the north and east, to river rates at Memphis and Fort Smith, and to the Rockies and the main routes to the Pacific on the west.
The Choctaw and Northern road is building from Geary north across Blaine and Woods counties to Anthony. Kans.
AND BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern line is in operation from Blackwell withwest to Okeene and building on toward Vernon, Texas.
THE PRESS.
Oklahoma owes much to the press of the Territory and of the Nation, and no people show their appreciation of the power and advantages of the public press more than do the people of the Territory.
With the first day of the Territory's settlement eame the daily newspaper. and from that day to this every community in the Territory has had its news- paper and other publications, until to-day the Territory has a larger percentage of daily and weekly publications than the majority of the states in the Union. and the people are also liberal patrons of the outside newspapers and magazines.
BANKS AND BANKING.
The banking business in Oklahoma has been a very profitable one. and the attention of bankers and capitalists from all parts of the nation has been at- tracted to Oklahoma as a most alluring field for embarking in the banking business.
There is no longer a town of any importance in the Territory but has its bank, and two or three are found in towns where a year ago one was deemed sufficient. In one or two instances banks have been established in rural con- munities where there was scarce a semblance of a town.
Yet the rapid growth and development of the Territory. the building up of new lines of industry and business on every side, the abundant crops. the extensive building operations, etc., have made business for all these banks, and their reports show them to be in a sound and flourishing condition. with unusu- ally large deposits of money from farmers and all classes of citizens.
The Territorial banking law is an excellent one, and the banking commis- sioner has general supervision over all of the banks in the Territory. Quarterly reports are required upon call of the commissioner, who also examines all of the banks several times a year, and has authority to close any bank he deems ir. an unsafe condition.
Oklahoma has had but one bank failure in four years.
The new national banking law allowing national banks to organize with a capital stock of $25.000 resulted in the organization of a number of additional national banks in the Territory, all of which are in a flourishing condition.
With the developing of the Territory and the establishing of new towns. comes the opening of new banks. Oklahoma has never had as many banks in her thirteen years of history as at the present time, and the end is not in sight. Almost every day there are applications made at the office of the secretary of Oklahoma for charters for banks to be established in new towns. In many cases these charters are received before the towns are started owing to the de sire to be first-and shnt ont others figuring on the same proposition.
Along the lines of railroads now being constructed are many new towns springing up. Charters are taken out for banks in these towns as soon as it is definitely known when and where the towns will be located. In certain in- stances. charters have been asked for, when the name of the towns were not definitely known and the charters had to be changed. after they were issued. in order that the articles of incorporation might be correct. The capital stock varios between $5,000 and $10.000; rarely more than the latter figure. It is sometimes increased if the town grows rapidly and the amount of business calls for an increase. The men behind such banks are usually Oklahoma men. al- ready interested in banks and desirous of enlarging their business.
Almost phenomenal has been the increase in the banking business during the past year. Not only is this true of the new country, but old Oklahoma as well. and every town in which there is an opportunity for the establishing of a Successful bank is carefully looked over by banking men.
These new banks are not run loosely, but everything is taken into consid- oration that would at all effect the bank's interests. As the railroad building continues the opening of new banks will be carried on, and for the length of
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time she has been a Territory. Oklahoma will be in a position to compete f. first honors.
Consolidated report of the territorial banks of Oklahoma Territory at tir close of business, March 12th, 1902.
RESOURCES.
Loans and discounts. $4.584.25.
Overdrafts .
184.113
Stocks and bonds 171.770
Banking house furniture and fixtures
303.650 0
Other real estate and mortgages.
8.634 7
Internal revenue stamps 1.745 ::
Dne from banks 3,212.146 ::.
Cash on hand 771.185 :
Checks and cash items. 213.30$ ::
Expense and taxes paid. 5.241 1.
Total $9,456.098 :
LIABILITIES.
Capital stock paid in. $1.247.0119 .
Surplus
194.324 .
Undivided profits 227.4442 %.
Due to banks 203.114 1.
Certificates of deposit
569.019 10
Deposits subject to check
6.962.429 4;
Cashier's checks outstanding
4.163 1+
Bills payable
35,739 4.
Bills rediscounted 11,904 32
Total $9.456.098 **
Increase in number of banks since March. 1901, 61.
Increase of deposits since corresponding period last year. $1.120,170.24.
Average reserve held. 54 1-10 per cent.
Percentage undivided profits and surplus to capital. 33 8-10 per cent.
Increase of footings since March. 1901, $1.737.382.17.
Loans and discounts increased $1,698.248.63.
INVESTMENTS. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CREDIT.
Oklahoma is an inviting field, not alone for the investment of capital it manufacturing and commercial properties, but offers rare opportunities for ia vestment in lands, mortgages, bonds, and other private and public securities.
The rapid advance in farm values, the building up and growth. of towns an! riges, bave made land investments in the Territory very profitable in the past. and still greater advances seem certain for the futur ..
Territorial warrants, which four years ago sold at 80 cents on the dollar now being par, and county and other municipal bonds, which then went at ?' cents. now command a premium. The city of Guthrie recently floated $160.0 of 5 per cent bonds at a premium, one of her home banks taking the whole issue
Winne & Winne, of Wichita, Kans., financial correspondents of the Uuio : Central Life Insurance Company, In a recent communication give their opinio" of Oklahoma investments and securities as follows:
We consider Oklahoma farm mortgages first class, and are making all the desirable loans that we can get. During the past five years have loaned nearly if not quite. $400,000 to the farmers of Oklahoma. We have not a single defau" at the present time in the payment of interest that is at all serious, and bay- never taken a foot of land in Oklahoma in foreclosure. The most serious troub !. we have had with our Oklahoma loans has been that the farmers take advanta:' of the prepayment option which we grant them and pay off their loans long before we want to see our money back.
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In addition to making farm loans. we have handled municipal bonds of a number of counties and a good many school bonds. These have been uniformly satisfactory to ourselves and to our clients.
Our past experience has been such that we are loaning more freely than ever before, and are recommending Oklahoma securities to our clients with greater confidence than ever. In our judgment there is no better loaning field to be found in the United States to-day than can be found in Oklahoma. The soil is fertile, the rainfall sufficient, as a general rule, to produce large yields, the cli- mate such that crops can be greatly diversified, corn, wheat, oats and cotton often growing on the same farm. The country has been settled long enough that we know what to expect in the future by the results attained in the past. and we feel that the placing of money in Oklahoma is no longer an experiment.
The Deming Investment Company and other investors give equally flatter- ing opinions, and Shepherd & Co., of New York City, large dealers in bonds and securities, state:
We have handled more than half a million dollars of bonds issued by the Territory of Oklahoma, and by the counties, cities and school districts in said Territory. Our experience with such securities has been eminently satisfactory. Payments of interest and principal have been regularly made, and at the pres- out time there is not a dollar of interest in default on any Oklahoma securities that we have handled.
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