Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/906

OKLAHOMA. west are found sage-brush, yucca, and cactus. For Fauna, see paragraph under .

. The surface rock in the greater part of the Territory is Triassic sandstone, on which here and there are small areas of Cretaceous deposits. The great central Carboniferous area of the United States covers the eastern part of the Territory, and the western part of Beaver County consists of Neocene deposits. The Wichita Mountains in the south present an intrusion of Archæan rocks flanked by the upturned Silurian strata. The principal minerals found are building-stone, gypsum, salt, petroleum, iron, gold, and silver. A little copper is mined in Beaver County, and a small amount of coal in Pawnee County.

. Oklahoma is preëminently an agricultural and stock-raising region. The development of agriculture since the Territory was opened to settlement has been extraordinary. In 1900, 15,719,258 acres, or 63.3 per cent. of the total area, was included in farms, of which 35.1 per cent. was improved. The average size of farms was 251.5 acres. Cash tenants represented 8.2 per cent, of the farms, and share tenants 12.9 per cent.

The striking feature is the great variety of crops successfully grown. The cotton yield per acre is in excess of that of any other State or Territory.

Corn and wheat lead in importance. In 1899 there were 1,320,506 acres of corn and 1,279,826 acres of wheat. Other cereal crops in 1899 were: oats, 156,619 acres; Kafir corn, 63,455; barley, 16,453; and rye, 3501. Hay and forage for the same year had an area of 695,313 acres. Cotton is produced most extensively in the southern section. In 1899, 240,678 acres were devoted to this crop. The cultivation of potatoes, sorghum, melons, peanuts, castor beans, and broom corn receives considerable attention. Not a little fruit is grown. The peach trees in 1900 numbered 5,519,072, or over five-eighths of the total number of fruit trees. In 1900 there were 5,733,385 acres of vacant Government land in the Territory subject to homestead entry. A great part of this was in the arid Beaver County, formerly known as ‘No Man's Land.’ For the recent opening of land to settlement, see section History.

. The western third of the Territory is given up to cattle-raising, which flourished before the region was opened to settlement. The number of cattle has increased prodigiously since that time. Horses, mules, and swine are also important, and some sheep are raised.

The following table gives the number of domestic animals on farms in 1890 and 1900:

. The total number of establishments in 1900 was 870; capital, $3,352,064; value of product, $7,083,934. The flouring and grist-mill industry is the most prominent, the number of mills being 55; capital, $1,080,661.

Cotton-ginning and the manufacture of cottonseed oil are next in importance.

. The development of Oklahoma was not delayed for want of railroad facilities. Railways were already constructed when the Territory was given over to the public, and they aided greatly in the rapid progress made. In 1900 there were 899 miles, divided between the following companies: Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe; Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific; Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf; Saint Louis and San Francisco. There are no navigable streams. Wheat is much the largest export. Cattle, corn, hogs, and cotton rank next in shipment in the order named. Coal and manufactured articles are imported.

. The rapid economic growth of the Territory is also seen in the development of its banking facilities. There were only three banks when Oklahoma was organized. In 1892 there were 9 banks; in 1895, 57 ; and in 1902, 206. The banks are governed by a stringent banking law, passed January, 1898. It prohibits private banking, created the office of bank commissioner, makes quarterly reports obligatory, defines the minimum of capital and the liability of the officers. The condition of the various banks in 1902 is shown in the following table:

. Oklahoma has the usual Territorial form of government. (See . ) The capital is Guthrie.

. The budget grew during 1890-1902 from less than $40,000 to more than $1,000,000. A small public bonded debt was created in 1893 for purposes of construction, but besides this an excess of expenditure over receipts was a constant feature from 1890 to 1900. This resulted in an accumulation of $684,176 of unpaid and interest-bearing warrants. However, there was in November, 1902, a balance of $648,440 in the treasury. The main sources of income are a general tax and the rentals of public lands. The receipts from the latter source go mainly for support of the various educational funds. In 1902 the total receipts were $1,054,794; and the expenditures were $778,460, out of which 75 per cent., was devoted to educational purposes and current school expenses, schoolhouse construction, and the formation of permanent school funds.

. From 1890 to 1900 Oklahoma was a prominent centre for native-born American colonists. The great fertility of the land was an irresistible attraction to home-seekers. The population increased from 61,834 in 1890 to 398,331 (excluding Indians—13,873) in 1900, or 544 per cent. Kansas, Missouri, and Texas have been the largest contributors to the population. The opening of additional territory since the 1900 census was taken has resulted in a large increase to the total population. Naturally the urban population is small, only 5 per cent. being in cities of over 8000. Oklahoma City had a