by [Native Americans] [Oklahoma] [Oil Industry]
Three-page typed letter signed (TLS) by William Ash Waid, recalling the history of oil production on the Osage Indian Reservation where he oversaw field work for the Department of the Interior, United States Indian Service.
The Oklahoma reservation of approximately 1,470,000 acres was purchased in 1872 by the Osage after they were forced out of Kansas. They were one of the few American Indian nations to buy their own reservation and as a result, they retained more rights to the land and sovereignty, including mineral rights.
In the letter, dated March 16, 1941, Waid tells his friend, William A. Byrns of Alliance, Ohio, about his time working on the oil fields and describes the public auctions of oil leases. Included is the catalogue for one such auction, which took place in Pawhuska on March 26, 1941 "Under Supervision of United States Government”. No holdings of this eight-page booklet are found in OCLC.
Waid, who began working in the region in 1915, provides a detailed account of the oil fields during their decline: ”There was no great amount of development when I came here in 1915, but I saw it grow. I got up and listed the first public auction sale of oil leases, I made them up in 160 acre units of leases wherein the oil lessee paid a bonus for each 160 acre lease, which bonus went to the Osage Tribunal Treasury, in addition, the Tribe get a 1/6 and 1/5 royalty.”
After a time, prices went high, he recalled. One 160-acre tract sold for just shy of $2 million. “While I have been in charge of the oil field work, there has come into the Tribunal Treasury from oil and gas over $250 million, and I am proud of the fact that there has not been a single suspicion of graft in the 25 years I have been here.”
In 2000, the Osage sued the federal government over its management of the trust assets, alleging that it had failed to pay tribal members appropriate royalties, and had not historically protected the land assets and appreciation. The suit was settled in 2011 for $380 million, along with a commitment by the government to make numerous changes to improve the program. (Inventory #: 77934)
The Oklahoma reservation of approximately 1,470,000 acres was purchased in 1872 by the Osage after they were forced out of Kansas. They were one of the few American Indian nations to buy their own reservation and as a result, they retained more rights to the land and sovereignty, including mineral rights.
In the letter, dated March 16, 1941, Waid tells his friend, William A. Byrns of Alliance, Ohio, about his time working on the oil fields and describes the public auctions of oil leases. Included is the catalogue for one such auction, which took place in Pawhuska on March 26, 1941 "Under Supervision of United States Government”. No holdings of this eight-page booklet are found in OCLC.
Waid, who began working in the region in 1915, provides a detailed account of the oil fields during their decline: ”There was no great amount of development when I came here in 1915, but I saw it grow. I got up and listed the first public auction sale of oil leases, I made them up in 160 acre units of leases wherein the oil lessee paid a bonus for each 160 acre lease, which bonus went to the Osage Tribunal Treasury, in addition, the Tribe get a 1/6 and 1/5 royalty.”
After a time, prices went high, he recalled. One 160-acre tract sold for just shy of $2 million. “While I have been in charge of the oil field work, there has come into the Tribunal Treasury from oil and gas over $250 million, and I am proud of the fact that there has not been a single suspicion of graft in the 25 years I have been here.”
In 2000, the Osage sued the federal government over its management of the trust assets, alleging that it had failed to pay tribal members appropriate royalties, and had not historically protected the land assets and appreciation. The suit was settled in 2011 for $380 million, along with a commitment by the government to make numerous changes to improve the program. (Inventory #: 77934)
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