214 OUR FEDERAL LANDS 



Its distribution by States in 1927, also shown, 

 has much interest. That Oklahoma Indians should 

 have seventy-one per cent of total wealth with only 

 a third of total population is due to remarkable finds 

 of oil on Indian lands therein. Of these, the Osages, 

 2,863 m number, are credited with wealth chiefly in 

 tribal oil lands valued at $656,919,013, an average 

 of $229,420 an individual. The Indians of the Five 

 Nations stand next with wealth valued at $394,876,- 

 415, also chiefly in oil, but, because they number 

 101,506, wealth per capita drops to $3,299 each. 

 Third in gross wealth are the Shoshones of Wyo- 

 ming, with oil and mineral properties exceeding 

 $91,000,000. Numbering 1,951, their average total 

 wealth stands second at $50,000 each. 



"The records show," Assistant Commissioner 

 E. B. Meritt writes me as this manuscript goes to 

 the publisher, "that during the past fiscal year 

 (1927) Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes received 

 under Departmental jurisdiction a revenue of $4,- 

 846,091 from oil and gas mining leases. The leases 

 produced 13,414,657 gross barrels of oil. There 

 were 8,804 oil and gas leases in force embracing 

 more than 788,000 acres. There were at the end of 

 the fiscal year 7,050 producing oil wells and 214 pro- 

 ducing gas wells on restricted lands of the Five Civi- 

 lized Tribes. 



"The Osage Indians received in bonus payments 

 for leases made during the last fiscal year the sum 

 of $3,953,000; the rental and royalty income for the 



