The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-03-26
the okIahoma Boomere.

Inc OkI0homA Boomers.
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan, March GA
rumor was current on the streets here
that the Coffeyville boomers had passed
through the Sac and Fox agencies on
the 18th instant enrouts to Oklahoma.
and had arrived safely and were build
ing houses, blowing and making other
permanent Improvements en- Cotton
wood creek, 100 miles south of here.
The rumor gained headwsy rapidly
and was sent 70 several papers by their
agents here, and caused much excite
ment in the colonists' camp. The rumor
is entirely without foundation, and was
doubtless cotton up to cause tneaslness
among the boomers.
a visit to Maj. Benton's headquarters
on Chilocco creek, SIX miles south OF
here. ELECTED the following facts:
No advices had been received there of
any invasion from any direction. The
Sac and Fox agency would be thirty
miles of the route. Two companies of
Twenty-second infantry, under Capt.
Clark, are at at Ponca, near the route.
Another OF the companies OF cavalry,
(colored) and one of infantry under Mai
Devices, are at Camp Russell on the
Cimarron, township II north, OF range
2 west, directly on the route and within
ten miles of where the alleged improve
ments were being made.
Soldiers and Indian scouts are patrol
ling the country between these points,
aud it would be impossible for any
large body of men or teams to pass
through unnotlced. Had they been no.
ticed they would have been turned back
and the fact reported at Chilocca, then
to l3aneraI Hatch here
Maj. Benton does Rot doubt but what
there are few boomers in Oklahoma,
but says they will be elected as soon as
convenient. Should Couch and his col
ony start they would be allowed to ad-
vance no further than Chilocca creek, as
his orders would not permit HIM to
allow them to bass.
he has seven companies of the Ninth
cavalry, (colored) 800 men. and believes
he could stop all that would come.
Capt. Couch is waiting patiently to see
what the president will do, and told his
men that they must wait q reasonable
time. that their representatives at Wash
1ngton were making good progress, and
he did not want to smbarrass them.
Many of the boomers attended church
yesterday, and quiet rsIgns.
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan March 24.-The
arrival OF the news here that q colony
was supposed to have escape" the troops
and reached Oklahoma by way of the
Sac and Fox agencies has CO tsed great
comment and excItemeD Great
crowds gathered to discuss event.
Gen. Hatch sent his soldiers D under
De Weese who will check thu advancing
| colony, but stockmen and others from
the territory say that the troops cannot
overtake the colonists unless they are de-
tanned by the high waters of the Cana
dian river.
Gen. Hatch has authority to act ire
spectlve of higher power. but he is al
present waiting the return to Lesveu-
worth of Gen. Augur in order that he
| may more fuller know the intention of
the war department. The men in camp
here are growing very discomfort because
| others are entering the land which
they can not. A general move among
| coIonists are going home, but there are
more coming than going, so that the
number of boomers lie on the increase.
Gen. Hatch is at Caldwell to-day,
where the stockmen holding leases in
the Cherokee strip are in convention. Ii
is believed the cattle baroDs will try to
| pass resolutions pressing their claims as
the rightful occupants of not Only the
| Cherokee strip, but Oklohoms.
/ 1eseSfOay the news was connrm6Q thai
the advance guards of the Coffeyvllle
party had passed the Sac and Fox agen-
cies, and many rumors are af1ost as to
their numbers, the estimate being from
800 to 200. One rumor say Texans
have crossed the Red river from the
south and are entering Oklahoma.
During the past three days at least q
dozen wagons have passed the patrols
| just south of the Arkansas river at this
point under the guise of cattle men, buI
the Couch men say they have no more
right in the territory than have they, ano
that favoritism is being shown.