Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-10-22
OKLAHOMA BOOMERS

the Plucky and Perslsting Settlers.
"It is not half so much fun chasing
these boomers out OF Indian Territory
as some folks imagine" an army Off
cet observed when questioned on the
subject. "You see, most of them are
full of Yankee pluck and independence
and they don't care any more for thu
United States army than they would
for swarm of mosquitoes. You CAM
scare an American with the army, be
cause he knows that the soldiers wOn''
shoot, and so we go marching around
in military fashion, chasing this man
and that man, until the thing gets to be
a good deal of farce.
"What is needed out here is nolice
force of about two hundred men, armed
with clubs. If | had such 4 command
/ would keep Oklahoma clear until the
Government got ready to open it, The
other day found two or thee men
and women, with about dozen chill
dren, over the line getting ready to
settle, and | told them they would have
to move on.
"Where to?" asked one Of the men.
Anywhere, says l, 80 long as
you get out of here. You can't stay
here.
"Why not?' says he.
"Because. l explained, ihis is Gov
eminent land and you know it. You'll
have to skip
"Well, they piled all their things
and their children into couple of bio
wa CONS and started north. We watched
them awhile, and concluded that they
were going for sure, but the next day.
when we passed that way, there they
were again in the old place. The
spokesman colored up a little when he
saw me, and said:
F." TO tell the truth, Colonel, just
thought this thing was all red tape and
that so longas you had done your duty
/ I'd take the responsibility of coming
back. / didn't think you'd be here SC
soon. It's run, is itP'
II told him it was run and that i
he came in again would have to place
him under arrest. Then we escorted
him and his party over the line, and
watched them for two or three days
until they strolled away.
"Some of the boomers are worse than
neas. Plenty of them have no women
and children with them, and they move
about with great celebrity, lremember
a few weeks ago we cane across an old
fellow away down about twenty miles
from the line. He had actually hauled
in lumber and built himself Il little
shanty, in which he had been living 8
month or two. Over the door he haC
scratched with lead pencil, John
Riley's Claim When we rode up he
was sitting out in front smoking his
pipe and reading his Bible.
"'What are you doing hcreP
asked.
Locatin',' said he.
lowell, you'll have to get out,
continued.
What fer?' he asked.
Because this land isn't open yet,
and our orders are to remove every
body found here
." We'll, by thunder said the ole
man, you can't remove one side o.
+ me. Not much, you can't Stepping
inside of his cabin, he brought out
rifle. and continued: Il wore tha
there Uniform of yours five years il
Virginia when there was some l0ight,
tall hustlin' going on between thu
J James and the Potomac, and I'm cusset
If I'm going to be lassoocd in thi
way; I'm a peaceful settler, a-hurtn
of nobody, and if the United State
army comes a-pickin' on me, then al
: there is to that mo and Uncle Sam will
have a row, and it's the first time, too
You just go along, now, and let m
alone.
II didn't want to make war on on,
old soldier who appeared to be enjoy
ing himself, and so gave him wee
to vacate his claim and passed on. A
luck would have it, it was fortnight
before we got around that way again
, and then the cabin was gone. He ha
moved it away somewhere else, bu
we'll run across him after awhile.
al don't wonder that the people wan
to get into that country. It's The pref
, test in the world. We destroyed som
: houses near a river bank that had beef
e occupied by several families W. ha
: put them out two or three timea, an,
S finally, to make sure job of Il, W
;, burned their houses They kWi
t magnificent site for town, and ha
S selected it for that purpose. Thei
y leader, shrewd young fellow, came t
s me afterward, and wanted TO mako .
arrangement by which he could get hi
clamps on that particular section III
d lay the Territory was opened. II
/. thought l could help him to it if
= wanted to, and he said If would,
v would give me my pick of the corpt
e lots. had to tell him that that was
d matter with which l could not into
e iere.
e 1--WE meet with good many 50
v cases, too, and / shall be glad whe
v the country is opened up.n-Hunn
weH Kan Cor. ~ Y Sun.