Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-04-23
ON THE PROMISED LAND.
Settlers Rushing About Searching for
Inviting Territory.

HH#uH.aa 20 HH
Settlers Rushing About Searching for
Inviting Territory.
GUTHRIE, Okla, April 22.-No ouch
stirring or extraordinary scenes have
eve before been Witnessed in the his
tory of the Republic as those by which
the invasion of the Oklahoma strip of
the Indian territory has been chsrac-
terized to-day. The boomers appeared
to well understand the fact that the
number of United States troops at the
disposal of General Merritt was alto
gether inadequate to cope with the
exigencies of the occasion. The mill
tary department Had established tel
egraphic communication at certain
points to which it was supposed the
intending settlers would gravitate, bit
as to the localities which it was con-
jectured would form the nuclei of the
settling population, the government
authorities have been disappointed
and the miles of already
entered upon the lands ave choen
sed pathways of their own. The OBJ
jective point of many of these gypsy
like hordes is as yet obviously unknown
to themselves, and they will doubtless
squat at the first inviting territory they
discover along their line of march.
Gen. Merritt has telegraphed to the war
department asking that at least 1000
additional troops be added to his COM
mand, and is Walking Il spons from
Secretary Proctor. 1t is impossible to
yer approximately estimate the num-
ber of people crowding into the prom
ised land, but the reports as to the mum
Der of expectant boomers who have
been living outside The border line of
the Cherokee territory for the past few
months, every day adding to their NAM
bers, waiting for the sun of possession to
dawn upon them, would seem to have
been in no degree exaggerated. 1t is
almost universally conceded that Okla
homa City will be the future capital of
the territory. The borders Of the Chero-
kee reservation separating it from Okla
homa proper is jealousy watched and
guarded in order to prevent any over
Howe of disappointed boontbers into the
tribal lands. Much uneasiness is APP
parent among Inc CneyenneS and
Arapahoes. and the danger of an out
break among them to repel the pale
faced settlers in the adjoining territory
has more than once already seemed i'm
minent, and fears are still entertained
by the settlers of attacks from the In
dams. and for this reason it Is hoped
that the increase in the military force re-
quested will be granted. The rush Tor
the more desirable locations which was
all along apprehended and predicted has
only IN Few places worn anything like
a menacing phase, and it is the general
conviction that the settlement and oc-
cupation of the entire territory i'll be
effected in q peaceable manner, and in
conformity with the provisions of the
proclamation issued by President Har-
rison, and which went into practical
operation to-day. The entrance into
Oklahoma and the settlement which
will undoubtedly very rapidly follow
will offer to the future historian, per-
haps, the last, if not the most interest
ing. pages of the nations progress from.
territorial forms of government to one
vast and a~ll-embracing sisterhood Of
states.