Huntsville gazette., 1889-04-27
WIDE OPEN.

Tne Gates of the Promised Land Swing
open at Last and the Grand Rush for
MONIES In Oklahoma Eclipses Any Thing
oi 'he hind Ever Seen-NearIy Enough
Teopie on the Ground to Organize a
State Already,
GUTHRIE, l. T., April 22.-The gates Of
OAlahoma were swung open at noon to
uay, ana reSIstless torrents of humanity
ueSan 10 pour over its soil. From the
CheroKee Strip came the great fleet OF
Prdlrie schoOners across the Canadian ;
from the Chickasaw Nation came troop
aIter troop of sturdy ponies, each one
earrylng boomer; from the Arapahoe
anu cheyenne reservations on the west
came yelling mob of horsemen, who
nred volley after volley to celebrate their
hnal victory. The Kiowa of the South
west and the Cherokee and Greek Nations
on the east also furnished their contin-
gent OF boomers. At the starting signal
they moved all together, great waves of
cheering breaking upon the air.
The wagons continued on over the level
green plain until they were about half
way across the northern tier Of claims,
and then upward of hundred Of them
were brought to a standstill. The others
rolled on to the lower tiers. Men, women
and children poured from the stationary
schooners, and in an incredibly short
time the foundations for the pioneer
homes OF Oklahoma had been laid by
willing hands. Every farm had more
than one claimant, all ready to swear
that they crossed the border first and
that theirs were the first improvements.
so 1t is all over the Territory, and es-
pecially on the sections adjoining Guthrie
and Oklahoma City.
Between twenty and thirty thousand
people were dumped here to-day by the
Santa Fe road, which ran twenty i'm
mense trains from Arkansas City. The
trains moved across the Cherokee Strip
cautiously and slowly, and arrived here
scarcely more than five minutes apart.
As they approached the land of promise
thousands of heads protruded from the
windows, and curious eyes feasted on the
green panorama that lay before them.
There was much fighting to get out of
the cars when the little building that an
swers for station was reached. Nobody
was hurt, however, and the coaches were
soon emptied. 1t was a curious sight to
watch the boomers after they had got fair
ly on foot. The majority Of them seemed
to be dazed by the vastness of
their surroundings. Many Of them gazed
stupidity to the north, southeast and west,
and then moved ahead like men who were
lost. Others started for the hills, aud
still others bent themselves to the task
of raising tents which they brought with
them to open various kinds of business.
Those who went for the hills were after
siaims. Just how well their explorations
succeeded is not known, for very few of
them have returned. 1t is safe to say that
to night every farm in the Territory is in
possession of one or more claimants, and
that besides there are from twenty to
thirty thousand more wandering aimless-
ly about in search Of land.
The rush at the land Office here is terri
fic. The building is surrounded by mob
of bowling men, which is being constant
ly augmented by horsemen who are gall
Looping in from every quarter. Land
Agent Dilley and his force of assistants
are unable to give attention to hun
dredth part of the business that is being
forced upon them. The detachment of
troopers which has been detailed around
the building with view to keeping the
mob in an orderly line, is completely
worn out.
A dispatch from Oklahoma City states
that the rush there is even greater than
here. Over at Kingfsher, or Lisbon,
where the crowds brought in on the Rock
Island are gathering, there has been no
trouble as yet