The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-17
READY FOR TROUBLE IN OKLAHOMA.
Marshal Jones Orders the Arrest Of
all BeIligerent Boomers.
a Big Crowd. Including Bankers,
Gamblers and Newspaper Men.
Old Soldiers Moving with a Long Line
Of White Topped Wagons.

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan, April 16.-This
afternoon Col G. W. Jones, United States
Marshal for Kansas and the Indian Terri
tory, arrived here from Topeka. He at once
appointed nine deputies, who are to serve at
the land offices at Guthrie and Kingfsher.
He admitted that he anticipated trouble.
"The dispute between rival claimants" he
said, will be referred to the land agent, and
then 1t Is when the trouble will break out at
the Offices"
Captain o. S. Rarick, IAN old soldier. will
have charge Of the Guthrie Office. His in
structions are hardly capable of misconstruc-
tion, and for brevity and point are models.
They are: proceed Immediately to Guthrie
and take charge Of matters there. Don't
hold or attempt to hold any Oklahoma land
Arrest all disturbers." Captain Rarlck will
attempt to preserve peace with few men to
assist him. He is a grizzled veteran who
has done marshaps duty before, and from
his determined look and splendid physique 1t
appears that he will attend to business, pro-
viding 1t does not come too swift.
Advices from Purcell bring the alarming
news that the Santa Fe bridge at that point
was giving way. Purcell is practically the
Arkansas city for the southern border of
Oklahoma. 1t is on the raging Canadian
River, and the bridge which is threatened
with destruction is the only one across that
river, and for that reason is the only dry way
OF entering the promised land from the
south. The thousands OF boomers camped
there are in great state Of excitement lest
they should be cut off from participating in
the events Of next Monday. The Santa Fe
management, however, at once sent 200 men
and several carloads of building stone to
Purcell, and the catastrophe may be averted.
Special Agent John A. Pichler of the
Interior Department passed through here
today for the purpose of establishing the
land offices at Guthrie and Kingfsher. The
erected at once, and to that end 50 mechanics
have started for Guthrie, where they will
construct buildings. and then freight them
to Kingfsher with the aid Of dozen teams.
The government surveyors at. Silver City,
Colhave been detailed for Guthrie and asked
to prepare for three months service
Hundreds Of boomers wagons" as they
are called, passed through here today. Out
side Of the boomers there are about three
thousand strangers in Arkansas City, and
they include everything from BARRIERS,
gamblers, and money loaners to newspaper
men.
WICHITA, Kan, April 16.-Over one hund.
red old soldiers arrived today from
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia
to join the ''old soldiers Oklahoma colony"
About fifty arrived from Nebraska and
few from Colorado. The colony will leave
tomorrow In wagons, and it is thought over
eight hundred wagons will be in line. They
are in charge of Capt. Hall and expect to
reach the Oklahoma line on Sunday evening.
They will locate near Kingfisher. 1t is said
they have made arrangements to bridge the
Cimarron and all other streams that may be
difficult to ford. The colony will have the
bridges constructed for their own use, and
will forbid other organizations using them.
The soldiers along the State line are being
removed to the Oklahoma, allowing the
boomers to cross the Cherokee Strip and be
on the Oklahoma line at noon Monday.
WELLINGTON. Kan, April 16.-White-cov-
cred wagons bound for Oklahoma have been
passing through all day long. Pawnee Bill
was here this morning. and states thai the
soldiers have all been withdrawn from the
State line, and are now on the Oklahoma
line; Settlers are permitted to go right to
the borders Of his promised land. His col
ony Is now encamped around Hunnewell,
and will start from Miller's Ranch, Indian
Territory, on Thursday morning. There are
5000 people with him.