The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-23

CmcAOo, April 22&The Daily NepS
speclal from Guthrie, Oklahoma, says:
The object Of ten years agitation Is at
tanned and Oklahoma is occupied.
Guthrie, which was a name on the map
this morning, u little red station house
by the railway track, is tonight boom.
ing city Of 1000 inhabitants. Its struC.
lures are canvass and its population
almost exclusively male, but there is an
interest and excitement here that Is
wanting in many more substantial cities.
1t can now DO seen that the opening
Of Oklahoma was conducted under
circumstances that made 1t impossible
for the law.abiding settler to secure an
even chance with Spectators and sharp.
ers, and the investigation that must be
granted to the home seekers will dis.
grace the federal method employed and
dishonor some officials.
The correspondent for the Daily NewS
followed the march OF the 10000 from
the Arkansas and Walnut Valley camp,
down the Ponce trail and across tho
Cherokee strips. This was by five times
the largest throng that entered at any
point, and was composed OF tho best ma
terialth entered the Territory. They
obeyed the law In magnificent form and
that obedience was given at the cost OF
their lawful rights.
While they halted on the line until
noon OF to-day hundreds OF Arkansas
crackers, Mississippians, Texans and
negroes from the southern border had
been for hours on the march. That
fact, with the additional one, that Guth.
ries was handed over TO a syndicate oi
Government officers and railroad men, Is
sufficient TO start an inquiry. The next
few days will fully develop the situation
and bring news from the scattered parts
oi the Territory.
A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT.
Tocomplete the grievance, the country
threatens 10 bo tremendous disappoint-
ment. The only heavy check encounter.
ed in the descent from the north was at
the Salt Fork Of tho Arkansas river,
The stream was swollen far beyond It's
normal volume.
Two outfits were lost in attempting 10
make the ford. The railway bridge was
planked by tho troops and the schooners
and trains passed in this novel manner.
1t was reported that wooded
country lay before, but an hours march
cleared the riverside timber, and We
were on the plains again. The land, al.
though green and treeless, became moro
rolling than the splendid prairie north
OF the fork, and the soil was not quite
80 good. We were promised by every
Government employe and Texas ranch.
men, who alone share the strip
with the Indians, that the country would
deterriorate southwark. They viewed
the passing tide Of immigration with
wonder and amazement. The promise
seemed to be fully borne out this morn
ing, when with the boomers army we
reached the line. The trail then ran al
the side OF the railroad tracks and the
boundary was marked by long picke'
line Of cavalry.
1t lacked but a half hour OF moor
when the Daily NetFS man reached thC
border and passed through the thous
ands OF boomers held in check. A rel
white and blue guidon was planted at
point on tho line whence the guaEt
stretched evenly away on either hand
We advanced beyond this point Il
the quarters OF Lieutenent Wait, com
manding, and were In Oklahoma at last
NOT PROMISING.
Tho prospect confronted was not
sight TO have ridden so hard and far I,
sec. The landscape Is duplicated on thu
great American desert. 1t was a plain
broken only by buttes, gullles, and Il
the immediate foreground by railwa.
Gmbankment. The surface thus scan
ned revealed q sail as red as brick dus
and In spots almost vermilllon. TIL
whole region should be huge pain
quarry, and the sunlight upon thl
highly Colorod ground reflected upol
the figures Of men and teams Wit
strange effect,