The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-04-23

and others going to locate on land and thus
secure a prior right to possession by actual
occupancy. The scene was one of the most
stirring and picturesque ever witnessed.
The smoke of a myriad of camptires,
lighted to cook the first meal in Oklahoma
began to ascend in all directions, and be
fore the first train of land spectators
rushed to the future great city of Guthrie,
the former had already become the posses
sor of great deal of land and more than
ONE FURRow OF VIRGIN SOIL
was turned over to the sun which has
made the day glorious as well as memor-
able. 1t was 1920 when the first section
| of the great Atchison train reached the line,
and its progress from that point on to
| Guthrie was not rapid enough for the rapid
men who wanted to get there in hurry
before all the cream was skinned of the
milk. Nevertheless, il lacked but few
minutes of l o'clock when the
train stopped in front Of the Guthrie
depot. Before the train came to stop, 1t
! was seen that somebody was already there,
IN fact the town was well populated. Tents
were numerous on the eastern slope, and
stakes were sticking up out OF the ground
like poles in a bean patch. Men could be
| seen racing in the direction Of valuable
| busy and animated a one as it is
possible to imagine. There was pro
family among the Arkansas city and
| Wichita men as well as those from other
points. The Kansas city spectators were
| both loud and deep in their Oatbs. If there
had been a prospect of shooting at any time
to-day, it was when these men found them
selves batfied at the game of freeze-out,
but they were compelled to swallow their
wrath, for according to all technicalities in
the law, the men in possession were the
rightful owners, and the men VINO had been
left out were the ones who mad been per
sistent in their demand for the laws en-
fOrccment.
There was nothing to do but take what
was left, and it was III the scramble to get
these that the most ludicrOus scenes of the
day were presented, some of the men fall
ing over each other in their efforts to get
out OF the cars Every variety of man
along the frontier made up the army which
charged the land office at the top Of the
knoll, not in u body, but in detachments.
TIE LAND OFFICE WAS NOT
the point of their destination, though it
stands at the corner of a section. and is
therefore the present centre Of town, but
it was to secure lots nearest to it that the
rush was made. There was little left near
it, stakes already having been driven
almost to the limit of the half section OF so
acres allowed for a town site. as the law
lON SbduNiN. IutIt was Il SliidLl Uldfpln
and this was being rapidly wiped out by
some men who had already appropriated
nearly everything in sight. 1t was but d
few minutes until the line was reached and
The back action movement of taking lots
which nobody had wanted before, began.
When the second and third sections of the
train arrived, and it was found that every
thing was cornered. the air was blue for
miles around the metropolis.
fI'lnfsa =, 2,
every lot was protected by rifles and
reVolVers: and If shooting began. there
was no telling where it would stop The
only recourse left to the disappointed men
was to buy out such holders OF lots as were
willing to sell, or run the risk of taking out
side the legal limits. Both courses
were adopted, and a good number of
Guthrie city lots changed hands.
THE FIRST SALE MADE
was by man named Runnels, Of Malvan.
Kan, who sold a twenty five foot front lot
near the land Office for 81.
The purchaser refused $50 for the lot five
minutes later. Several transfers were
made today, and others who We're deter
mined TO locate here drove stakes outside
the town line. This is preparatory to the
purchase of homestead rights and the ex-
tension OF its limits. No one who has never
seen western town take form and shape
can comprehend how quickly jagged city
with double-deck boom can be put in run
ming motion. Guthrie has already its Main
street, its Harrison avenue, its Guthrie
avenue and its Oklahoma avenue, and this
morningitwas wilderness. Antelope sported
and jack rabbit tapped its ears in the sun.
In the afternoon at o'clock
THE FIRST MUNICIPAL ELECTION OCCURRED.
An election notice appeared to-day in the
4 q n
at Guthrie on the first day of it's existence.
4 council will be elected at the same time.
Near one thousand votes were polled. as
there are about that many men in Guthrie
with the intention of becoming citizens
The leading candidates for mayor were
Adjutant-G General Reece. of Illinois William
Constant, Of Springfield, o., and +. L.
SuIamer, of Arkansas city The strong
dark horse Is 7. YOlney Taggatt. of Huron.
Dakota.
The Arkansas City bank, of Oklahoma.
opened for business at Guthrie to-day with
a capital stock of $4,000. W. y. Levy. the
Wichita banker, is president The new
city is flooded with business cards of all
descriptions, representing every line Of
trade and business, every profession and
occupation imaginable Mail is expected
to reach the Guthrie pOstoffice every day.
1t Is now being run by a postal clerk de
tailed for that purpose but Mr.. Finn. lately
appointed postmaster viii take charge in q
day or two.
n scheme, which resulted in the frac-
tOnal cornering of the town lots today. ori-
ginated. as has been frequently indicated
in this correspondence, with the Atchison,
Topeka * Santa Fe railway. probably with !
a syndicate which has been at
work in Arkansas city. For a week |
or more, as has been stated before. members |
had been going into the territory as deputy |
and others under permits as rail |
road employees. The marshals were |
simply commissioned and not sworn. and |
the railroad men We're not burdened with |
oflclaI orders. They all did their work to- |
day, and did it we'll
THE OFFICERS IN THE GUTHRIE LAND OFFICE |
say that the men seemed to spring out of |
the ground as noon approached, and that it |
did not take fifteen minutes to occupy half |
the townslte. The land officials have not |
been greatly rushed to-day. as a great ma !
iority of the homeSteaders are making title |
by actual occupation, and ii will be per |
fected at a later date.
The first homestead entry at Guthrie |
office was by an old soldier claimant named |
Johnson.
The Kansas land Office at Kingfisher was
not opened to-day, but adVices from there |
by stage to Guthrie report the orderly |
cOlonizing of town which is to be |
the rival of Guthrie in the terri
tory. Everything is reported quiet
along the Canadian, and Purcell. Deserted |
village, little station on the Atchison
road, about eight miles north of it. was laid
out as townside. 1t is evident that Okla
homa IS to opened peaceably and without
oloodshed. The crisis was passed to-day A
n no. Of hon