The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-03
IN OKLAHOMA.
The First BIoOdshed Over n Contested
Claim.

The First BIoodshed Over n Contested
Claim.
TOPEKA, Kas., March 2S.-Immediately upon
the announcement that the president had is
sued the Oklahoma proclamation officials of
the Rock Island railroad and a corps of en-
gineers started from this city to make the
final survey for the extension through the In
dian territory The road is built as far south
as Pond Creek, some twenty-five miles below,
in the Cherokee strip, at which point con-
struction will begin. The proclamation by
which Oklahoma is opened designates King
Fisher as the land Office for the western district.
This is at present stage station, situated on
King Fisher creek, southern tributary of the
Cimarron. 1t is on the projected line of the
Rock Island and some ninety miles south of
the Kansas line. 1t is stated that the railroad
company will push its lines to King Fisher as
soon as possible. 1t is not at all likely that
the extension will stop there, as Ft Reno is
but score or so miles further on, at which
point there are six hundred to eight hundred
troops stationed, which will create a demand
for supplies and transportation.
A dispatch from Wichita says: The long
looked-for proclamation for the opening of
Oklahoma was received here with demonstra-
tions of great JOY. Flags were hung from
buildings, cannons were fired and bonfres
built. The same enthusiasm welcomed the news
all over the south of Kansas. Extensive prep
arations are being made for entering the coun-
try, and some of the towns of southern Kansas
will almost be depopulated. The boomers,
who have been camped along the line, are
making ready TO move. The cattle men are
hurrying on TO Oklahoma to get their cattle, as
they fear violence TO stock and property from
their deadly enemies, the boomers, The sol
diers have left Oklahoma City. The boomers
made bold to come out of their concealment in
the woods to hear the news. The crowd kept
on swelling in size, and it was estimated that
there were eight hundred persons that reioiced
over the news.
Col. Summers received from Col Wade, at
Ft. Reno, the new orders from Washington and
posted them up in the Oklahoma depot. They
were that every person must Immediately leave
the country, and that the names of those found
would be taken to defeat future filing. Soldiers
had left Ft. Reno the night before and are adj
vancing TO Oklahoma City, securing the coun-
try as they advance. As soon as the order was
posted, many commenced leaving, but by the
time the train reached Guthrie the news of the
issuing of the proclamation was received and
they alighted to join the boomers in their cele-
bration and to be near to their claims.
At Purcell there was the same wild en-
thusiasm, only by greater numbers. Claims are
being rapidly taken up, and there is hardly
good section of land that has not one or
more claimants. Fights are daily occurring.
Tuesday night Swede from Cold Harbor Kas,
while contesting a claim twenty-four miles west
of Oklahoma station, was fatally shot by his
opponent The poor fellows eye was blown
out and his face filed with buckshot. He was
taken to Arkansas City TO a surgeon, but died
after being taken from the cars. His friends
fearing the effect of having their names made
public, gave out that il was an accident Men
have already sold their rights TO claims for S400
and $500. A boomer arriving from Oklahoma
says that the country Is full of people; that
the number is constantly increasing and that
he believes it impossible to keep them out