The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-20
IHE OKLAHOMA BOOM.
As the Great Day Draws Near
the Excitement Increases,
BOUND TO REACH THE LAND
''In Spite OF HI and High Water
The Determination OF Some of
the Roomers-SleFItso oftho
Country Exaggerated,

WELLNaToS, KAs, April lO-Two
Oklahoma colonist outfits attempted this
morning to cross State creek, which is
greatly swollen at Foraker's ford, two
miles south Of this city The arsthoses
to enter were drowned, the wagon swept
away and the occupants rescued with
great difficulty. Without attempting to
save the submerged wagon or contents
the boomers hastily drove the other out.
lt to a farm house nearby, leaving 1t in
charge of the farmer, and, mounting
horses, galloped away to the nearest
railroad station to take the cars for Okla.
homa, They had travelled over 200 miles
overland and said they were determined
to reach Oklahoma "in spite Of hi and
high water"
1t is reported that yesterday evening,
while crossing q strip in Oklahoma
Territory, a fight took place between cat
tle men and boomers over some fence
putting aud that four men were killed,
and that the trouble is not yet over
A Washington dispatch says; Mr., H,
II. Lusk, editor and proprietor ol the
Parsons, Kan, Sun, who Is In Washing.
ton, and who comes right from the Dor.
der OF the,promised land, does not share
with the army officers and others, the
fears expressed about serious trouble'in
Oklahoma. "This newspaper talk" he
says, "about bloodshed IN Oklahoma is
greatly exaggerated, There may be
some bloodsRed, but not more than
there usually Is over land disputes,
As a rule, the people who will go
in there are law.abiding citizens. They
simply 60 there after homes and not
after some mans life. There will, no
no doubt, be some friction between
those that are born settlers and those
whom we in Kansas call tenderieet.
The boomers, as a rule, arc a robust,
hardy set. Many OF them have been
about the frontiers for years, and have
already staked and improved claims
which they naturally look upon as their
own, and It will, Of course, go hard with
the tenderfeet who endeayor to wrest
these claims from them"
Mr.. Lusk thinks that the man who goes
TO Oklahoma and gets In on the ground
floor is going to make money. at will
be bonanza, thought he says, "for
shrewd lawyers, who will reap rich
harvest from tho disputes OF the claim.
ants. Then, there are hundreds ofspec.
ulators who aim at securing town lots.
No doubt the growth Of Oklahoma will
be wonderful. Towns will spring up in
a day or night. AT spresent King.
fisher and Guthrie have not even tent,
but hundreds Of houses, stores, offices
and other buildings are already con.
templated In sections ready to be moved
in.on short notice. In ten days what is
now a wild str tCh Of prairie will DO
covered over with thrifty communities.
A THOUSAND WAGONS MOVE.
One thousand camp fires glimmered
along the old Reno Stage trail last night
from Caldwell to Pond creek. To-day
one thousand canvass covered wagons
are slowly moving along the trail. The
day was favorable and notwithstanding
the late heavy rains the trail, which Is |
almost identical with the old Caldwell
and Fort Reno stage trail, was in very
good condition. The most popular out |
lit Is strong canvass covered Studeba.
ker drawn by two large, stout horses,
aud the horses Of the boomers are all
looking in good condition. Some large
wagons have four or even six horses.
They are Us fine body OF pioneers rs
ever went into new country. Most Of
them arc Kansas and Nebraska farmers,
and although a gun Is In every wagon
and across every saddle bow, the owners
are men who will use them 10 keep peace
and not to make trouble.
LAwLMsNEss on TIE SOUTHERN BORDER.
An Arkansas City, Kas., dispatch says:
Word was brought here last night from
Purcell by man who was there yester-
day, that a great deal Of lawlessness
exists in Oklahoma. He said man
was "held up" in the streets OF Purcell
in broad day light and robbed Of $500.
The boomers defy the law. They have
purchased or hired every available horse
in the neighborhood and will mount
and make through the Cimarron river
Just before noon Monday. When the
signal flag drops at noon sharp, there
will be desperate land race for the op.
posite band.
Gamblers and toughs declare they will
let no one pass a certain distance who Is
not one Of them. The town Ia full Of
special correspondents who are writing
from imagination and against space.
A cowboy from Caldwell who arrived
late last night says tho Clmarron, Is
very high, and that up to the time he
left IS persons had been drowned trying
to ford tho stream. He can give no
names, as he said he did not inquire,
The rush Of people who will try to
take the Rock Island Railway route be.
tween to-day and Monday will be 50
great that the Rock Island almost des.
pairs OF being able to accommodate
them, One colony OF 600 will leave
Wichita tomorrow by this road.
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