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

the border line Of the promised land
than would have been expected, Com
parauYely few Of the wagon men
reached the Oklahoma line until last
night and this morning, Salt Fork
creek, which winds through the strip
and on the banks Of which the Ponca
reservation Is situated, caused the set
tiers much delay, Fridaymorning fully
700 wagons wanted to get across,
Captain Hayes and his company, who
escorted the settlers to the border, rem.
dered them most valuable service, BY
his influence he induced the Santa Fe
company 10 permit him TO lay planks
beside and between the tracks OF the
railroad bridge and get the emigrants
over, A soldier with a red flag half a
mile from each end OF the bridge pre-
vented any trains from approaching ul,
til the bridge was clear. In spite OF all
precautions, 0 woman and two children
aud a number OF cattle were drowned at
the bridge, Captain Hayes good work
at the Salt Fork bridge kept him and
his troops from getting to the Oklahoma
border until this morning, A careful
estimate Is that within radius OF five
miles from the border entrance on the
Ponca trail, fully 500 men were at least a
mile over the line. Wire fences divided
the strip from Oklahoma, The men did
not know that the fence was the diYi.
ding line, or II they did, needed II not.
No soldiers were there to dispute theit
entrance or tell where the line was
Without let or hindrance a great num-
ber OF people went into Oklahoma as
early as Saturday night. A cattle man
at Red Rock said last night as he came
through Oklahoma from Galveston he
counted over 100 men In the bushes
along through Oklahoma,
AsTART PROM ARKANSAS CITY.
The sky was cloudless and It was cool
this morning. The crowd at the depot
was larger than was expected. From
the top Of the dispatchers office pho.
tographer took the crowd, -Four trains
with ten coaches each stood about ready
for the start, Crowds oil people walked
up and down on the tops Of the cars.
The moment the doors were thrown
open the cars were filled. The crowd
followed the newspaper men hoping to
find by them which train started first.
Fifty tents which were pitched about
the depot were down before Q o'clock.
II is estimated that 5000 were at the
depot awaiting transportation. The
outfits at the depot were striking. One
man with a silk hat carried hoe over
his shoulder 10 which was attached a
bundle Of clothing and q box Of 'chuck."
Spades and axes were the most com.
mon equipments. Before the train
started the town was almost deserted,
There were many women waiting to 90
10 Guthrie. People walked to the end
Of the yards TO get night coaches, know
ing that all would 20 during the day.
Danger seemed 10 have been lost sight
OF. Many crawled under the cars until
the police stopped them.
DESPERATE PEOPLE.
II was just s:45 when the first train
pulled out. A shout from a thousand
voices announced the fact. The press
car was next 10 the engine and eight cars
were attached. There were fully fifty |
persons in the press car, but many had
no credentials, Many freight trains have
been supplied with seats to follow later. |
At the ST, Louis & San Francisco cross.
ing where stop was necessary people |
besieged the first train, but guards kent
them oil, Just outside the city two dar.
lug men got on the air brakes under the
press car. E, O. Heck was the conductor
Of the first train and Harry Livingstone
the engineer, At the speed at which
the train started the train will reach
Guthrie late. The wagon bridge across
the Arkansas river was full OF settlers
wagons. Two men jumped on the cow
CatCher Int were mt off