Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-23
EVERY MAN HIS OWN MOSES.
How Boomers Rushed Wildly to Take
Possession of the Promised Land.

On THE OKLAHOMA BOUNDARY, April Is
Lieut.. Foster, who started the pilgrims Satur-
day coming via the Arkansas City trail, esti-
mates that at least 1000 outfits and 0.O0o peo-
pie ranged along the border of his trail,
started at the sound of the bugle. Lieut..
Waite, nephew of the late Chief Justice Waite.
started those entering at the Caldwell trail, and
Col. Ware started those ON the Hunnewell trail.
he being in charge of this territory. Capt.
HAYS started those entering by the Black Bear
trail. 1t seems likely a fairy story. but there
Is scarcely a doubt that from 10000 or S00
entered by these trails, while the six trains
that came in from Arkansas City to Guthrie
brought at least 5000 people. The wagon
road runs within 100 yards CT the railroad all
the way.
The Cimarron ford, on the Cimarron or Little
Arkansas river. is Just three-fourths of a mile
from where the railroad crosses that stream,
near the old site of Camp Russell. All along
the route were TO be seen deer, antelope. prairie
chickens and quail. Two deer were within 10
rods of the train and at least 50 shots we're fired
at them from the car windows and roof without
effect.
THE MAD RUSH FOR CLAIMS.
When the train crossed the last stream. Cot
tonwood creek, just before entering Guthrie.
the passengers began jumping off and rushing
up hill on the east side of the track toward the
land Office, where town site is TO be laid out.
One fellow became so excited that he jumped
through a car window. When the train stopped
at Guthrie station there was an indiscriminate
rush, men and boys running over each other to
get to the land Office first or squat on a claim.
THE SCARCITY OF WATER
will cause suffering until wells are dug. unless
the water in Cottonwood creek can be filtered
An enterprising real-estate man had a carryall
at the depot when the train arrived and
offered to carry people to his lots over on the
east side and sell lots at dollar apiece. The
crowd around the land Office is too great TO be
numbered and those who did not get in to file
their claims last night slept where they were
in the line. TO be on hand this morning.
Two miles each way from Guthrie station
town sites are staked off, and there was not a
section between there and Alfred that did not
have one or more quarter sections staked of.
PEOPLE HERE ARE DUMBFoUNDED,
and look at the vast multitude crowding into
the country in silent wonder. Returning on the
train hundreds Of prairie schooners were passed
still winding their way to the promised land.
As Guthrie was found already staked out when
the first train got there. some ugly rumors
were at once started rejecting on the United
States officers and the officials of the Santa Fe
road. 1t is claimed that the directors car of
that road has been at Guthrie for several days.
and they, as well as the government officials.
conniyed with men hiding in the brush on the
west bottom. shielding them from the scrutiny
of the soldiers; that those officials on both
sides
had THE TOWN ALL LAID OUT
quietly and had an understanding with these
brush-hiders, so they all rushed in and staked
off claims before any train arrived, although
the regular train from the south. which arrived
about l2:i5 y. M. was not allowed to carry any
boomers. When it reached Edmunds, at Ii 80.
it laid there until 1905, when party of sur
veyOrs got off. said to be railroad men. When
people at Edmunds saw this they rushed out
and began stalking off claims also Persons
who arrived on the regular train from the south
say that hundreds of claims were staked out al
Guthrie when they got there. A sixty-roon
hotel will be shipped from Kansas City and
ready for business at Guthrie by Saturday.