The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-04-23

one OF the most stirring and picturesque
ever witnessed. The smoke OF myriad
camp fires lighted 10 cook the first meal In
Oklahoma began 10 ascend In all directions
and before the firtttrain Of land spectators
had rushed 10 the future great city, Guthrie,
the former had already come In possession
OF a great deal OF land, and more than one
furr0w OF Virgin soil was turned over TO
the sun.
il was twenty minutes after twelve
o'clock when the first section of the Atchi-
son train reached the line, and its progress
from that point on 10 Guthrie was not
rapid enough for the rapid men who want
ed TO get there In n hurry before all the
cream was skinned of. Nevertheless II
lacked but few minutes OF l O'Clock when
the train stopped In front OF the Guthrie
depot Before the train came 10 a stop it
was seen that somebody was already there;
In fact, the town was we'll populated.
Tents were numerous on the east slope
and stakes were sticking up out OF the
ground like poles In q bean patch. Men
could be seen racing In the direction OF
valuable holdings and the scene was as
busy and animated one as
IL Is possible 10 imagine. The pro-
family among the Arkansas City, Wichita,
and Kansas City Spectators was loud and
deep. IL there had been a prospect OF
shooting at any time to-day, II was when
game OF freeze oat; but they were CON-
| PEELED 10 swallow their wrath. for accord
Ing 10 all technicalities In law, the men N
| possession were the rightful owners and
| the men who hae been left out were the
ones who had been persistent In their de-
mands for the laws enforcement. There
was nothing 10 do but To take what was
left.
One who had never seen western town
take form and shape can't comprehend how
quickly full rugged city with q double
deck boom can be put In running motion.
| Guthrie has already Its Main street. It's
| Harrison street. Its Guthrie avenue and its
Oklahoma avenue, and this morning II Was
| q wilderness where the antelope sported and
| the jack rabbit fiapped It's ears In the sun.
/ At 4 o'clock to-day an election notice APP
peAred In the Oklahoma Herald, adaily
paper published at Guthrie. A council
will be elected at the same time. Near
one thousand votes will be polled, as there
are about that many men In Guthrie with
the intention OF becoming citizens. The
leading candidates. for mayor are @. Noeal
Reice, OF Illinois, William Constantine, of
Springfield, Ohio, and Y. l.. sumner. OF
Arkansas City. A strong dark horse Is T..
VOlney HBggatt. OF Huron, Dakota.
The Bank OF Oklahoma opened for busi-
ness at Guthrie to-day, with capital stock
OF s50,0O0 M. w. Levy, the Wichita
banker, 10 president The new city 10
flooded with business cards OF all descrip-
lions, representing every line OF trade and
business, every profession and every occu-
patton Imaginable.
The land office at Kingfsher was not
opened to- day, but Adyices from there by
stage 10 Guthrie reported an orderly colon
izIng of the town which Is to be the rival
OF Guthrie In the territory. Everything Is
reported quiet along the Canadian. IL is
ably and without blOodshed. The crisis
was passed today. The great number OF
her citizens are law abiding, and those
who are not will be suppressed by the
strong hand Of frontier Justice, aided by
the military authority, under the command
OF Gen. Merritt, who established his head
quarters at Oklahoma City. There are
now about 500 troops in the territory, and
they will be kept here until order is
assured.