Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-19
TO OKLAHOMA.
Unparalleled Rush of Pros
pective Settlers.
CROSSING THE CHEROKEE STRIP.
Arrangements for Allaying the Thirst
of the Boomers-Military
in Readiness.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

0clock JnlS morning the boomers were
alive, getting ready to cross the Cherokee
strip. Nearly 10000 are here. They
have been ordered to move in an orderly
manner along the established trails. If
any depredations are committed the
whole line will be stopped and the guilty
ones turned back. The procession will
be accompanied by twenty or thirty re-
porters on ponies. United States Com
missioner Bensell has allowed two men
to construct bridges at Salt creek and
Chillicothe creek and charge the boomers
25 cents to cross. The old ferryboat on |
Salt Fork, which lay idle for years, will |
be brought into service.
WELLINGTON, Kas., April 18.-The |
stream of prairie schooners moving |
southwark mas not diminished. The |
streets of the city are filed with boomers
and they continue TO pour in from the
northeast and west, frequently from six
to twelve wagons and teams being in
cluded in one outfit. Such an emigra-
ton was never before witnessed in this
section. Old settlers familiar with the
Cimarron river, which all settlers enter
ing Oklahoma from the northwest must
cross, say that its waters are very high
and it is as much as mans life 10 worth
to cross it in it's swollen condition. Its
bed is composed in large part OF shift
ing Quicksands, and where a safe eros
sing can be made to-day, tomorrow, in
all probability, at the same place, it
would be death to attempt. Many par
ties who intended to go from here with
teams will 90 by rail, being fearful of
serious accidents in fording this river.
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-It is very ap-
parent here that the officers of the army
are filled with the liveliest apprehension
regarding the opening of Oklahoma.
The Secretary of War has authorized the
statement that the Government is fully
aware of the situation, and has arranged
to take all proper steps to prevent
trouble. 1t is known that the subject has
formed the main topic of discussion at
recent Cabinet meetings, and that the
Acknowledgement has been called upon
to decide the question as to the authority
OF the War Department to act in
case of strife, bloodshed or violence in
the newly.opened country. Instructions
were sent to the commander of the
troops in Oklahoma as to
the result of the opinion rendered
| by the Attorney General. They were ex-
| tremely guarded, but they are under
stood to direct the army officers to assist
in the maintenance of the law. and to
carefully observe the regulations defn-
ing their authority, and leave arrests for
violations OF the law to the Marshals.
The President might, in case of serious
disturbance, declare martial law over the
| Territory, but this could not be done in
advance of breach of the peace, and
the machinery of the Government would,
| it is feared, be too slow fin moving to
meet any great emergency which may
arise. The only army regulation on the
subject provides for the interference by
troops in an emergency, only in case OF
interruption to the carriage of the mail
or assault upon United States property,
but, under somewhat strained construc-
ton, it may form reason to be assigned
for the use of troops to prevent or re-
strain rioting or bloodshed in tho Terri
tory.
WASHINGTON, April 18.-Commissione
Mason Of the Internal Revenue has de-
cided, under the recent act of Congress
and the recent proclamation of the Presi-
dent, in relation to Oklahoma, that it
ceases to be "Indian country" and that
special tax stamps may be sold to whole
sale and retail liquor dealers to engage
in business there under the same terms
and regulations as in other States and
Territories of the United States. The eff
feet of this decision will be to allow
wholesale and retail liquor dealers to
purchase special tax stamps in Okla
homa under the same terms as in other
sections Of the country. Arrangements
are being made to have force of deputy
collectors and revenue agents on hand
to see that the laws are enforced, and
the interests of the Government are pro-
tected.
ARKANSAS Cry, April 1S.-Captain
Hays, yesterday, received instructions
from the War Department to permit en-
tries into the Strip at o'clock this
morning. The south bridge across the
Arkansas river is the most direct route to
the strip, being just three miles from the
border. The road is narrow, with a
hedge on one side and wire fence on
the other. Rain has made it hub-deep.
Before dark last night this three miles of
road was blockaded with wagons and
impassable either way. Many families
slept in the wagons, which stood up to
their hubs in mud.
A large party from Wellington, Kan
sas, has constructed q pontoon bridge, |
which is portable, and they will cross |
the streams on it.
This morning fully 400 wagons were
along the line, and strung all the way to
the limits of Arkansas City, where there
were 600 more. There was a hesitancy
about the start. Orders were given by |
Captain Hays to wait till O'Clock, when |
an orderly would give warning. 1t lacked
a few minutes of when a Kansas City
man called out, "Why should we wait
longer; follow me-" and drove across the
line upon the reservation. A tremendous
shout went up from the boomers, and they
went forward and over the line. The
shout was taken up all along the line,
and the entire cavalcade moved forward.
from Chautauaua county, with
MS wife and five children, were the first
settlers to follow the Kansas City men,
Soon 1000 white covered wagons were in
notion. From an elevation, five solid
niles Of wagons could be seen, and as
he caravan went over the undulatinp ]
prairie it presented sight long to be re. !
Perched on cracker box, in file of
en- wagons from Bingham, Kas., Dan I
Skies flung an American flag to the
,reeze. AS far as it could be seen it was
lailed with patriotic shouts. For three .
lours the wagons crossed the Strip line :
md rnovad slowly foward tho ,,ro,,, ;,l,l | '