The morning news., 1889-04-26
HARDLOT OF THEB0OMER
ur7NGER AND HARDSHIP START a
BIG RETREAT.

pread Selling at 5 Cents a Loaf and
crackers at 81 so Per Pound-A Rain
Adds to the Discomforts of the Shell
+arless Thousands-Secreta Noble
Orders an Investigation Into the
conduct of the Government Officials
CHICAGO, April 25.-An Arkansas City,
only in Oklahoma, but in the entire tribu-
+arv country The railroad is prostrated,
and communication is entirely cut off. The
Western Union, with It's crush of train-dis-
Matching, would not touch a message of any
other character in the territory, though
,ba eorth swallowed the town site. Guthrie's
hack seems broken, and there is a furious
stampede to get out. The people there are
wild from the deprivations that the lack of
shelter. water and food impose upon them.
10 these distresseS are, added the misfor-
times Of temperature, heat and the absence
Of means of flight. When your correspond
ent reached Willow Springs from the Dia-
mond Bar ranches be learned from dis
matches that neither the north or south
DOuQu pt5oSLESi II eAAlANA SAOA OAJ OuOI hcso
baen heard from.
MORE ARRIVALS
"An hour of waiting passed when a train
Of twenty cattle cars crept up from the
south. The cars were locked, but upon the
roots. the buffers, amid the coal on the ten
der on the pilot and gangway of the loco
IN tive and packed in ana upon the caboose
was dense and miserable throng OF men,
The train from Guthrie had started with its
strange load at o'clock in the evening. 1t
was useless to attempt to enforce laws re-
stricting railroad travel. The people were
fleeing practically for their lives They had
added to the long periods of privation suf-
ferlng of seventeen hours without food or
protection from the cold. No trains had
passed them and none was in sight behind
They had left a howling mob in Guthrie
bs1led in its efforts to join in the flight
RETURN OF THE CORRESPONDENT.
"The uselessness of proceeding to Guthrie
was apparent and the correspondent
secured a footing for one foot and returned
TO this point with the laggard train. Since
dark other freight trains have followed,
having made eighty-five miles from Guthrie
IN from six to fourteen hours. The cars
are piled with fugltives, thirsty and
famine stricken, and Arkansas City
is CIDWGQ as IL was D6IOr6
the descent. Some experiences are pitiful.
terrible storm last night raised the mis-
cries OF Guthrie to almost a horror. A vio-
lent WIND arose as the sun sank, and filled
the air with the sitting red alkah dust that
sJrews the plain. A deluge of rain sue
ceeied and through the night 1t beat
upon thousands Of shelterless people. The
railroad is utterly incompetent in
the emergency and is delivering
baggage and express too slowly to be of
any use to the unprotected. The fugitives
ear with joy as they alight here and rush
70 the hydrants and eating houses. Curses
are heaped upon the region, aud Govern
ment Marshals Needless and Jones are exc
Grated without stint and the railroad is de-
&unced for its feeble services.
GUTHRIE WITHOUT FORM.
Guthrie is without form The original
streets have disappeared aud new streets
are being plowed every hour. Values have
fallen to prac ically nothing and confidence
is at a low ebb. Those who are not going
home have announced their intention Of
moving upon the Cherokee strip, and it is
reported that hundreds of boomers in
wagons have already dole so.
Stores Of men surrendered their claims
to lots in Guthrie without effort to pre-
serve OF dispose Of them. A south-bound
passenger train arrived here long after
time rowded with pilgrims for Guthrie,
ana few could be dissuaded by tie lameutl-
ions OF the fugitiVes 1t is impossible to
PREDICT what the next few days will de-
yelop'
THE FIRST NATURAL DEATH.
4 special from Arkansas City says: "The
first natural death in Oklahoma occurred
at Oklahoma City yesterday. Thomas
u NptII q a
SSAaA, No., died of a congestive chill,
Drought on by exertion and exposure
many cases OF pneumonia are reported"
CLAIMS DESERTED.
ST LOUIS, April 25-An Arkansas City
s.eciai to the Republic says: "a number
oL claims have been deserted in various
parts of the territory, and wagons can be
seen frequently on the back trail Many of
yle ul gruntled threaten 10 "squat" on the
ILalau s2il surrounding Oklahoma. Some
WI! lali back on tie Cherokee strip, others
"lI 90 down into the country
Sau 41 lease farms from the Indians.
eIal country Is being rapidly settled by
taIuefs who pay an annual head right or
ease Tor the privilege of tilling the soil
Se. Lhe country is as much superior to
GGAlanoIna as Is the Cherokee outlet, aud
.cere a great deal of complaint among
iIe uooineIs that the poorest land in the
Ia'aian iar5 l-rFitory should have been the only
ANU open to settlement.
MANY CONTESTS.
Desplle this encouragement, however,
s-aHy contests Tor the possession of land
s.e threatened. An interesting case has
80. r'!9ou "hefe two men arrived on the sam o
4t1I'er section, not five minutes apart
r.rt I9 uIsV arrival claimed possession by
r'oll'y' The second male improve
t1s .leN's and claimed that it was
r,'h. Improvement which perfected tine
I. lI'aI1 ot occupancy. This casa will
s..-is-as -4Ip,Ieas be taken 70 the land Office for
,.tsi'leeAt' AS an evidence of the ingrati-
~. VI the republic, it may be mentioned
~ contest hes already been filed against
is elAllh OF Capt. Couch, the old boomer
o1aI..ll '.I.l on tbe curious ground that he dis
tsr1r. 1'.''.Q 20 himself from making entry by en-
sg,'5i ,'-'5 ouo territory years ago on boomer
CrnteuaiVlonS. Gen. J. b. Weaver. Of Iowa.
or113 VI 1he most persistent advocates of the
laIoIins OF Oklahoma in congress. has also
60 ms cain contested, and has been ac-
t5S tb.a. w attempting to take the people by
m oLD-TlMERs OUT IN THE COLD.
f,-o5 lHe oid-tme boomer leaders have not
be f@,,,4H' "9H' ANY number Of plainsmen can
yors- o-,,u now lying around Purcell who
hayo t1l ullIlAden and outrun by men who
f,, TIuAea tne fruit of their years OF sacri-
Inn, &. Aost Of them take IL philosophicaiIv.
IA ,- -I UIeal blood, aud u murdered bov of
M ,rl nuo was shot when found in pos. ssion
,.st '5 vi THESE claims, owes his death 10
5pa1s't5llt lstice' whether he was partially re-