Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-26
A ADISGUSTED BOOMER
Interesting Experiences Among In
dians and oklahoma Residents.
INTERVIEW WITH AN ARKANSAN,
Who Didn't Keep His Claim Because He
Wouldn't Shoot Squatter.
THE MAGIC CITIES OF TIE PRAIRIEs
roonnrsroNpENoE OF THE DISPATCH, !,

I received letter from Hon. A. NJ. Wilson.
a'member of the Cherokee commission, in
which be said: 81 have received no in
structions from the Interior Department,
but presume that 1 will as soon as the
vacancy in our commission is filed. may
also mention that there are no commissioners
on the part of the Cherokees, and until there
are presume a trip to Tahlequah by the
United States Commission would be use
less. Yet we might be ordered there so far
as L know"
So 1 concluded it would be a matter of
some time until the commissioners would ar
rive in Tahlequah to negotiate with the In
dians, and, therefore, in company with Mr..
Stephen, the photographer set out upon
the journey ''home"-to Guthrie. Two
miles out from the pretty little capital Of
the Cherokees we met party of osages who
were on their way to Tahlequah to meet in
council with the Cherokees regarding the
coming conference with the United States
Commissioners. The party consisted of Euzaa-
Tsh-Wah- Tah-Inkah, Governor; Savey, chief
and Ne-Kah- W Wah-Shin-Ten-Kah, leading
o councilmen, and W. P. Mathes, interpreter.
The Indians were fine looking set OF men.
The two councilmen were especially hne
looking. They were six feet high and pro-
portionately we'll formed. They wore long
hair, and had aquiline noses and small,
piercing black eyes. They had arrayed
themselves in ali of their fnery for this oc-
caSion-it was to be q very courtly affair.
In crossing a pool of water some mud was
splased on the chiet s handsome blanket
which seemed TO annoy him very much.
He carefully brushed each particle of mud
from his blanket and the party then
rode on.
DISGUISED oKLAHoMANs.
Mr.. Matthews, the interpreter told us
that the Osages were, to a man, opposed to
selling their land TO the Government and
were also opposed to the allotment OF their
lands in severalty. They took the patents
to their lands and other papers with them,
and were prepared for fight.
About two miles southwest from Fit.
Gibson we arrived at Nevins Ferry upon
the bank Of the Arkansas river, at the con-
fuence of the Neosho and Verdigris. The
waves on the Arkansas were very high in
consequence of a gale which had been
blowing all dav. On each bank of
the stream were encamped nearly
100 disguised Oklahoma boomers on
their way home from the beautiful land"
They were abject pictures of misery. Their
travelling equipege was of the poorest kind;
the horses all being very bony, and in some
cases the wagon tires and spokes were held
in place with wire and rope. The children
were all thin and sallow looking. noticed
one family in particular that seemed to be
in pitiable condition of destitution. The
head OF the family was hanging some
clothes on the bushes to dry. went up to
him and said in the Oklahoma vernacular:
Good morning, neighbor. Might 1 ask
where you hail from?"
1 don't know exactly why, but half ex-
pected to hear him say, ''from Pike county.
Missouri" Western writers have ever had
a peculiar penchant for naming Pike
county, Missouri, as the place of nativity
of all the long-legged,- lank- haired, unfor-
tunate wretches that infest the Western |
country. I do not know why this should |
be so. True, they say her ''sile'' is a |
S'leetle too po' to raise good cawn," but is |
this any reason why the county should |
give birth to all of the wInd-galled, spav-
ined, cock-eyed wretches that are extant.
AN ARKANSAS TRAVELLER.
But I was relieved when this man
answered, I'm from Arkansas" asked
him where ne was going, and he answered |
lacouically:
"Goin' home. Got any chewin'?''
1 was at first little puzzled to know what |
kind of "ehewin'" he wanted. He looked |
like he would be helped some if he could |
chew piece of meat; but concluded it was |
tobacco he wished, and told Rogers, our |
stage driver, to give him "chaw." From |
the "chaw" he got his inspiration for this |
tale, which ne abbreviated, like he was die |
tating telegram:
"Went down with nv folks to Purcell |
five weeks ago come Sunday; left old woman |
and kids in camp and sneaked through the
line and picked out claim on South Cana
dian rivah; then sneaked back to family.
On 22d, just as soon as the bugle blew, 1 |
few like bird, On my hoss down to the
South Canadian end and down to claim.
Some durn fule was plowin' and sowin'
marifat peas 1t made me mad as the
dickens. jus got right up on my eah.
Says 1 to him, You git right off'n my
claimP
''Taint yours says he, impudent like.
"'Tis, says 1,
Lets see you take it. says he, and the
durn fule pulled gun out'n his pants bout
50 long" (He indicated on his arm a
measurement of about two feet.) 'I never
said no more to the dog-gone fellah; went
back to family. He kin have his durn Lam.
'Tsint no good anyhow"
Then my unfortunate boomer addressed
Rogers, our driver, in the following words,
to wit:
''say, stage drivah, I'm kind O. skittish
about crossing this wstah. Wheh you all
goin' to be to-maw mawn? I'll be here
right early 'spect."
RETURNING TO GUTHRIE.
Rogers told hin that the waves would 90
down with the sun, and that they could
cross during the night We lay under the
shade of the cottonwood trees and read
Stephan and did. Rogers had a horse
pistol and box of cartridges. His pistol
was "44-it shot young cannon ball.
Rogers spent his morning in shooting at
buzzards.
About two hours after sundown the
waves subsidized and we crossed in safety
and reached Muscogee, where we STAYED all
night We arrived at Oklahoma CITY on
the evening Of the 10Th. after an uneventful
but iatlguing journey over the prairies.
The Santa Fe train pulled into Oklahoma
City just as we arrived at the station. There | I
were number of importuning hackmen
and a score of hotel runners" each CRYING
out the merits of his house in true metro
politan style. Newsboys were CRYING ont:
'Here's your Oklahoma Chief; all about |
the new city ordnance Oklahoma City {
is surely a precocious infant Only
month old, and yet she assumes the airs of
3 metropolis.
At Guthrie we found everything SO
,hanged from the town of ten davs ago that ;
We we're bewildered and could scarcely pick
sur way to the site where we had left our
!ers, and when we did reach the locality ,
,ur tent had been removed, and on the ;
premises was a two-story frame house. which
vas occupied by a madam from kansas :
Jitv. We did not contest her proprietor !
4 = l.. Ar,& |