The Red Cloud chief., 1889-05-03

wild 0ight southwark, keeping ~hat little
start they had until they had reached the
opposite sid OF the river. But here, also.
they were shortly followed sad ordersA
back from the banx and q guard was
placed to patrol the line. Up and down
the river through the dark hours of the
night the sturdy sentinels kept moving.
aud the crowds in the groves which
fringed the river valley grew larger ant
the camp fires multiplied a. the night
wore on. So On till noon they kept com.
ing.
About eleven o'clock q line u horsemea
formed down close 10 the waters elGs
and the wagons clustered around the
fOrdA The rich and the poor. the young
and the old boomers. tendersest mountOd
on horses. great and small. were all in
line. Gray-hearted men whose hopes
glowed and faded as often As the changing
seasons had swept pitiful gusts Of north
and south wind over the and whore they
had long hoped to make their homes were
in line. Many Of them had spsn, all their
earthly possessions and the best years Of
their lives in the endeavOr u possess the
homesteads for which they were now to
ride q long race. Some OF the best
horses in the country had been imported
by the new Corners to ride for these very
elaine. They mad. q fine show on the
dress parade. Of a dash down the street
or . prsnce to the rivers bank. But the
hardy Indian ponies ridden BY the srizzisd,
old-time boomers made better time through
the swift and muddy curren. and shifting
4uicksands and then over the hills by un.
certain paths to the places where ths cor.
mar Sfnnas pga1 IN kA Tha rVnr ~n.
lower han usual. instead OF being Oh the
rampage. as had been anticipated.
In the railroad yards all was hustle and
confusion for twenty -four hours before
hand. Long rows of box cars were stand.
ing on the sidetrackS where they have
been accommodating for wsek& The rail-
road men have had their hands full for
two weeks past OF account Of the rush VI
the cattle business. The stock trains have
been keeping the track warm day M
night ever since the movement north be-
gan. and crews have been running for
days and nights at a time. They already
had about all they could attend To. and
the tram dispatchers were soreiy puzzled
to keep sight OF the track b.forS the order
came to prepare for putting through
the 'boomer' express on special time
The anxious yardmaster and the sleepy
engineers We're glad hat the day Of con-
fusion had come at last, aud their one
hope was that it would pass without a
wreck. Scheme after scheme was tried I"
induce railroad men TO make use of their
opportunities to take different parties into
the country ahead Of time. Some wanted
TO hire box cars Oth,rs wanted to he
s.creted in other ways on freight trains
which were goingi in before twelve O'Clock.
and scores wanted to ride in on the on.
gines. But the train men only laughed
and the schemers went away unhappy.
The train Of twenty -four coaches moved
slowly out at 11:3J with all the people On
the house tops waving an adleu As it
approached the bridge stealthiIy u courier
gnlioped up the opposite sid of the rIvsr
and the pickets were withdrawn. Tho
train crcpt over at last The scene on the
other side can only b.. left to the imaSina.
ton. The TO mers' cavalry carried every
thing before il. They rode far ahead OF
the train and were soon all over the
country. They reached Oklahoma station
before one O'Clock. The train reached there
by two O'Clock. The quickest run was
mad by I. r. Howard. a distance OF
twelve miles in forty minutes. He had
the racehorse imported for the occasion
and left the rest Tar behind. The tender.
feet drove their ~pacshorses hard a: the
start and left the others behind. the old
boomers kept their wind till thu finish and
ended the race in fine style. What the
horsemen did not get in Oklahoma vas
captured by men VIII We're on the ground
or very near IL ut noon. According TO
the general account they came. from
every direction at twelve O'Clock,
and a few minut afterwards We're hold.
ing down claims for miles in the .nterios
or the country. Til. railroad excursion.
lists had 10 content themselves with town
lots. Several thousands Of them have
been taken at Oklahoma City. Two fac
tons are already wransling over the To-
cation IF Oklahoma City proper and Guth-
rie. Oklahoma City covers parts Of five
quarter sections as laid cut at present
Guthrie extends into ton square miles and
makes n good town sta. There IL no lum-
her mt cit her place and edible> were so
scarce that n great many went hungry.
The trouble has hardly begun. Many
mel ouud one NOR. companion on their
favorite quarter section. Half the land
In the valley will Ice contested. The facts
will 4. monstratc hat Oklahoma was full
or people when the army officers declared
nobody was there except IL few who we're
entitled To remain. Oh account Of runners
efwce deputy marshals and railroad OF.
ficial< The best Of every thing was taken
before the outsiders got a share, aud tho
probability is that every thing will be
contested
There are rumor Of d%ificultie. at Okla
homa City. Guthrie and Norman. Near
here one man was killed. A man named
Nolan ole out from here tn a claim across
the river and found there another namsd
COrhe'. a native Of tn. Chickasaw Nation.
who was already rich in land and y home.
They proceeded to settle the question with
their Winchest.rs and fired "a number OF
shots at each other. Nolan received sew
eral severe wounds and Collier; Was killed.
kinCiisher seems Ia have been the most
orderly and peaceahie place Of all The
crowdt there MAS not a. large rs at other
places Comparatively few filings havc
been made at the land.oilices and i, seems
from present indications several weeks
will be required 10 complete The work.
The cd soldiers seem to have the advsn.
iaSe over everybody else in the game.
They have made their WAY TO their lands
and authorized attorneys to file as their
agents
A TROUBLOUS QUARTER.