New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-26
REPTITIOUSLY.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUSR.I


some way or other managed 10 board trains going
north to-day, were the notable sights OF the last
twenty-four hours here. No agreement has beer
reached by the contending factions regarding
final plot of the city. Everything is in con-
fusion Pending u settlement, men put thei
faith in Providence and keep their powder dry
No outbreak or disorder has occurred. No shoot
ing scrapc has yet been recorded. Not that
material is lacking for Grstclass entertainment
Of this sort, nor that too little curiosity is
exhibited by leading citizens of Guthrie as tO
looking down the barrels Of their neighbOrs
Winchesters; but the presence of four companies
of infantry encaI0ped TO the west of the Santa
Fe is restraint which may be CALLING to some
Of the choice spirits Of the future capital OF
Oklahoma, but fills the heart OF the average
lawabdng citizen and visitor with reasonable
satisfaction. Fortunately the terrors OF drunken
brawls are almost entirely removed by Il strict
enforcement of the law which prohibits the sale
of liquors in the Indian Territory, ana
which the Government construed as meaning tha'
liquor cannot be transported across the Cherokee
Strip or through the Chicliasaw Nation, into Oka-
homa. Whisky is not TO be obtained III Guthrie
for money, and 1he few who brought with them
small supplies for their own use treasure 1t to
tallo the poison out of the water obtained at the
creek south Of the town.
A number of wells have been driven, or rather
dug in different localities to the depth Of twenty
five and thirty feet, but without success. Inc
town has still to depend upon the water Of the
muddy creek; Shiny, and replete, as 1t is, with
animal life. for cooking and drinking purposes.
Coffee containing everything except tadpoes Sui
sells at IS cents cup. The sandwiches by tins
time require closing Of the eyes and noStrls 10
dispose Of them. Eggs have arrived at that stage
where they might be used with success for theatr-
cal purposes, but except for the extraordinary cir
cumstances attending the birth Of Guthrie, they
would be considered unfit for the human stomach.
All kinds OF supplies are running short
The railroad is still unable to cope
with the amount Of accumulated freight
at different points on its line. Whoever arrives
in Guthrie now, without provisions of his own,
Will have TO eat dirt.
The land office is the scene Of the greatest
activity From early in the morning until late
at night a string of people extending three hun
dred yards into the surrounding prairie waits
with patience the turn OF every man i'll the line.
Around the door of the Office sit land lawyers
before roughly constructed pine tables, or on the
top of dry-goodS boxes, making out papers and
taking in fees. They the only happy men iH
Il
equalled by that of the surveyors, Of whom there
are few on the ground A surveyor who cannot
make $50 a day just now in Guthrie must be q
chump" indeed At the tent which serves for
the posto1ice the scene is as busy a one as that
presented near the land Office. A long line OF
men, numbering at times 500, winds its way
around corners and tents, through wagons and
camps until il is lost in the trees the banks of
the creek. Many are the inquiries for letters
from home" and IA nine cases out of ten the
answer comes There are none.' 1t is when you
see men turn away, unable to control their disap-
pointment, that you feel the utmost pity for their
lot here They find themselves, after having
broken up Their little homes far away, after bnv-
ing sold or disposed of everything in order to reach
Oklahoma, without money, withoat credit, with
out friends, surrounded by family dependent
upon them, the land-all the valuable land, at
lcaSt-seizcd by open violators of the law in the
euise OF Government officials, their stock OF provi
sions running low aud the prospect OF home Of
their own as far away rs ever. Here Is the tale
OF man, told TO til, correspondent OF The Tribune
as he turned to leave the poStoflce
" / am Il native of Hcrkimer County y. y, but
wa, raised in Ohio. When young man mar
rcd woman from near Columbus. She ran away
aud lcf. me with two children With the children
driftcd into Pennsylvania and located near Titus
Vile / struck oil and within "a single year made
$50, 600. Then I married for the second time.
NV wife had been school teacher But didn't
she make the money fly. though Inside Of two
years it was all gone Then She died, leaving
third child on my hands. ! kept lno' ing from
one place 10 another, all the time in search of
home Going along u road in Indiana ore day,
saw what seemed 10 me TO be mighty likely
woman I asked her if she would have me. She
said Yes We were married there and then. baby
was born within year. In another year We were
on the way 10 Texas through Missouri in search
Of home On the rOad the baby died. We
carried the little body about with US for ii whole
day before we could find suitable spot in which
10 bury IT, and minister TO say few simple
words above the little grave l forgot to inquire
the name Of the place. and five years aftcrward,
when l came through Missouri again l tried
10 find the grave, and couldn't do it.
To cut d long story short, my third wife
died and l married fourth i'll Texas, still
being without home. She beat the children,
and finally ran away like the first one. ]
wanted TO try it Il fifth time, but | was afraid
it would be bigamy. Still. | did not give up
the idea of securing n home. Three months ago
| sold all had, bought wagon, horse and
mule; the dog yOnder l picked up on the way
lere. was near Eureka Springs on the border
Inc at noon Of Monday last. When Cap
tain Hays gave the signal for the
start was of at once. kept
well in front for over an hour. had piece
Of land in mind which | had seen when my
way TO Texas and would you believe it, though
knew there was no one ahead OF me, when |
strucI, the spot at last, there sat a man on q
o11Iod oou, ,.itl a Winrheefar in his la
ing n pipe
Il want 20 stake this land says J.
lie never said word, but only raised his
rife and | cleared ont That home too, was gone.
Icre | am now as far as ever from getting a home
IN my old days. | am sXty-fye years Old, have
,ad four wives have travelled all this country
md have located IN Indiana Pennsylvania, Mis-.
.ouri and Texas All that is left of me is
aL-o.. 81 =.