Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-23
THE BREAK AT PURCELL.
A Metropolis Sunday, n Hamlet Now-The
Race Over the Line,

A Metropolis sunday, Hamlet Now-The
Race Over the Line.
PURCELL, l. T., April 23.-A great change
has come over this town. Sunday it was a
metropolis. Now it is a hamlet in point of
population. The metamorphosis was effected
at IL o'clock yesterday. when several thou
sand men, women and children crossed the
Canadian river and entered upon wild
struggle for homes in the promised land
The scenes connected with this hegira will
never be effaced from the memory of those
who witnessed them. The sun was not up
sooner than the average boomer yesterday
morning. Probably not half the people slept
at all during the night. Gasoline lamps
fared from shutdown to sunrise in the two
business streets and the ghostly form of
prairie schooners could be seen moving
toward the ford mile north of town. Day
break found scores of men in the saddle. and
within an hour the town was as lively as it
has been since the boom began. A steady
stream Of wagons poured from the broken
country west and north to the main ford and
when this became blocked hundreds of them
were turned to the right, facing the river at
every point where fording seemed at all
practicable.
''An Aboard for Oklahoma"
When the first train of eight coaches
rolled into the station from the south every
boomer who had planned to invade Okla
homa by railroad was ON hand howl of
rage went up as the train sped on with train
men On every platform to prevent any one
from getting aboard. This train ran a little
below the town and halted until the hour set
for its departure into the territory. Soon
afterward a special train of twelve coaches
appeared, and inside of five minutes it was
crowded with over 1000 people 1t ran
down the switch and stopped until II 40
The overflow was so great that another train
Of equal size was brought up, and this also
was crowded to the platform in an incredi-
bly, short time
As the train lay on the siding each car was
a theater 1t seemed az if every man had q
plan whereby he could leave the train after il
had passed into Oklahoma, and stealthy
glances at the bell rope showed.that the engin-
GERS gong would sound about the time the
train was over the bridge below town.
A Moment Of Intense Excitement.
A the supreme moment drew near the ex-
element increased. Every person who had
not arranged to cross had secured an adj
vantageous position on a housetop or the
great bluff just north of the town and was
feverishly awaiting the rush. Not few
field-glasses were brought into requisition.
Oklahoma is visible for miles from any ele
walton in Purcell, and seems succession of
beautiful valleys, with well timbered ridges
between.
The Signal to Start Given.
At II 40 o'clock the conductor of the long
special train on the siding gave the signal
The engines whistled shrilly and the special
began its trip Oklahomaward. 1t seemed as
If every man on the train shouted when the
train moved, and moment later the sound
of pistol shots told only too plainly that the
Texans were firing their salute. Gathering
speed the train soon came opposite the ford,
and then furious fusillade broke out. II
was continued until the train dashed around
the bend preparatory to crossing the bridge
The succeed ing twenty minutes were the
longest of the day to those on the banks OF
the river Lieut.. Adair could be seen calmly
sitting on his horse in mid-stream, watch in
hand, and all eyes were conferred on him.
Suddenly he was seen to motion to the
soldiers near him, and the next moment the