Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-04-26
ARE REWARDED AT LAST
The Scene at Oklahoma is Without its
Parallel in History.
At Noon Yesterday There Was Mad
Scramble for Land.
The Mob is Well Armed But no Dis
tnrbanceS are Reported.

ST. Louis, April 22.-The RepubIic's
Arkansas City special ssys: Oklahoma
is open. The trials, struggles and sacri-
foes of years are partially rewarded, but
the events of today and those of days,
| weeks aud months to follow, will prove
how far the supply Is below the demand,
and necessitate further concessions TO
avert disorder, bloOdshed and other CON
| ditions but little shorS of anarchy. The
| history of this day will forever be me-
| mortal III the frontier annals, and will
leave behind a heritage of litigation
which will be fruitful TO land sharks and
claim attorneys, but will be destructive to
the claims of poor and honest settlers.
The Septs Fe began running its sectional
trains out of Kansas City last night,
aud picking up cas- at almost every sta
ton along Il route. Hundreds of peo-
pie were waiting at every depot and the
cars all or which ere filled Uefore the
border line was reached could be coupled,
they would have made the train miles iu
length. The crowds were composed of
speculators, Rdyeuturers, sight seers.
thieves, etc. The Farming element was
not largely represented, rs all of the
homesteaders have gone on before.
There were men in the cars from
every great city and important point in
the country, and there was not state
OF territory IN the country which did not
have its representatives.. A newspaper
coach was the frs out of Kansas City. 1t
contSined representatives of al the lead
ing newspapers IN ths country who were
compelled to yield room and comfort for
the good of toe cause.
At Arkansas City there were over 75
coaches tracked in the yards awaiting
the rush, all of these were lowered into
the yards awaiting some distance below
depot. The crowd began gathering on
the platform two hours before day
light, and long before the first faint
streak of dawn of the fateful day
the city was awake and stirring. Tbs
streets presented live, picturesque ap-
pearance. Hundreds in heir i'm patience
to get abroad, rushed down en- masse to
the yards and sttemp pied to force an eu-
trance into the cars, all of which were Sc
curely locked. The excitement may he
judged from the fact that large number
of the coach windows were broken out by
people who We're anxious to secure seats.
1t was in vain for the officials to say
that the trains would run in SEQ
tions fifteen minutes apart. Every
uan there wanted to be Is minutes ahead
of every body, and no6 Is minutes be
hind anybody. The first section made
up consisted of nine coaches, a newspa-
per coach and one caooose. 1t pulled
out at S:45 railroad time, drawn by en-
CINE 266 1t was $50 when the line
which marks the state line and the divi1-
ing line frOn the Cherokee strip, was
reached. 1t was greeted with a cheer
which rolled from the news car in FROM
TO the rusuIers in the ca
boose behind. It marked the departure
from state government toward a country
where the government Is Yet to be Gre
az ed and established. sill the Cherokee
country lay between them and the rain
bow land. Along the Pawnee trail the
tram also passed caravans of boomers
wagons, many going south, but some re-
turning towards Kansas. Between Will
low Springs and the POnCha agency some
body in the Newspaper car discovered a
man riding on the coach trucks. When
the train stopped at Ponce the adVentUrOu
boomer on wheels was taken % into the
car, and elected honorary member of the
Press association. He gave his name as
Harvey TaddIer and said he was born in
England, but had been in this country
for nine years and had come all the way
from Seattle, w. l., to get foot hold III
Oklahoma. He was elected as represent
ative of the London Times and also as
mascot of the new city of Cru hrie.
At the last station outside the
Oklahoma territory there were
great crowd of boomers who had forsaken
,,t-,
by -a1l. There being no room inside,
they climbed to the top of the coaches,
and the entire train, from one end to the
other, was lined with them. In this way
the line was reached about Fl 3 minutes
after u O'Clock. Before the dead line
was reached and passed however, the
great transformation scene had
begun, and was plainly visible
to the watchers from the train
The first came in view while the topped
wagons gathered together in groups ON
the level prairie or in little valleys which
diversity the face of the country. 1t was
at once noticeable that teams were not to
be ssen in any of these camps and it was
plain that they had been taken out of
harness to be ridden across the border
by hard riders who we're to locate claims.
n
proved to be a correct one, for the entire
surface of the country, as far as the lest
field glass could carry the
sight was overrun with hOrsemen
galIoning to the southTard. The feetest
horses had evidently been picked ous for
the work, and they were carrying their
riders rapidly to the Iouged for goal.
Rides Cf fifteen or twenty miles were
mo 10 Jya Inpradulnn II short hyy nj
boomers familiar with the country, and
who knew where desirable lands were To-
Gated. The day wss cioudIesz, and far
away in the horizon both to the east and
west, clouds of dust co1ld be seen as
ceuding FROM the hoofs of huRdreds of
horses rushing toward different destina-
tiJns in most cases, but some of them
toward the same. One lace for the goal
could be easily distinguished. The riders
were evenly mounted; they were Beck
and neck for a mile or two along the
trail as far as the Y could be seen and their
eager and intense looks and merciless
sIashing We're sufficient evidence of the
prize they were running after. One
saddled but riderleRs horse was seen gal
Looping along the trail, the ominous sign
of some accident or fatality which had
befallen the rider. Some went in charge
of horses and evidently the riding relays
toward the goal. Olt of the dust which
arose toward the east could be seen after
the train had reached tau sur nit of high
ridge, the wagon caravan, which was
fully two miles IN length ana
which was being sped - It's utmost
speed of its horses. These caravans we're
plainly out-distsnced by the morse back
riders, and after miles of territory had
been traversed, 1t was seen that the best
riders were winning the best prizes. One
homesteader who had secured 4 magnif-
cent quarter of rolling land, dug
hole two or three feet deep at
thst corner of IL where the surveyors
section was located, eud where he had
driven his stakes. Not looking upon
these evidences of possession - suff
cient 70 copfirm his title, ne seized hi-
Winchester as the train rhn oy suG fired
out all is contents, and also mis- revolver.
aud yelling like q cOvooy or Commsnchs
Indian all the time. Not only yelIs but
shots were res sponded TO from the train
and q volley went up into the air from
the entire length Of the section which
proved conclusiveIy hoE rell the party
was armed in expectancy of what might
happen 4 fes miles the other side
of the line. The train stopped a. a mill
tsry poet, where the white tops OF the