Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-04-22
HOSTS OF SETTLERS.
Tho Scenes Presented Along the
Roads Through the Strip.
INCIDENTS OF. THE MARCH
Many yenturesome Ones Find water7
braves in tho swollen streams-Des-
psradoes Awaiting the Settlers
coming-work for the Troops.

s"S a
Coming-work for the Troops.
ARKANSAS CITY, April 20.-The scene
along the roads through the Cherokee
Strip, from the neighborhood of Ar
kansas City and Coldwell, Kan, to Ok
lahoma, beggars description, and the
general appearance presented is similar
to the line of march of some great army
on retreat. The recent hard rains have
aoftened the roads so that the heavy
immigrant wagons cat them till they
are almost without bottom. AS a nat
ural consequence, wagons stuck in the
mud or broken down are seen ali along
the line.
Swollen Streams Gather In Victims.
The streams are all up, and the de-
termined and impatient boomers are
having great trouble in crossing them.
Rumors from along the line report that
eighteen boomers were drowned in at
tempting to ford the swollen streams,
but in the rush and confusion it is diff
fcult to get particulars, and owing to
the poor facilities for going from point
to point, it is almost impossible to get
reports Of all the things that are hap.
pening along the line, and eighteen
may not be the half OF those who have
found watery graves in attempting to
reach Oklahoma.
Discom forts. of tho March.
A heavy rain added to the discomfort
L -. +s,. So. - - -
are provided with no sheiber, but are
on horseback. Hundreds of women and
children accompany the boomers on
their march, and in many cases the
women are drawing the wagons, while
the men walk along, driving their small
herds of COWS and calves. Some of the
wagons are loaded with household
furniture and goods of all kinds, while
Others contain but a scanty supply of
provisions and a few old quilts and
blankets. Some of the emigrants are
provided with good teams and are evil
IDENTIFY possessed of ample means, while
others have spiked teams, rope harness
and old. worn-out wagons. Great num-
bers of the boomers are in camp near
the Salt Fork Of the Arkansas river,
about half way between Arkansas City
and the Oklahoma line, unable to cross
and waiting for the roads to dry up,
while many others are pushing forward,
regardless of the roads, towards the
lime, where they intend resting their
teams and tightening them in order to
on the opening day.
Soldier, Arriving.
The soldiers are camped at various
points along the line. and reinforce
ments are constantly arriving. Two
more companies of infantry arrived,
and the general impression prevails here
that, owing to the absence of other law
for Oklahoma, the country will be
placed under martial law for the pres
emit, until suitable laws for it's govern
ment can be enacted. Capt. Hayes, in
command of the troops here, has per-
mitted several bridge builders to eater
the territory and bridge some Of the
most dangerous streams which the set
Tiers will have to cross. These men will
be allowed to charged small toll to
compensate them for their work. The
United Statas troops have been ordered
to Withdraw precisely at noon on the
22d, and to permit the settlers t o enter
iOklahoma. In the meantime thew +
gathering along the line, and their mum
beers are hourly increasing. A large
United States flag floats from one of the
boomers wagons In other wagons are
desks, chairs, law books, hank furpi-
tnre, restaurant and saloon fixtures and
everything needed for the business of a
city, and OF next Monday . city will
spring up at Guthrie with such rapidity
as to astonish the world.
lElnded Military Vigilance.
Notwithstanding the vigilance of the
military authorities thousands of set
tiers nave already, it is reported, pene-
trated into the interior of the Oklahoma
lands and seized their claims, having
broken in some mysterious way through
the military Gordon. AS the territory
will be thrown open to the boomers
within forty-eight hours, there is not
time to dispossess those already on the
lands, and the widest scenes are ex-
tpected to occur when the legal occupa-
ton of the land is to be effected and a
demonstration will necessarily have to
be made to eject those unlawfuily hold
ing claims. The wan department has
provided for the immediate presence at
central points of the troops from the
military posts at Leavenworth, Fort
Riley and Fort Hayes in Kansas, Forts
Smell, Supply and Gibson in Indian ter
ritory and Fort Elliott in Texas. The
total number of troops from all the
posts, however, will not aggregate over
1000 men,
A Bank on wheels.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April 20.-The