The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-05-02

were locked, but upon the roofs, the
buffers, amid the coal on the tender
On the pilot and gangway of the loco
motive, and packed in and about the
caboose was a dense and miserable
throng of men. The train from Guth-
RE had started with its strange load at
six in the evening. 1t was useless 20
attempt to enforce the laws restrictive
of railroad travel. The people were
fleeing practically for their lives. They
had, added to the long periods of pri-
walton, the suffering of seventeen hours
without food or protection from the
cold. No train had passed them and
none in sight behind. They had left
bowling mob in Guthrie baffied in its
efforts to join in the flight. The use
lessness of proceeding to Guthrie was
apparent, and the correspondent Sc
cured a footing for one foot and re-
turned with the laggard train. Since
dark other trains have followed, hav-
ing made the eighty-fve miles
from Guthrie in from six to
fourteen hours. The cars are
piled with fugitives, thirsty and FAM
Inc stricken, and Arkansas City IS
crowded as it was before the descent.
Some experiences are pitiful. A terri
BILE storm last night raised the miserse-
of Guthrie almost horror, A violent
wind arose as the sun sank and filled
the air with the sitting red alkali that
strews the plain. A deiuge OF rain
succeeded and throughout the night
beat upon the thousands of shelterless
people. The railroad is utterly in
competent in the emergency and ls de-
liverin5 baggage and express TO slowly
to be of any use to the unprotected.
The fugitiVes shout with joy as they
alight here and rush to the hydrants
and eating houses. Curses are heaped
upon the region and the government.
Marshals Needles and Jones are
execrated without stint for the
theft of the land, and the railroad is
denounced for its feeble ser
vice Guthrie is without form. The
original streets have disappeared and
new sections are being plowed every
hour. Values have fallen to practically
nothing, and those who are not going
home announce their intention of NOV
ing upon the Cherokee strip, and re-
port that hundreds of boomers in wag-
Ons have already done so. Scores OF
men surrendered their claims in IIuth-
RE without an effort to preserve or dis
pose of them. The south-bound pas
senger arrived after time, crowded
with pilgrims for Guthrie, and few
could be dissuaded by the lamenta-
tions of the fugitives. 1t is impossible
to predict what the next few DAYS will
develop in Guthrie.
TWO MEN KILLED,
LISBON, Okla, April 25.-Late last
night a negro came rushing into Mar
shall WAITS camp. He said that four
of his companions in little colony
ten miles southeast, had had desper-
ate fight with rival claimants and were
reported shot. \ deputy was sent out
to effect arrests and has not yet re-
turned. Two men are reported dead
on their claims four miles east, shot
last night. The messenger that came
in wanted help to bury them. He
could not give any particulars
TELEGRAPH WIRES NEEDED.
PoNCA, l. T., April 25.-The West
ern Uuion Telegraph company has
reached here with another wire and
will extend it to Purcell as fast as
| the men and means can get IT there.
This wire is very much needed and
will greatly facilitate the getting Of
news from Oklahoma.
MERRITT's REPORT.
KANSAS CITY, Kas., April 25.-Gen-
eral Merritt's report of the numbers in
Oklahoma is incomprehensive. The
estimate here is that fully $4,000 peo-
pie are now in Guthrie. and more than
| so 900 in the territory. Nearly twice
as many as he allows for the whole ter
ritory left this place and are still pour
ing in.
STILL INCREASING.
KANSAS CITY, April 25.-A Star
special from Guthrie via rail to Arkan-
sas City says: The facility for get
ting news here are no better than two
DAYS ago. All matter has to be sent
| by a messenger to Arkansas City and
as the best time from here there is
! eight hours, news is necessarily that
much late. There is little outside of
| incidents. The corps surveyors was
yesterday increased to four, and work
| began in the afternoon. All attention
| is paid to this work, as on it depends
every lot owners claim. No attention
has been paid to the proposed streets.
| A man without a lot, pitching his tent
anywhere, PROPOSED street or not,
trusting that the survey will give
him something, provisions ntlnue
| scarce. One man yesterday
sold thirty barrels OF bread, fiYe-cent
loaves at fifteen cents, and loaf OF
two at a quarter. The supply ran out
and while people were willing to pay
the exorbitant price, it could not be-
had at all. Crackers found a ready
sale at a dollar and a-half pound. A
grocer announced that he had glveI
fifty dollars for the prlvilge of breaking
open the car which contained his stock
He soon made it up. The inconyen.
fence caused by the blockade of freight
here is beyond computation, and II
grows worse Instead OF better. Inc
freight, express and baggage increase
with each train and lack of help pre-
vents prompt distribution. The wa
ter question continues to be serious
one, but before the end of the week {
number of wells will be sunk. De
spite the fact that every train takes
out large numbers of dissatisfied set
tiers. every train brings in as many
more, so there is little change in the
actual number here. The lot question
continues the all important one. Tht
class of men who were on the grounC
before the hour of opening, and whC
are standing together, will be hard Il
GUST from their lots, but the people art
determined. Filing continues slow. L
has never reached one hundred any day
The order here is phenomenal. NJ
whisky is to be bought. a gentleman
who is now specializing in lots has the
promise of the agency of one eastern
he is banking on great prof
its. The sun is very no
and where the sod ha
been spaded and plowed up the soil II
mealy and blows in every direction
Prominent citizens are dirty and thu
scarcity of water prevents cleanliness
Citizens meetings are held three time
per day. Chairman Constantine is 81
hoarse he can barely speak. The de
mands of the people i'll Guthrie TO
railroad service to get out are accumu
lating, and are becoming so urgent tina
, trouble is feared. The collision nortl
of Stewart caused by an operator care
lessness has made the Santa +,
very cautious. The wreck, from
accounts of eye-witnesses, is mucl
worse than was reported. Both en-
, gines were terribly smashed up ant
two cars full of cattle got away ant
! were lost in the timberland. The halt
mile of track built around the wrScl
, is still used.
The reported number of settlers OF
the Cherokee strip is exaggerated, onl
few are camping more than two day