The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-04
TERRITORY,


The crowd was panic-stricken After wait
ing SO many eventful days and nights fol
the hour of action to come men were seized
with a sudden fear that they would be left
in the lurch, and that fear served to make
them like drove of stampeded cattle.
Every car brought up the line was greeted
with tremendous cheer AS the coaches
which were to be attached to the news.
paper special were brought out of the siding
there was n simultaneous rush of 1000 OF
5000 men toward them. They were filled
to overilowing in less than minute and q
countless throng was struggling for place
on the steps.
The first section made up consisted OF
nine coaches, the newspaper coach and one
caboOse. 1t pulled out at S:4j railroad time,
and was the first train that ever ran out OF
Kansas loaded for Oklahoma with set
tiers, and even those who were dis
! appointed in getting aboard of it
| joined in wild, enthusiastic cheer, which
rent the Kansas air as the first step toward
the realization of hopes and dreams Of years
and the reward for the sacrifices of the past
We're taken. The train ran slowly, as there
was great danger of misplaced rails and
| swi itches and instructions of various kinds
placed there by those gone before who
wanted corner in the best lands in
sight. 1t was $40 when the sign which
marks the State line and the dividing line
from the Cherokee strip was reached. 1t
was greeted with cheer which rolled
! from the news car in front to the rustlers'
caboose behind. Along the Pawnee trail
the train passed caravans of boomers
wagons, many going south, but some re-
turning toward Kansas.
At the last station outside of the Oklaho-
ma Territory there was great crowd of
boomers who had forsallen their teams and
hoped to get in quicker by rail. There be-
ing no room inside, they climbed to the
tops 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 five minutes after 12 o'clock
Before the late dead line was reached and
passed, however, the great transformation
scene had begun and was plainly visible to
the watchers from the train First came In
view the white topped wagons gathered to-
gether in groups ON the level prairie or in
the little valleys which diversity the
face OF the country 1t was
at once noticeable that the teams
were not to be seen in any of these
camps, and it was plain they had been
taken out of the harness to be ridden
across the border by the hard riders
who were to locate claims. little
farther on and this conclusion
was proved to be the correct one,
for the entire face of the country as far as
the best field glass could carry the sight
was overrun with horsemen galloping to
the southward. The feetest horses had evil
IDENTIFY been picked for the work, and they
were carrying their riders rapidly to the
longed-for goal
The ride of Paul Revere dwindles into
obscurity beside the feats of horsemanship
performed in Oklahoma Rides of fifteen
or twenty miles were made In
an incredible short time by old
boomers familiar with the country,
and who knew where desirable lands
were located. The day was cloudless, and
far away in the horizon both to the east and
west clouds OF dust could be seen ascend
ing from the hoofs of hundreds of horses
rushing toward different destinations In
most cases. but some of them toward the
same
One race for goal could be easily dis
tiuguished. The riders were apparently
erenly mounted They were neck and
eek for u mile or two along the trail as far
as they could be seen, and their eager and
intense looks and merciless lashing were
sufficient evidence OF the prize they were
running after,
Out OF the dust which arose toward the
east could be seen, after the Train had
reachcd the summit OF higi. ridge, q
wagon caravan fully two mi es in length,
which was hlrrying forward at the ut
most speed OF Its horses. These caravans
were plainly outdistanced by the horse-