Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-23
WITHOUT PARALLEL.
uNIHHABIrED COUNTRY AT MORN A
LARGE CITY AT NIGHT.
Such a Scene Presents Itself in tho Settle
msnt at okishoms-Fifty Thousand on
Hand-gioodshed Expected.
rBy telegraph to the Dtspath.l

Hand-gioodshed Expected.
TBy telegraph TO the Dtspatchl
CHICAGO April ga scramble for the virgin
soil In Oklahoma begins at noon today, says the
Duuy hsws. This morning. according 70 the
latest dispatches. fully 5000 people arc waiting
on the border OF that small pstch Of ground.
Fast horses railroad trains, siagos and all sorts
OF private vehicles will bear them Into the coyet-
cd territory AZ the earliest possible nonent
Ten thousand or more will cot possoesion Of All
p1e desirable land. aud then they apparently
will have TO hold 1t against i've times as many
disappointed men. Everybody n armed No
government exists There IL reason 20 roar,
therefore, that much Dloodshei will result from
the general turmoil Many Of tao mon who croes
the border Of Oklahoma to-day Will be residents
tonight OF large towns which have no existence
This morning. Towns aud farming lasds Will fur
nish large part Of the people with local hani-
ts.lon- The rest will 90 70 their old borocs or
will help " locate grzvoyards In the neH coun-
try, or will become squatters In the lndRn Terrs-
tory or settlers In Texas or Arksnsna- The
scenes In Oklahoma to-day are without paral-
lei The sudden turning Of an uninhaoited
country into country teemfng With people Is an
unique incident In tho couBtry's history.
A LINE or cAEP-FIRBs.
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. April ga star special
from Arkansas CITY says: Saturday night tnere
was continuous line Of camp fires from WhkI-
ton, the last station ia tho Cherokee strip, 10
Arkansas City. There were Tower lines along
the border line Of the promised land than would
have been expected. Comparatively few OF the
wsgon-men reached the oklsh0ma line until last
night and this morning. Saltfort creek, which
winds through the strip, and on the banks OF
which the PoDca reservation ts situated. caused
tho settlers much delay The rains bad mAdo II
50 high that fording was dangerous. and only
Few we're f0oihardy enough 10 venture II FRIDAY
morning fully 200 wagons wanted 10 get across
captain Hayes aud his company, who escorted
the settlers 10 the border. rendered them NEST
valuable service He induced the Santa re
road 70 permit him 70 lay planks beside aud be-
tween the tracks OF the bridge and get the emil
granite over. soldier viii rcd rag half a
mile from each end OF the bridge pre-
tho fridge was clear. In spite OF Gil
the precautions q woman and two children and
a number Of cattlo were drownod at the bridge.
Captain Hayes good work at the saltFork
bridge kept him and his troops from getting 20
the Oklahoma border until this morning.
careful estimate by a star reporter who MAS on
the border last night T. that within rsaius or
five miles from the border-sntrance on the Ponca
trail fully 800 men were at least . mile over the
line Wire fonces divide the strip from Okis-
hoIna. Tho men did not know tnnt the fence
was dividing line. or, II they do, ola not heed
IT, No soldiers were there 70 dispute their on
trance or tell whore the line was. Without let
or htudrance q great number OF people went into
Oklahoma ss early as saturday night.
The sky was clOudless, and IL was cool tl's morn
ing. The crowd at the depot was larger than
was expected. From the top OF the dspstheTs
Office a photographer took the crowd. -Four
trains with ten coaches each stood about ready
Tor the start Crowds OF people walked up aud
Down on the tops Of the cars The moment the
doors were thrown open the cars were nlled-
crowd followed the newspaper-men hoping TO
ind by them which train started nrsL Fifty
tents which we're pitched about the depot were
down before O'Clock. IL Is estimated that 800
men were at the depot awaiting transportation.
The outfits at tho depot were Striking.
Spades and axes we're the most com
mon equipments. Before the train started
the town was almost deserted. There
were many women among those 10 81 10 guthrie.
The danger seemed TO have been lost sight Of
Many crawled under the cars until tho police
stopped them. IL was just &45 when the lint
train pulled out shout from thousand voices
announced the fact The press-bar was next 20
the engine, and eight cars we're attached FULLY
fifty persons we're in tho pross-car. aud many
had no credentials. Many frelghtcars have ooeu
supplied with seats 20 follow later. At the -.
Louis and San Francisco crossing. whore stop
was necessary, people besieRed tho first train,
but the guards Kept them oil. just outside ths
city two daring men got on the ar-brIAkes under
tho press car At tho speed At which the train
started 10 Will reach Guthrie late. Tho wagon
bridge across Arkansas river wss fun OF settlers
wagons Two men jumped on tho cow-caEher.
but were put oil
TRAIS-LoADS.
WICHITA. KAs, April 22-Three train loads OF
boomers. numbering about ,,OJ people, left hero
for Oklahoma this morning over the Santa be
road. large number also left by way Of Rock
Islsnd. Another train has been wirod TO-. AS
every pnsssnger-car on the Santa 70 Is in use an
extra train has been made up OF catte-cars.
Division-Sup erntendent Turner, Of the Santa
Fo. says that Il viii be night before the last OF
the Oklahoma special trains will reach Guthrie.
The number Of people going from all the rail-
road towne in southern Kansas Is far greater
than was anticipated Many hundreds 20 down
merely 10 see the scramble. with no idea OF re-
naming. II Is believed that tho stage line
at Pond Greek, on Rock Island, will % totally
unable 70 accom- MEDIATE the crowds who will want
trans pOrtMtion across the sixty miles lying be-
tween the railroad terminus and Lisbon.
a special dispatch to the Daily BqGle, OF Kan
sas. dated Pord Greek ria Caldwell, Kas.. says:
At exactly noon the gates 20 the Promised
Land were thrown open 70 about 1900 people
on old Caldwell and Fort Reno trsil.
II wes ono Of the most exciting times
ever Witnessed IN the West. People seemed
very much excited. AS they were strung for
miles up and down the line. They rushed IN as
though il was the only laud ia the United States
unoccupied. They were all confident all would
get the hundred and sixty ecres hat they desired.
some were scattering towards cioirus, but most
OF them are moving rapidly towards tho land
Offices. Tho high water IN the ilmATIon mas
subsidized, and no further trouble Is anticipated.
No one who has rovor seen western town
take form and shape can comprehend bow
quietly a full-rigged city can he put IN running
motion. The leading candidates for mayor were
Ryes. OF Illinois William Constantine. Of Spring
field, Ohio. aud 7. l.. SumRer. Of Arkansas City.
The strong dark horse is r. Hagga, Of Dakota
The BANK Of OKhooma opened Tor business
at Guthrie to-day with 4 capital STOCK Of $1,000
The new city is flooded with business-cards OF
all descriptions. presenting every line OF trade
ana business. every profession, and every occu-
patton imaginable
CAPITALISTS EN- ROUTE.
NEWTON, KAN, April 22-Three train-loads OF
people bound for Oklahoma left this morning
over the Santa Fe. Among them was a number
Of capitalists, who will organize a bank and
open stores TO be ready for business Ia Guthrie
to morrow morning. Two hundred dwellings
we're shipped ready 70 be put up in couple Of
hours.