The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-04-25
Oklahoma Occupied.


The Chicago News special from
Guthrie, Oklahoma, dated April p,
says:
The object OF ten years agitation
is obtained and Oklahoms is occu
pied. Guthrie, which WAS a name
on the map, little red station house
by the railway track, is tonight a
booming CITY OF $4,000 inhabitants.
Its structures are canvas, its popula-
lation almost exclusively male, but
there is excitement here that is want
ing In many more substantial city.
1t can now be seen that the opening
OF Oklahoma was conducted under
circumstances that made it impossi-
BILE for the law abiding settler to Sc
cure an even chance with SPECTATORS
and sharpers, and the investigation
that must be granted to the home
seekers will disgrace the Federal
method employed by some officials.
To complete the grievance the
country threatens to be a tremend
GUS disappointment. 1t was report
ed that wooded country lay before,
but an hours march cleared the riv-
erslde timber and we we're on plains
again. The land, although green
and treeless, became more rolling
than the splendid prairie north OF
the fork and the soil was not quite
so good.
The prospect confronted was a
most cheefless one to have ridden so
far and hard to see. The landscape
is duplicated on the Great American
desert. 1t was plain, broken only
by buttes, gullles and IN the immed-
late foreground by railway embank-
meDt. The surface thus scanned re-
vealed soil as red as brick dust,
and in spots almost vcrmlllion. The
whole region could be huge paint
quarry and the sunlight on this high
ly colored ground reflected on the
figures of men and teams with strange
effect. There were no shade except
few punches of tall trees, the heat
was tropical. The introduction to
the promised land was laid heavily
on the pilgrims, but though many
thought with regret of the glorious
fairy fields of the Cherokee strip
through which they had passed, all
we're firm to advance. Indeed we
have seen but one man turn back, and
he was gong home to nurse rifle
shot wound through the neck, the
result of an accident.
No one who has never seen Yves
tern town take form and shape can
comprehend how quickly full rig.
ged city with double deck boom
can be put in running motion.
Guthrie already has its Main Street,
its Harrison Street, its Guthrie Av.
enue and Oklahoma Avenue and Is,
900 inhabitants, and this morning
1T was a wilderness, where the ante
lope sported and the jack rabbit flap
ped his ears in the sun.
This afternoon at A O'Clock the
first municipal election occurred
The election notice appeared to day
in the Oklahoma Herald, daily pa
per, published at Guthrie on the first
day of It's existence. A council will
be elected at tue same time. Nearly
10000 votes were polled, as there are
about that many men in Guthrie,
with the intention of becoming cit
liens.
1t is evident that Oklahoma is to
be opened peaceablv and without
bloodshed. The crisis was passed
to day. The great number of her
citizens are law abiding, or those
who are not will be suppressed by
the strong hand of frontier justice,
aided by military authority, under
command of Gen. Merritt, who es
tablished his headquarters at Okla
homa City. There are now about
500 troops in the territory, and they
will be kept here until order is as
sured.