Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-22
THE PROMISED LAND IN SIGHT.
noisy Notification on the borders of
Oklahoma

noisy Qualification on the borders of
Oklahoma.
CHICAGO, April 22.-The following dis.
patches have been received from the Okla
homa border:
On THE OKLAHOMA LINE, April 10, by
courier via Arkansas City, April 2O-The
boomers are in sight of their colorado at last
After march of three days over the muddy
trails OF the Cherokee strip they halted at
shutdown within 100 yards of the beautiful
land of he Chickasaws The first glimpse of
harbor light was never more welcome to a
storm-to ssed sailor than was tine rolling green
plain OF Oklahoma to tbs hardy crews of
uninterrupted prairie schooners They en-
tered it with cheers and volleys of musketry
and other demonstrations of delight Horse
men who have accompanied the long pro-
cession and guides spurred their ponies for
ward and dashed in upon the soil which has
been the happiest dream of their lives, but
they were promptly escorted back to the
wagons by Capt. Hayes troopers, and ordered
to remain there until Monday.
Holding q Jubilation.
Tonight the boomers are having glorious
jubilation- The old soldiers have formed a
marching line and are parading up and down
the southern edge Of the strip, singing war
songs and discharging their revolvers and
rifles. Following them is a crowd of between
two and three thousand men, women and
children, who are doing all they can to I'm
crease the confusion and make the din more
dpa famine Ar da icbt no
be struck, and the wagons will begin moving
east and west, SO that by Sunday night they
will be evenly distributed on the Oklahoma
line, in positions from which they can safely
join in the great scramble which begins at
noon Monday.
Boomers Hopeful and Confident
The boomers are hopeful and confident
They have been together SO long and have
discussed Their plans so many times that they
think they know just how they are going to
proceed Every man has quarter section
In his minds eye, and when the starting sig
nal is given he will break for it as fast rs his
horses wi carry him. 1t is not unlikely that
many cherished plans and hopes will be de-
feated during the scramble. There are men
on the line tonight, representing every ele-
ment OF Wild western society, who have come
across the strip to reserve claims They have
the feetest ponies in the territory, and as
they are thoroughly acquainted with Okla
homa they have an advantage over the hon
est homes eaders which can hardly be ap-
preciated now. Besides they are all armed
to the teeth, and are Boosting that they will
not brook rivalry or opposition. These men
mean to precipitate trouble.
The March Across the Strip"
The march across the strip was compare
lively uneventful. Some OF the creeks, espe-
cially the Salt fork of the Arkansas. were
very high and delayed progress more or less,
but the boomers by careful plotting cleared
them all with ease. As they went down
through tie Ponca, Otoe, and Usage reserva-
tions hundreds of Indians gathered by the
side Of the trail and watched the wagons as
they rolled by. The Indians were nearly all
armed and took occasion to make an ostenta-
tious display of their Winchesters, shotguns,
and six-sh )oters.
The Buck and the White Pappoose.
One greasy old buck who had a shotgun
was appro ached by pretty little girl who
timidly asked him if he was going to kill her
papa The Indian smiled at the child and
then patting his gun said with a grunt: Kill
turkey this. This for boomer He took
from his pocket Winchester cartridge long
enough to fit howitzer and held it I'D for
the inspect on of the child She ran back to
her papa's wagon and hBstily climbed In be-
tween the canvas flaps, while the old buck
complacently returned the cartridge to his
pocket
Blast at LO the Poor Indian.
greasier, dirtier or more contemplate
crew of vagabonds than the Poncas, Otoes
and Osages would be hard to find. They are
too lazy even to hunt for the game with
which the country abounds, and beyond
stealing. fron neighboring tribes and drawing
their monthly allowances from the govern
ment they will do nothing. The rich soil of
their reserv ations is untitled and unimproved
Their chief ambition In life is to get to Ar
kansas City two or three times year, and
while there drink whisky until their squaws
have to loao them bodily into wagons and
drive them home. These are the sort of
neighbors the boomers will have on the
north.
Still Coming by Thousands.
Superinte ident Turner, IF the Santa Fe
railroad, estimates that II, 600 more boomers
are on the road here, and he is making ex-
tensive preparations to furnish Transporter
ton for Il en- all. Tom Needles, United
States mar hal Of Indian territory, has Is
sued instruc lions to all his deputies to de-
stroy every drop Of liquor they may find in
Oklahoma. Mr.. Needles says Oklahoma is in
the Indian territory and that its residents
will be ameiIable to Indian laws
Gen. Merritt on the Ground.
Gen. Merritt and four companies of in
fantry passed through here this morning en-
route from Tort Leavenworth to Oklahoma
City. The general is under orders to police
the territory with his troops until the con-
fus' on incids mt to the first rush is over. In
an interview with the United Press corre-
spoudent he said the soldiers would not tenn
porize in Per forming their duty. "They are
under post We orders to keep order and
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