St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-19
WITH FLAG And BUGLE.
Under the American CoIops
and Led by United States
Troops
The Pioneers Begin Their
March to the Land Of
Promise.
Have Entered the "Strip"
and Will Reach Okla
homa by Monday.
Two Killings Already Re-
ported, and Symptoms
Of More Trouble.

ARKANSAS CITY, Kas., April 49,
Capt. Hays yesterday received instruc-
tions from the war department to per-
nit entries to the strip at s o'clock this
morning. The south bridge across the
Arkansas river is the most direct route
to the strip, being just three miles from
the border. The road is narrow, with a
hedge on one side and wire fence on
the other. Rain has made the mud
hub deep. Before dark last night this
three miles of road between the bridge
and the strip was blockaded with
wagons, and was impossible either
way. Many families slept in the
wagons, which stood up to the hubs in
mud. United States Commissioner Ben
sell and Capt. Hays yesterday per-
mitted two men to go into the strip and
construct bridges across the Salt Fork
and ChillicO creek, and for their COM
penSatiOn TO charge the settlers a small
toll. A large party from Wellington,
kaS.. has constructed a pontOon bridge
which is portable, and they will cross
streams on it. This morning fully four
hundred wagons were along the line,
and strung all the way to the limits of
Arkansas City were six hundred more.
THERE WAS 4 HESITANCY
about the start. Orders had been given
by Capt. Hayes to wait until 3 O'Clock,
when an orderly would give the warn
ing. 1t lacked a few minutes of being
precisely 3 o'clock. The crowd of col
Onists was being photographed. "Why
should we wait any longer?" called out
a Kansas City man who was present as
a spectator. "a few minutes makes
no difference. Follow me,'' and
run across the line upon the res
ervation. A tremendous shout went
up from the boomers, and they went
forward and over the line. The shout
was taken up all along the line and the
entire cavalcade moved forward. A.
Williams. from Chatauqua county,
Kansas, with his wife and five children,
was the first settler to follow the car
1.G00 White-cOyered wagons were in mo-
ton. The caravan had travelled one
mile into the Cherokee strip when a
sergeant from Capt. Hays galloped
across the plain. His approach was a
signal for CONSERVATION among the
settlers; for there was timid-
ity apparent, and fear that
the start of few moments ahead of
time would cause the military to turn
the boomers back. Turning to the Kan
SaS City man who had assumed the
authority for the early start. the settlers
demanded that he intercede. He eX-
planned and the sergeant noticed that
he bore orders from Capt. Hays to give
the boomers word to proceed. A shout
greeted the order, and the long file of
wagons along the POnca trail again
moved. From an elevation
FIVE SOLID MILES
of wagons could be seen, and as the
caravan went over the undulating prai-
rie ii presented sight probably never
to be seen again. Every face beamed
with eXpectant pleasure, and there was
not the slightest disorder. Perched on
cracker box in the first of the ten
wagons from Kingman. Kan, Dan
Skies flung an American flag to the
breeze. AS far as it could be seen it
was hailed with patriotic shouts. This
flag was seen two miles away. For
three hours wagons crossed the strip
line and moved slowly toward the prom
ised land. On the outside of al
most every wagon. strapped to the side,
were plOwS, household goods and farm
ing implements. Extra horses and
punches of cattle followed the wagons,
often driven by women and children.
One farmer had built house from the
bed OF his wagon. 1t was Shingled, and
a stove pipe leading from modern
cook stove made complete apartment.
From the Cherokee strip line to Salt
is swollen out of its stream, and cross
ing it is dangerous business.
A temporary bridge has been
erected, but it is not safe. 1t is
believed that majority of the settlers
will camp tonight beside this stream.
Capt. Hays broke up Camp Price at
noon. and is following with his cavalry.
His orders are to camp tonight on Salt
creek fork and then to take the line of
march tomorrow
FOR THE OKLAHOMA LINE.
Camp will be struck by the soldiers
just across the line, and Capt. HavS
will picket his men along the Oklahoma
line as far as they will reach.
A picket line will be joined by
a line of soldiers from Caldwell, and
the boomers will be kept at bay
until the hour of noon arrives. Capt.
Hays, set his watch this morning ex-
actly with the railroad clocks, and as
soon as his watch indicates noon Mon
day, a signal will go up for the boomers
to start. The three miles of road from
the Arkansas river along the Ponca
trail is in frightful condition, and it
was most discouraging for the settlers
But these men are not made of the stuff
to turn back. Difficulties of all kinds
are met and overcome. A most neigh
borly feeling exists. and each rem
ders the other all the assistance pos
sible. A boomer got stuck in the
mud. Twenty offers of help were volun-
teered, the wagon was pried from the
black sticky mud, and the boomers
went on rejoicing. The settlers mean
to help each other, and woe to the law
less settler who attempts to create a
disturbance. Capt. Hays, who has
kept the boomers at bay, says he never
saw more orderly set of men, and w as
surprised at it. He fully expected an
element that would cause him trouble.
The Indian mission school, half mile
from the Ponca trail, came in body to
witness the start, and men and women
on horseback from Arkansas City
GALLOPED ALONG THE LINE
OF wagons and waved their handker-
chiefs TO the sturdy farmers. Carriages
filled with the elite of the city were on
the ground to witness the start. Pros
pectlVe merchants, townsiters. bankers
and spectators will take trains on Mon
day. Wagons from the North continue to
pour in, but in no such numbers as were
witnessed in the last three days. Parts
OF a wagon passed under the temporary
bridge over Salt Creek fork this morn
ing, and the suppositioE is that fam
lily of boomers has been lost in
the stream. 1t is reported that two
persons were drowned. Last night DO
lice officers were looking for Daniel
Skies, boomer. His son, n. G. Skies.
had committed suicide at Wichita. Dan
ipl S1lypS ic fba old forrnar ,.ylo Il