Evening journal., 1889-04-18
THE OKLAHOMA FEVER.
Arkansas City Thronged with
Boomers and Fakirs.
THE SCENES IN THE STREETS.

Many Of the Unfortunates Poverty stricIs-
en- and Beginning TO steaf-The Secret
league of Old Boomers stin Active.
Two Venerable Pioneers.
ARKANSAS CRY, Kan, April ls.-Arkan-
sas City is now the boomers center. Froma
quiet border town it has in the past few days
developed into place Of life and feverish
activity The streets are packed with people,
the hotels are crowded 70 their utmost and
business Of every character booming Street
fakirs, side shows and manipulators Of skin
games are tlourishing. The streets are filed
With wagons and tents are upon every avail
able camping spot for miles around Ia bot
toms below the city are still standing the
tents erected years ago by early agitators,
who have ever since occupied thaIn
The Camping Grounds.
On the Walnut Creek valley, in one camp
ing ground, are 45O wagons, and on the
banks Of the Arkansas river, at another
camping ground, as many more. Two large
colonies from the eastern states alighted
from the train yesterday. Along every road
from the north crowded wagons continue to
roll into this city, increasing in numbers on
the approach Of opening day. On Tuesday
actual count on the street showed 2l7 wag-
ons had passed On the same street yester-
day were SOB.
Some OF the boomers are already poverty
stricken and are beginning to steal to keep
alive There is sadly interesting side 10
this movement that must become apparent to
to one that moves through their camp
Among the arrivals yesterday was an old
couple from Marshall county, No They
were not less than 65 years old, and scarcely
able TO alight They will try to get a
claim that they perhaps viii never live to
prove up On the border are encamped the
early Oklahoma boomers. They have less
funds and stock, and are crushed beneath the
weight of newer and fresher arrivals.
The Secret League.
An inquiry here reveals the fact that the
secret league Of old boomers Is in fun force
and increasing in membership Each mem
ber takes a solemn oath to defend, tat the
point Of his life II needs be, outlaw or force
Of arms, his brothers claim II this be en-
forced bloodshed viii be the consequence.
The high winds and heavy rains caused the
destruction of much Of their provisions and
supplies, and will necessitate their depend.
ence upon the charity Of those more fortu
nate.
Capt Hayes, who is here guarding tn,
boomers, says that he will permit them 1,
cross the line on the 18TH even al the firs
hour Of that day. There viii nndoubtedi,
be a great rush to be first in line. No trouhl
| Is anticipated in the march here. The lin
across the territory will be a scene such d
never before has been witnessed in the west.
A Bloody Array.
FoRT SMITH. Ark, April 1s-The rush I'd
Oklahoma is diminishing rapidly, and in
few days it IS probable that. the reactio
viii set in and the roads viii be swarmin
with disguised boomers on their way bacl
Great destitution is sure to follow, and It
not unlikely that governmental relief will /
invoked to provide for sufferers. Word wa
received here last evening Of a conflict B.
tween parties Of boomers, cattle men an
| Chickasaw police at the ford of Chisholm
cattle trail, forty miles west Of Oklahom
| City The cattle men were taking severf
hundred animals from Frank Colbsrtis ranet
in the Chickasaw nation, 10 Kansas, but th
mounted police guarding the southern boz
der Of Oklahoma refused 10 permit them I
use the Chisholm trail leading through th
new territory. A fight ensued, in which til
cattle men were reinforced by a party Z
boomers from Cooke and Tanning counties
Tex. One Of the guards, two cattle men an
one boomer, named Geiss, were killed in Ia
melee.