St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-25
PLAYED FOR SUCKERS
Disguised Farmers, on Their
Way Home From Ok
lahoma,
Pause to Remark That the
Soil Is Thin and
Sterile.
The Large Overflow Stream
ing Into the Chero-
kee Strip.
The Indians Protest, and a
Pretty Mess Will Be
the Result.

KANSAS CITY, April 24.-The bulle-
tins in front of the telegraph offices at
the union depot this morning indicated
that all the early morning trains from
Oklahoma were over two hours late.
The cause of the delay was apparent
when a train of fourteen coaches,
crowded with returning boomers, came
in. A more disgusted crowd could not
be imagined. They were mostly orig
inally from Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois.
al went to Leadville," said one gray
whiskered farmer, Ito make fortune,
and came back disappointed; but l
chances. l really thought there was
something in this Oklahoma business,
but, Fll tell you, there amt anything in
1t at ALL"
There were over one hundred BOOM
ers in the train that left Arkansas City,
Kan, last night. and nearly two hum
dred more wanted to go, but were
obliged to wait for the next train. A
large number of returning boomers
dropped out at various stations in Kan
sas. Edward Gliyen was at the head of
thirty-five Illinois settlers. leading them
the first train that arrived at Guthrie on
Monday afternoon. We were not look
ing for town sites but farm lands. We
found pretty fair lands in the river bot
toms, but not near as rich as the farms
that we were leaving. The soil
is red and loose like brick
dust. In fact, the greater part
of the country locke like an immense
brick kiln. Look at these Shoes" and
he displayed a pair of shoes covered
with fine red dust; that's the kind of
land they call good soil.;' Most of the
boomers who returned this morning
had staked out claims, but had refused
to settle on them and bring on their
families. The most disappointed of
the returning boomers were the
Iowans. Its pretty lucky we
took some money with us so
that we could get back" said one. 81
did not get claim, and l would not
have taken it if | could" said another.
Congressman John G. Tarsney. who
came in on this mornings train from
Southwestern Kansas, said that when
the train left Arkansas City there was
scarcely breathing space. From whal
he learned from conversation with those
returning, he thought that every train
would bring back as many disgusted
boomers.
As illustrating the ingratitude of a re-
public, it may be mentioned that con-
tests are already filed against the claim
OF Capt. Couch, the old boomer leader,
on the curious ground that he disquali-
fed himself from making an entry
by entering the territory on
boomer expeditions. Gen. James
B. Weaver, of Iowa. one of
the most persistent advocates of
the opening of Oklahoma in con-
gress, has also had his claim contested,
and has been accused of attempting to
take the people by the throat. The old
time boomer leaders have not Jared
well. Any number of Payne's men can
be found now lying around Purcell who
have been -Outriddcn and outrun by
men who have taken fruit of their years
of sacrifice. Most of them take it
philosophically, but it means blood,
and the murdered boy of nine
teen who was shot when found in
possession of one of these claims owes
his death to that injustice, whether he
was partly responsible for it or not.
The man who killed him had worked it
for his own for years past. 1t is broadly
limited at Purcell that the old colonists
there could point out the murderer. and
that instead of doing so assisted him to
eScaDe into Texas