The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-06
THE STORY OF OKLAHOMA
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE
BEAUTIFUL LAND"
The Original Tract Contained About
1000, 900 Acres-Past Efforts OF the
Boomers to Found 5ettlements-Acre-
age OF the New Territory.


these questions make an interesting story.
Oklahoma, in the language OF the Chick,
asaw Indians, signifies beautiful land"
II was the name given by the Indians to
tract Of country containing almost two mil
lion acres aud situated nearly in the center
Of the Indian Territory. Some OF tho land
is poor, but the larger part of II is the rich
est and most productive known in the
world. Il is also believed to contain valu-
able mineral deposits. II was originally q
part Of the Louisiana purchase, aud was
included in the tract assigned by Congress
in 1880 to be divided up among various
Indian tribes, to be theirs forever Okla
homa, under this act Of Congress, became
the property Of the Creek tribe, and re-
manned in their undisputed possession
until 1856. In that year they made a
treaty with the Seninoles, by which
the Two tribes held the country jointly
until 1866, when the two con-
sented 10 sale Of IL 10 the United
States for about 10 cents mn acre. A few
months after this sale was completed, q
hill was rushed through Congress granting
10 the Atlantic * Pacific Railway right
OF way through the territory thus pur-
chased, together with a grant OF alternate
sections OF land for forty miles on each
side OF the railway II was then generally
believed that the purchase OF Oklahoma
had been advocated and accomplished
with view 10 give the railway company
this valuable grant. The company made
a survey for the proposed line, but never
built il. IL was decided by the courLAibaL
the land was not yet .pgcf 10 settlement
and would not hs so' thrown open except
2 by proclamation from the President 0f the
United States II was expressly provided
In the railway charter that IL should be
forfeited II the officials Of the company In
any way aided or Allotted any movement
Tor the opening OF the Indian Territory Tor
settlement. II they built the road with
out settlers IL would be- a losing venture;
II they attempted TO get settlers along It's
line. they would lose their charter What
should be done under these conditions2
Hero we get glimpse OF what is gener-
ally believed 10 DO the first cause OF the
boomers. They were men hired secretly
by the railway company 10 break into Ok
lahoma, In defiance OF the United States
Government, aud found settlements This
is denied by the railway authorities, and
can, OF course, never he proved. There
were undoubtedly other causes, the chief
OF which was the richness OF the coveted
lands and the desire OF men OF rowing and
adventurous spirit TO get possession OF
them. The first band Of boomers started
under the leadership Of an Indiana adycn
turcr named Payne, who having served
through the war and got into politics iirst
heard OF the Oklahoma country while
serving as assistant doorkcepcr In the |
House of Representatives nj Washington. !
lie went 90 Kansas IN the fall OF 1873, and |
began TO haranguo the people on the sub |
ject Of invasion aud possession. In com. |
pany with other men OF similar character
isiirs he organized q land company with an
alleged capital OF 5000, 600. called the
Oklahoma Town Company, and sold shares
at - each. They also organized the
Southwest Colony Company, with n capi-
tai Of 81, 900, 600, and sold shares In that at
8 each After vigorous agitating they
succeeded m getting together, In the
sp'ing Of 1880, about twenty-five men who
were willing To begin the invasion.
After lodging the United States troops
for several days, they at last reached a
suitable point In Oklahoma, and chose
site for their town. They called II "Ew.
ing" after Gen. IhOiias Ewing. OF Ohio,
gave Il an arca OF six square miles, built n
log house, and began 10 cut down trees
and lay out town lots They got on
iamously Tor about three weeks, when u
squad u United States troops, consisting
OF twelve men, andaccompanicd By twelve
Indian scouts. appeared aud took away
the entire population 10 prison. After two
weeks Imprisonment Payne aud his com.
panions were discharged. They found
themselves heroes, for the West looked
upon them a. sufferers from the despotl,
power Of tho Government Payne sorf
discovered that he could now obtain nj
the followers he desired. aud In the fall o
1880 he had n new expedition OF 200 mel
in camp on the Kansas border, eager for
iruah Invasion. The troops were Nuichin.
Thorn, however. aud there wcrc thus or
CANNED two hostile camps near the Dor
der, which wor the beginnings OF the ~
markablc boomer settlements which cXis
there today.
From the autum Of 1850 till that Of lsS
there worc invasions nj pretty regular In
tcryulS squads oi boomers would slip hl
the troops. Invade Oklahoma, locate lands
be- discovered 10y the troops and elected
only 10 starr again. Tho largest expedition
ever organized by Payne was Ia May, 1881
when he got into Oklahoma with a colon
of 600 mon, women and children, an
founded the town ~ Rock Falla II
opened n "drug store" with license (
nCll liquor, had provision storc, u school
house, n printing oilce aud newspaper
and established regular religious services
ucrc being pAron among the coloniHil
This colony was Ho laryc that u require
timc 10 get together n sufficient cNpollin
iorCc, and 10 WIS not GU August iulloWin
that Payne was aguin arrested and III
town broken up. lie WIS kept Va prise
only q short timc, aud WIS busly Ut wot
organizing fresh expedition when deaf
overlook him.
Other Leaders followed him, and n
business Of ilyuding Oklahoma has gnf
on with constantly increasing force, uni
the present time when there II upon III
u rider lire n series oi towns, containing
least 1000 "boomcr." al waiting TOR III
time TO come whom they can rush In ON
take possession Of the coveted land
They can take possession legally on n
22d ui the present month. Tor under n
rccoit proclamation Of the President u
nry Territory Of Oklahoma will then
thrown open for settlement This IL
accordance with an act OF Congress CT
ting the new Tcfnloryo out oiccriain lanl
which the Government has acquired
purchase FROM the Indiana Tho Terrific
thus formcd contains much more thi
tho sor.einal tract Of Oklahoma. for VI.
that has been grouped largo section
the western bali OF the Indian Tefulof
including what is known ~ No Mar
Land. The original Oklahoma contain
lcas than 2,oOo,OOO acres Oklahoma 4,
A. .a..H