The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-18
BOOMERS READY
To Cross the Cherokee Strip Today.
Hundreds of Wagons at Caldwell,
Kas., Ready to Move.
The Settlers Will March to Their
Promised Homesteads
Under Orders From tho National
War Department.
Banks Have Been Organized to Open Up
Business on the 22d and News
papers Will Be Printed on
That Day.

Caldwell, Kas., April 1.-THE Okla
homa excitement is at its hight here to-
day. 1t is almost impossible to get along
the streets as the crowd is so dense. Five
hundred wagons was the estimate placed
on the arrival OF today, while the reports
OF those to come tomorrow will double the
amount One townsite company will
leave here Friday morning for Lisbon,
which will consist OF at least 500 men. The
Rock Island Stage Line outfit, consisting OF
1GO horses with As stages, left yesterday
for Pond Creek to get in readiness for the
rush. Capt Woodson, OF the Fifth Cav
airy, says he will search every outfit to
make sure that there is no liquor OF any
kind taken into Oklahoma. II he does he
will prevent no less than dozen men who
are cainped here with all the way from a
ten-gallon keg TO ten barrels Of whisky,
who intend opening saloons in Oklahoma.
A bank was organized here today by
prominent capitalists, which will open for
business on the 22d at Lisbon.
In his telegram from Caldwell, Kas., to.
night staff correspondent Of the Kansas
City Times says:
The town is not specially full Of stran-
gers Probably the fact that the creeks
and the Cimarron are very high has had
some effect in keeping them to the Arkan.
sas City route, but the truth Is that the
numbers OF people at all border points has
been very much over-es,imated. There
are plenty OF town.lot schemes Matching.
Colonies OF old soldiers are forming at sew
eral points to get homesteads, and use the
shorter time OF their residence 10 secure
title and then turn part OF the land into
towns. The heavy rains OF last night
have made the streams worse than ever,
and unless they subside will be great
difficulty in reaching Lisbon formerly
Kingfisher, from here. The Stage Com
pany has just ordered nearly 1000 feet OF
heavy rope TO be used in iording, IL neces.
sary. The outfit for the hotel at King.
fisher arrived here today. The managers
have sleeping and eating tents, ranges,
and huge lot Of eatablcs OF all sorts. The
managers have received permit from the
military TO 60 on in advance and erect
their tents. They promise not TO use
their advantage 10 get claims, and think
the chances Of the profits in the hotel
business are better than those OF lands
Manager Parker, Of the Rock Island. Is
expected. here during the night. The
company Is doing everything In It's power
10 handle the business but IL Is working
against many difficulties.
The country here Is very beautiful now,
after the rains, and the Cherokee strip
south Of Caldwell is rs good ~ any. IL Is
fertile, rolling prairie. The cattle men are
not yet reconclcd to the situation and
look on the settlers with ill-conccalcd dis.
like. This Is headquarters Of the Live
stock Association and many business men
are connected with the cattle companies
The boomers will start altogether tomor.
row with the troops in front OF them. II
will be a sight not often presented before
In America thousand or more settlers
marching 10 homes under the regulations
OF the War Department The settlers here
) are OF n remarkably good class. Mos, OF them
have comfortable outfits. The sound OF the
violin and banjo proceed from many OF the
tents and the tenants have newspapers
and Oklahoma literature In sight, reading
oil the time. Everybody seems TO be for
himself, rather jealous aud suspicious Of
others than united by bondsoi friendship.
Some experienced frontiormen say there
will be no trouble Of any sort at Lisbon
while others say Il canno, be prevented.
After Monday the soldiers cannot act ex-
cept on request Of the civil authorities, 70
the Deputy Marshals will have 10 dc
pretty much all the work Of preserving
. order.