Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-04-26

extended slong the entirs frontier line
and that riding hiss been fsst and furi-
ous ever since, some of the prospectors
running all the way 10
Gutherie TO file their entries,
and Others going 70 locate on land and
secure prior right to its possession by
actual occupancy. The scene was one of
the most stirring and picturesque ever
witnessed. The smoke or myriad camp
fires lighted to cook the first meal in OS-
lahoma began to ascend in all directions,
and before the first train of land specu
istorS rusked to the future great city of
Guthrie, the farmer had already become
posSessor of great deal of land and
more than one furrow of virgin soil was
turned over TO the sun which had made
the day glorious as well as memorable
1t was 20 minutes after II o'clock when
the first section of the great Atchipsou
train reached the line ard its progress
from that point on TO Gutherie was not
rapid enough for the men who wanted
to get tnere In hurry before all the
cream was skinned off the milk Never
theless it lacked but a few mir utes of l
O'Clock when the train stopped in front
OF the Guthrie depot. Before the train
came to stop 1t was seen that somebody
was already there, In fact the
town was well populated. Tents
were numerous on the eastern
slope and stakes were sticking up out of
the ground like poles IN Il bean patch.
Men could be seen racing in the direction
of valuable holdings. and the scene was
as busy and animated as it is possible to
imagine. Profanity among Arkansas
City and Wichita men, as well as those
from other points, and also among the
Kansas City spectators, were both loud
and deep. If there had been prospect
OF shooting 1t any time today 1t was
when these men found themselves
bstded at the game of freeze out but they
were compelled to swallow their wrath |
for according to ali technioalites in law
the men In possiession were the rightful
the owners and men who had been left |
out were the ones who had been the most |
persistent In their demand for the laws |
enforcement. There was nothing to do |
but to take what was left, and 1t was in a |
scramble to get there that the most Iudi- |
crous scene of the day was presented |
Falling over each other in their efforts |
to get out of the care, every variety of |
man along the frontier made an army |
which charged on the land Office at the |
top of the knoll not in body but in |
detachments. The land office was hot
the point of their destination, although |
1t stands at corner of the section and |
Is therefore the present ceuter of the |
town. But it was to secure the lots
nearest to 1T that the rush
WAS made. and there was little
left near it. Stakes had already beer
driven almost to the limits of the half
E.a4a &C ,.,1t.. i
site. AS the law now stands there was a
small margin, and this was being rapidly
wiped out by the same men who had al
ready appropriated nearly Everything in
sight. 1t was but few minutes until the
line was reached and a back &C
tion movement of taking up lots
which nobody had wanted before
began. When the second and third sec
tions of the train arrived and found
everything cornered in, the air was blue
for miles around the metropolis. There
was nothing to do, however, as every lot
was protected by rifles and revolvers, and
If shooting began there is no telling
where 1t would stop. The only recourse
left to the disappointed men WAS
to buy out such holders of lots as are
willing to sell or run the risk of taking
outside the legal limit. Both courses
were adopted and good number of
Gutherie city lots changed hands. The
first sale was made by man named
Rnmmels of Malv4n, Kas., who sold a %
foot front lot near the land Office for
$50 TO an old doctor, a resident of one
OF the Indian reservations adjoining
The purchaser refused $500 for the lot five
minutes later. Several transfers were
made today and others who are deter
to locate here drove stakes outside
of the town line. This is preparatory TO
purchase homesteader rights and exten-
sion of the city limits. No one who had
never seen a western town take 4 form
aud shape can com prehend how quickly
full Tigged city with double deck
boon be put in running motion.
Guthrie already hss It's Main street, its
Harrison street, it's Guthrie Avenue and
its Oklahoma Avenue, and this morning
1t was wilderness where the antelope
spoTtea and the jack rabbit happed its
ears In the sun. In the afternoon at
O'Clock the first municipal election
An election notice appeared
today In the Oklahoma Herald Daily,
paper published at Guthrie on Friday,
the first day of its existence. A council
will be electee at the same. Nearly 10000
votes we're polied, as there are about that
many men in Guthrie with the intention
of becoming citizens. The leading can
dIdates for mayor were Adjutant General
Reice, of Illinois; VIM. Constantine,
of Springfield, Ohio, and L. l.. Sumner,
of Arkansas City. A strong dark horse
is I. Volney Hagatt, of Huron, Dakota.
The Bank of Oklahoma opened up for
business at Guthrie today with a capital
stock of $4,000. NJ. w. Levy, Wichita
banker is president, and George
w, Robinson, banker of Winfield
and Hon. Horace Speed, of Indiana polls,
directors. The new city is flooded with
business cards of ell descriptions, repre-
renting every line of trade and business
and every profession imaginable.
Mail is expected to reach the Guthrie
pOstofioe every day. 1t is now being run
by postal clerk detailed for that pur-
pose, but Finn, of Kiows, K en-, lately ao-
pointed postmaster, will take charge in a
day or two.
1t is evident that Oklahoma is to be
opeped peaceably and without blood
shed. The crisis was passed today. A
great number of her citizens are law
abiding, ard those Who are not, will be
suppressed hy tRe strong hand
of frontier justice, eidod by military
authority under command of General
Merritt, who established headquarters
at Oklahoma City. There are now about
500 troops in the territory, and they will
be kept here until order is assured.