Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-05-02

beings ali nlSnl long, as IOur-nIlnS VI
the people that were on the grounds
had not even blanket. to crawl under.
Yet there was not the least disturbance,
everyone seeming happy. This morn
ing as soon as day broke the city was
alive and everybody was on the move.
At o'clock an adjourned meeting OF
the multitude was had when the reso-
buttons drawn up by the committee
appointed last night for that purpose
Ia delegate from each state and terri
tory represented was presented and
read. These resolutions, after recitlng
their power and duties, named the fol-
lowing tracts of land upon which the
city of Guthrie should stand: East
half of section as Guthrie, west half
of section 9 as East Guthrie, north
half of section II, as South Guthrie,
west half of section S as West Guthrie
and south half of section as North
Guthrie. These were afterwards
amended to take the east half of ssec-
ton 9 as Southeast Guthrie, so you see
that the new city covers three sections
of land which is laid out in lots 25X140,
streets so feet wide, alleys 20 feet, and
every lot is taken and has an occupant.
1t is estimated that there are l 200 lots
to each quarter section, and there are
II quarter sections, which would give
US an immense population for a city
not quite one day old, and great many
of the lots have from two to five Occu-
pants or claimants. AS an illustration
w. ii. Ii. Bonebrake and N. NJ. Shipe
have each a lot near the U. S. land
Office but there are two other claimants
on the same lots claiming priority of
settlement, and this is only one of
many hundred similar cases.
There is deep stream running
through the town site and the only
means of crossing for foot passengers
is small boat propelled by boy who
charges the small sum of five cents for
each person he carries over the river,
and to say that he is making money
does not express it, as the stream is
only about 40 feet wide and his boat
will carry four persons. He will aver
age return trip every SIX minutes.
There is much indignation among
the settlers against the land Office OIL
Gals, L. S. MarShalS and cowboys. l
attended the mass meeting held this
morning when a brother of the present
land commissioner made a very warm
speech denOuDciDg these officials,
claiming that he reached Guthrie on
the first train. yet had to run mile
before he could find vacant lot on
which to settle. The cowboys have
taken all the choice land along the
streams, and the upland, as far as your
representative has seen, is net fit fol
anything but pasture land, and it is
claimed that the scheme of the cattle
barOns is to keep the prairie settlers
away from the streams and they will
soon tire Of Oklahoma.
This is horrible day here.
Although we are on the prairie the
dust is simply unbearable. The soil is
fine red sand and when loOsened fills
the air and pervades every nook and
corner, consequently most of US are
''red men" indeed. Wild turkeys and
deer abound in this vicinity and are
being hunted very vigorously by nim-
rods who have nothing else to do.
Shafer, formerly of Abilene but DOW
of Armstrong, conceived the idea of
getting into the promised land in ad-
vance of the strictly law-abiding citi-
zen, so ne boarded the noon train on
Sunday from Arkansas City ard when
he got below this point a few miles
jumped off the train and made for the
brush where he kept himself hid until
the next morning. Early Monday
morning he heard men talk and saw
them around on the bottoms, which at
that point were nearly three-fourths of
a mile wide on each side of the stream,
and supposing them to be U. S. troops
hunting such as he, darea not show
himself. He afterward discovered
that they were cowboys locating the
best claims. He then ventured out
and located claim but before he got
through driving his stakes two cow
boys rode up and ordered him off, and
as they were well armed he decided to
move on, which he did, and got no
claim.
Harper Cunningham, of Salina, and
Capt. Mcclure, of Junction City, have
opened law offices here and will prac-
tice before the U. S. land office.
Nearly every man is heavily armed.
L noticed the walters at lunch stand
with their large navy revolvers strapped
to their sides and quite convenient for
use.
Lunch counters and lemonade and
water vendors are more numerous here
than on a circus day in Abilene, and
indeed creek or river water sells readily
for five cents pPr drink How lono
this state of affairs will last it is hard