Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-03-16
ALL ORDERED ORR.
Means That the Cherokee Boomers Must
Go.
THE PRESIDENTS LATEST FIAT.
Scenes and Incidents Of the Wild Rush for
Claims.
OKLAHOMA BILL MISCONSTRUED.

ARKANSAS CITY, KAs.. March ID
President Harrison to-day issued a
proclamation ordering all settlers off
the Cherokee Strip. The boomers were
stampeded into the Cherokee Strip
much the same as the cattle were stam-
peded out of il.
They went without any preconcelved
plan or method and plunged into the
outlet without order or reason.
They miscOnstrued the passage of the
Oklahoma bill into an act providing for
the immediate opening of the country
TO settlement, and each colony of boom
ers, alarmed lest il would not be the
first on the ground to collect the choic-
est sites and claims, rushed pell.mell
over the border, regardless OF consc-
quenceS.
The majority of the bona fide settlers
carried on their wagons yesterday
enough lumber To construct small
dwelling, and to-day the white tents and
wagon covers that
DOT TILE PRAIRIEs
in all directions are being replaced with
the less picturesque, but more substan
tial board Shanty. Especially is this
the case in the center of settlement at
Ponca. Only yesterday small station
of 100 people on the Santa Fe, just over
the line from Guthrie, Oklahoma, "a city
of 5000 inhabitants has sprung up over
night. Here hastily imprOvised hotels,
where the rates are out of all proper
ton TO the accommodations, grocery and
supply stores have already been con-
structed and are doing thriving busi-
ness. To these are constantly being
added the settlers shanty, and the set
tlement already has the appearance of a
full-hedged frontier city.
The gambling fraternity is at Pom
ca in full force. The three-card-monte
man, wheel of fortune, walnut shells,
with the Elusive pea, are all being man
ipulated in the open street with the
usual degree Of success. Several dis
turbances have occurred over these
gambling devices, and many fights have
taken place. but nothing serious has
resulted.
Another of these mushroom towns Of
exotic growth appeared at Willow
Springs, just below Arkansas City, this
morning. Though not so large as Pom
ca, there are fully a thousand people
living there, and
THE SAME BUsTLING SCENES
of excitement are being enacted there.
Nyceville also came into existence with
in the last "a hours. The contains
about 600 people, who went under the
leadership of Mayor Nycc, from Cald-
well, yesterday.
AT Guthrie last night reporter
boarded the train in which the repre-
sentativeS ef the Cherokee Strip Cattle
Company were returning from the Fort
Worth Cattlemen's Convention. NJ.
Hewins. President of the company, was
among the number. The first intima-
ton they had of the invasion of their
leased lands was gained at Guthrie,
where they were told of the movement.
They could not believe it, but few
minutes later, the camp-fireS surrounded
by the invaders themselves were seen
glowing in the darkness and confirmed
the report.
The cattlemen were greatly disturbed
at the invasion of their lands and meet
ing was called in the Pullman smoking
room. Mr.. Hewins presided, and upon
motion appointed committee TO notify
the Secretary of the Interior of the facts
in the case and ask for troops TO restore
to them possession of their lands.
But" remarked President Hewins.
Il am afraid it is all up with us. The
boomers have got the Strip. Goodbye
Indian Territory
The question that is uppermoSt in
the settlers minds to-day is What is
Uncle Sam going to do?'' He has done
nothing yet. No military force is on
the ground now, and so far as known,
none has been ordered to proceed thith-
er. Capt Cavcnaugh, commanding the
forces at Guthrie, and Capt. Burbank.
of Oklahoma City, have both officially
Gen. Merritt. at LcavenwOrth, COM
manding the Department of the Mis-
souri,. of the invasion, and the cattle
HAS REQUESTED PROTECTION
from Washington. Nor replies, so lar
as known, have been received TO these
dispatches, and surely no orders have
been given to move the troops into the
invaded country. An expression OF the
intentions in the matter
is awaited most anXiously.
An unusual scene accompanying the
rush yesterday was the presence among
the boomers of two women. armed IN
cowboy style with knapsacks on their
backs. Winchesters over their shoulders
and brace of revolvcrs in their belts.
They were mounted on Mexican ponies.
They were May Cleveland and Hattie
Wagner from Guthrie, and they Sc
cured adjoining claims near Ponca.