Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-03-15
Twenty Thousand Boomers Rush Across
the Border.

Twenty Thousand Boomers Rush Across
the Border.
Arkansas CRY (Kas.) March 14th.-"On
to the strip" That was the signal for the
invasion of the Cherokee outlet by the
anxious boomers who have been gathered
on the border of the strip for the past forty
eight hours. 1t was echoed around the out
let from midnight until dawn this morn
ing, and when the sun rose over the prom
ised land the invasion fairly began.
All day long lines of canvas covered
prairie schooners drew into the coveted
land.
Tonight it is estimated that from the
different points of entrance fully 10000
people have passed the border, and half OF
that number have staked claims. The
strip was invaded for month past, in fact,
ever since President Harrison issued his
proclamation ordering the cattle men to
yacate the outlet, boomers have been gath
ering on the frontier. There were all sorts
Of people, and they came in all sorts of
WAYS. Some who could not afford the
luxury even Of wagon, tramped to the
border beside their horses, laden with
household goods and children.
AT all the principal points of assembly
Boomer" associations of various kinds
have been formed. 1t has been the general
belief among the leaders that President
Harrison would not insist upon their re-
moval when once established upon their
claims. Yesterday afternoon all was quiet
among the boomers. Six hours later, a
scene of excitement was witnessed equal
ing that which accompanied the invasion
of Oklahoma a year ago. News had been
received from Washington that the Okla
homa bill had passed the House. The
news spread quickly, and by II O'Clock
male boomers were making hurried pre-
paration to move at once over the border.
The sun was Just rising when the first
team started. The invasion came with a
rush No one expected it; not even the
settlers themselves.
The tenants of the strip, the Cherokee
Live stock Association and its agents, were
taken entirely unawares.
The Cherokee Indian police force, too,
was insignificant to oppose the invaders.
The Government, so far as is known, had
taken no precautions to arrest a possible
movement OF the settlers, and it was not
until early morning that the military ap-
peared upon the scene.
Captain Burbank, in command of a
small force of troops at Oklahoma City,
marched into the strip late last night to
stay the progress of the boomers, but, so
lar as is known, the force had no effect in
retarding their movements or of their enter
ing the strip.
The cattle grazing there looked upon the
unusual scene with alarm, stampede en-
suing which the cowboys in charge were
unable 20 either check or control. The cat
tie fled five or six miles before they were
met by the boomers coming up from Okla
homa. Between these two fires they were
driven east and west.
Arriving on the strip the settlers s:aked
their claims. Advices from Keowa says
that 500 boomers started from there.
Just as the wagons were ready to move a
big prairie fire was discovered raging in
the Ourlet. 1t is thought it may have been
set by the cattle people to drive back the
settlers So anxious, however, were the
boomers that not even fire could stop
them, and they proceeded, avoiding it by
making detour.
Five hundred or more went in from
Caldwell, while Guthrie, which year ago
was the objective point of the noted rush
into Oklahoma, was to-day the starting
place for 500 boomers bound for the strip.
Hunnewill, Kansas, reports that from 800
to ! 600 moved from there.