Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-15
On TO THE STRIP.
The Cherokee Boomers on
the Move.
THEY ENTER THE COVETED LAND
Twenty Thousand Encamped in the
Outlet - Soldiers Nor Fire
Could Stop Them.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD,
ARKANSAS Cry, Kan, March 14.-The
reception of the news of the passage
through the House of Representatives of
the bill extending Territorial govern
ment over the Cherokee strip, together
with Oklahoma Territory. was received
here by the Cherokee boomers with
great joy. This morning a rush was
made by the thousands of families con-
gregated between here and the Indian
Territory line. Intense excitement pre-
walls among the boomers, and they are
determined to stake claims regardless of
opposition by the military.
TROOPS TO CHECK THEIR ADVANCE.
United States soldiers from Oklahoma
City is already in the strip awaiting the
advance of the boomers, and that q
special train is bearing reinforcements
from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The
rush of all classes has continued all day,
and by sundown ten thousand people
will have entered the strip.
THEY DEFY THE SOLDIERS.
CALDWELL, Kan, March 14-Eight
hundred families of Cherokee boomers
have decided to move into the strip next
Sunday. Captain Bur bank of the United
States army, tried to dissuade them, but
they told him they would go in if they
bad to fight. Burbank has telegraphed
for reinforcements.
ON TO THE STRIP.
ARKANSAS CRY, Kan, March IA
"On to the strip" That was the signal
for the invasion of the Cherokee outlet
by the anxious "boomers," who had
been gathering on the border of the
strip the past forty.eight hours. 1t
echoed around the outlet from midnight
until dawn this morning. and when the
sun rose over the promised land the in
vasion had fairly begun. 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 tbs t
number havessstaked claims. The strip
has been invaded for month past; in
fact ever since President Harrison issued
a proclamation ordering the cattle men
to vacate the outlet, boomers have been
gathering on the frontier.
ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE.
There were all sorts of people and
they came in all sorts of ways. Some
who could not afford the luxury even of
q wagon, tramped to the border beside
their horses laden with household goods
and children. At all the principal
points of assembly "boomer" associa-
tions of various kinds had been formed.
It had been the general belief among the
leaders that President Harrison would
not Insist upon their removal when once
! established upon claims.
THE EXCITEMENT BEGUN.
Yesterday afternoon all was quiet
among the boomers. Six hours later a
scene of excitement was Witnessed equal
ing that which accompanied the inva-
news was received from Washington that
the Oklahoma bill had passed the House.
The news spread quickly, and by II
hurried preparations to move at orce
over the border. The sun was just rising
when the first team started. The inva.
rlOu CdIu6 WIFI d Tubus NO Ouo Ok pee 6u
it, not even the settlers themselves.
cATTLEMEN TAKEN UNAwAREs.
The tenants of the strip, the Cherokee
Live Stock Association and their agents
| were taken entirely unawares. The
Cherokee Indian police force was too in
significant to oppose the invaders. The
Government, 30 far as known, had taken
ne precautions to arrest possible move
ment of the settlers, and it WAS not until
| early this morning that the military ap-
peared upon the scene. Captain Bur
bank, in command of a small force OF
troops at Oklahoma city, marched into
the strip late last night to stay the pro-
gress of the boomers, but 80 far ss
known, this force had no effect in re-
tarding their movements.
THE GRAZING HERDS sTAMPEDED.
On entering the strip, the cattle grazing
there looked upon the unusual scene with
alarm. A stampede ensaed, which the
COWBOYS in charge were unable to either
check or control. the cattle fled five or
six miles before the invaders from the
north, where they were met by the
boomers coming up from Oklahoma
| Between these two fires they were driven
east and west.
/ Arriving on the strip, the settlers staked
| their claims.
| FIRE COULDN'T STOP THEM.
| Advices from Kiowa say 500 boomers
started from there. Just as their wag-
ons were ready to move big prairie FIRE
was discovered raging in the outlet. 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 more went in from Cald
we'll, while Guthrie, which, year ago.
was the objective point of the noted rush
into Oklahoma, was today the starting
place for 800 boomers, bound for the
strip. Hunnewell. Kan, reports that
800 to 1000 moved from there.
A TOUGH GANG
Occasions All the Trouble on the