River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-20
MUST vACATE.


manding the Boomers to Leave the
Cherokee strip-some Settlers Defiant
Troops to Enforce tho Order.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE Presi-
lent Saturday afternoon issued the fol-
lowing notice:
40 Whom u Nay Concern: The lands known
rs the Cherokee Strip are not open to settle
nent. The bill pending in Congress, and in
ended to provide civil government for the
country known as Oklahoma. does not
provide for opening the Cherokee strip. or out
et.' to settlement and has not as yet received
The vote OF the two houses OF Congress or the
approval of the President. The entrance
Of settlers upon these lands Is unlaw-
.ul, and all persons are hereby
armed against entering thereon. When
these lands shall become open to settlement
prompt public notice will be given OF that fact,
but in the meantime ii is my duty TO exclude
all persons therefrom and those who enter I'M
lawfully will only involve themselves in I'M
profitable trouble. as they viii be Immediately
removed. BENJAMIN HARRISON
Executive Mansion, March l5 1890"
The President has appointed ex-Sena-
tor Angus Cameron, of Wisconsin,
member of the commission to negotiate
tor the cession to the United States of
the Cherokee and other Indian lands
In the Indian Territory, vice
General Lucius Fairchild re-
signed. This appointment fills the
only vacancy in the commission. The
members of the commission will arrive
in Washington within a few days to re-
ceive instructions from the Secretary
Of the Interior, after which negotiations
with the Cherokees will be Immediately
resumed.
WASHINGTON, March H. Adjutant-
General Kelton has telegraphed Gem
eral Merritt at Fort Leavenworth. Kan,
to use troops il necessary, and with pru-
dence as heretofore, to enforce the proc
lamation issued by the President rela-
tive to intruders upon the Cherokee
strip lands. This order is sent by di-
rection of the Secretary of War.
GUTHRIE, Ind T., March 17.-The Presi-
dents proclamation ordering all settlers
on the Cherokee strip to yacate is al
ready having the desired effect. This.
together with the orders received by
General Merritt at Fort Leavenworth
to use troops If necessary to eject the
boomers, has already caused consider
able of an exodus from the forbidden
territory. All day long the trains
were loaded down with boomers leaving
the strip A large number of them went
to Arkansay CITY, and about 100 came to
this point Many poor people who
fiocked to the Cherokee strip under the
impression that it was open to settle
ment have not the means to return and
remain there until the troops escort
them out.
General Merritt has ordered six troops
of cavalry to proceed to the Cherokee
strip and GUST the boomers there. 1t is
learned that General Merritt has given
instructions for the troops to give the
settlers ample time to yacate before
resorting to forcible measures. Under
no circumstances will such measures
be taken unless the boomers, after
refuse to leave. In any case the move
ment on the boomers will not be hasty.
A day or two will probably elapse after
the arrival of the troops at Guthrie be-
fore the march to the strip is taken up.
CALDWELL, Kan, March 1.-THE
news of the Presidents proclamation
was received here late Saturday after
noon, but it did not stop the steady
stream of south-bound white-topped
wagons, which had been steadily going
through the city all day. They were
all prepared to stay, as one of them put
it: I'VE are going on. If we come out
we will be brought out"
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan, March IL
The cattlemen here did not receive the
news of the Presidents proclamation
ordering the invading settlers off the
strip with much interest To them
it was like locking the door
after the horse was stolen. The
settlers seemed to think that the easiest
way to gain possession of the strip
was to drive the cattlemen off, and the
easiest way to do that was to fire the
prairies, and fire the prairies they did.
From Ponca, Willow Springs, Nyceville
and other settlements in the outlet
comes the news of burning prairies.
1t seems to have been generally agreed
upon that the first thing for the settlers
to do was to start prairie fire,
and much of the strip has been burned
over These prairie fires served a
double purpose. They drove most of
the cattle before them and also de-
stroyed the fodder which those remain
ing might have lived upon. Therefore
the cattlemen are naturally depressed
over the gloomy prospects. Said Mr..
Howins, of the Cherokee Strip Cattle
Company:
What the cattlemen can do in their present
condition can not even be conjectured Our
fences have been cut, cattle scattered TO
the four corners Of the strip and every blade OF
grass on the range destroyed by prairie fires.
There are now, or rather there were before the
invasion, about 5000 head Of cattle on the
strip. do not believe that the most energetic
action on the part OF the cattlemen and the
Government can save them from irreparable
loss. The damage is already done. The cattle
can not be marketed They are not in mar.
ketable condition. II left in the strip they will
starve to death, for there is nothing for them
to eat there and we can not ship provender &c
them, il would be a losing Investment. So there
we are-s0000 head OF cattle good for nothing
but hides, glue and bone dust"