The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-03-20
GREAT ARMY OF BOOMERS.
Mighty Rush of Invaders TO tbs
Cherokee Strip

The INVASION of the Cherokee outlet by
the anxious boomers has begun, and long
lines of canvas-C overed prairie schoonerS,
with their many crews, have passed into the
coveted land. 1t is estimated that from the
different points of entrance fully 10000 peo-
pie have passed the border, and half that
number staked their claims.
The invasion came with rush. No one
expected it. The tenants of the strip, the
Cherokee Live Stock Association and the
agents were taken entirely unawares. The
contingent of Indian police on hand to
drive out occasional settlers were powerless
to cope with the stream of immigrants.
Capt. Burbank, in command of a small
force of United States regulars at Oklahoma
city, marched his force into the strip, but SO
far as known this force had no effect in re-
tardiDg the movement. The cattle grazing
in the strip turned tail and fled before the
invaders, stampede ensuing which the
cowboys i'll charge were unable to either
chece or control. The cattle fled five or six
miles when they were met by the boomers
who were coming up from Oklahoma. Be-
tween these two fires they were driven east
and west. Arriving on the strip the settlers
disembarked from their "schooners" and
siaked their claims
The President has issued the following
nftice;
To Whom 1t May Concern: The
lands known as the Cherokee
strip are not open TO settle
ment The bill pending in congress and in
tended to provide civil government for the
country known as Oklahoma does not pro-
vide for opening the Cherokee strip or out
let to settlement and has not as vet re-
ceivei the vote Of the two houses of con-
gress or the approval of the President
The entrance of settlers upon these lands is
unlawful, and all persons are hereby warned
against entering thereon. When these
lands shall become open to settlement,
prompt public notice will be given of that
fact; but. in the mean time it is my duty to
exclude all persons therefrom, and those
who enter unlawfully will only involve
themselves in Improbable trouble, as they
will be Immediately removed.
tSgned) BENJAMIN HARRISON.
Executive Mansion, March 10, 1890.
Gen. Merritt has ordered six troops of cav
airy to proceed to The erokee strip and
Gus. the boomers there. Two troops of cav
airy have been ordered from each of the
three towns of Oklahoma City, Fort Reno
and Fort Supply to proceed at once to Guth-
re. At that point the forces will be united
| under the senior captain, and concentrat-
| ed movement on the settlers made. Gen.
| Merritt has given instructions for the troops
| to give the settlers amrle time to vacate be-
! fore resorting to forcible measures
! The Presidents proclamation ordering all
| settlers on the Cherokee strip to vacate is
| having the desired effect. This, together
with the orders received by Gen. Merritt at
| Fort Leavenworth to use troops if necessary
| has already caused considerable of an exc
Gus from the forbidden territory.
| Many poor people who fiocked to the
| Cherokee strip under the wrong impression
1 that it was open to settl ment, have not the
means to return, and will remain till the
4 troops drive them out.