The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-09-30
LIKE A HORDE OF MANIACS
Three Thousand Excited Men and Wom-
en- Charged on the Site of Chandler.
All Raced Madly for the COurt.H House Square,
and When the Lines Came Together Many
We're Trampled Under Foot and Killed.

GUTHRIE, o. T., Sept. 29.-The couriers
who have arrived here this afternoon give
the following particulars and horrible de-
tails which attended the opening of the
government town site of Chandler, in the
Sac and Fox reservation. The town site
was opened to settlement at IL o'clock yes
terday, and the scene which followed the
volley of musketry which announced the
hour of opening beggars description. A
mass of 1900 excited men and women, in
tent upon securing lot, had gathered
about the boundary of the town. Some
were on horses and broncos, and others on
foot, stripped of all superfluous clothing,
each carrying sharpened stick with name
and notice of lot taken thereon. All were
strung to the highest pitch of excitement.
At IL o'clock sharp the signal was given,
and with q mighty yell from 5000 thrOats,
and amid the cracking of whips and volleys
of oaths. shouts and curses, q conglonerate
mass of men and women on horse and foot
rushed like manacs for the town lots.
They clambered up the steep cliff
like soldiers charging fortress.
The line was one mile long on each side and
half mile long on each end. The rush
was toward lot As, which was reserved for
q courthouse. As the angles of the ad-
vancing lines met many riders were un-
horsed and hurled pell-mell into the mud.
Many persons are reported killed and
others as having received severe injuries.
Miss Daisy, representative of the Guthrie
News. was thrown from her horse at the
beginning of the race, and. striking her
head on rock, was killed. The excited
and merciless crowd had no time to attend
the dying, and rode over the body of the
unfortunate woman. until it was recOg-
nized by friend. who TO ok it out of the
surging mass of humanity.
As there were three or four times as
many people as there were lots, the result
could easily be foretold. There are from
three to six claimants for great many of
the good lots tonight. On every hand can
be heard curses and high-worded discus
sions. 1t will take considerable time to adjust
these differences. An Indian killed a
white man over quarrel in one of the
tents where liquor was being sold.
Governor Steele's Views on the Site.
GUTHRIE. o. T., Sept. Ex-Governor Steele
has arrived here from Chandler. In talk
with reporter, he said: "The town site is
fairly good. but not such q place as /
would have selected had been
authorized to hoke the selection.
The site has one good advantage over any
other location-it IS in the geographical
center of the county. There is better water
there than the public has been led to
believe" The Governor said that Chandler
would. in his estimation, make a
town of two thousand people soon. He
said that the principal street was called
Marvel. in honor of the president of the
Atchison. Topeka ~ Santa Fe rail-
way. Governor Steele speaks we'll
of the people who were congregated
on the border. and says they acted well
during the delay and at the opening of the
the signal was given, the Governor says:
lit eclipsed anything of the kind l have
ever witnessed"