The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-09-23
A WILD RUSH FOR QUARTER SECTIONS.
The Promised Land Opened With
Shouting and PIsto. voIIeys.
Emigrants Entered on Horseback
and Cowboys on steers.
The Paradise of the Settlers Far
Too Sma for All.

GUTHRIE, o. T.. September 22.-"The land
is yours" That is what every timeplece on
the border Of the lands opened to settlement
today proclaimed when its hands pointed to
the hour of noon. Simultaneous with the
arrival of that hour the home-seekers gath
cred on the border, made headlong rush
over the line into the coveted country and
on to the quarter sections upon which their
eyes had been feasting, some for days and
others for weeks and months. The rush
was mad one and was made so by the fact
that the number of home seekers greatly ex-
ceeded the number OF quarter sections OF
land available for settlement. First there,
first served" was the motto of every racer.
There was room in the new lands for about
5000 settlers, allowing 160 acres for each.
There were on the border waiting TO claim
the available land fully 1900 people. so that
there were three persons for each section. 1t
was no wonder that the rush was mad one,
for in this case, at least, the race was inva-
riably to the swift. Like scenes have never
been witnessed before, except when Oklaho-
ma became the peoples two years ago.
Time passed slowly in the face of expect
ancy, and the morning hours dragged their
drearp lengths out to interminable degrees.
Ii seemed as IL noon would never come. But
when 1t did arrive all the pent-up excitement
found vent in the firing of revolyers and
rifles. shouting and singing and cracking Of
whips and furious driving and running. The
n0rsemen, OF course, had the advantage In
the race. and most Of the racers were horse
men. The man who had proceeded to the
porder 10 a prairie schooner with his family
left his schooner, family and one horse on
the border, and mounted the other and be-
came horseman. Some of the more des-
perate cowboys mounted steers and the lat
ter Joining In the stampede carried their rid
ers TO the interior, while others were uncere-
der.
The government supervision of the open
Ing OF the land seems to have been sadly de-
nclent. The entire government force was
composed OF two companies of United States
troops, two hundred men. under Captains
Hayes and Styels, and the forces Of three
United States marshals, numbering about
25O men. In some places there were ten and
fifteen men to mile, and at others, stretches
Of fve or ten miles were entirely unguarded.
Two miles north OF Tohee, about 200 boom
ers gathered In a secluded spot, and know
ing the governments forces to be massed at
border town. they all set their watches
three hours ahead last night so that their
testimony would agree If their
ct claims ,bs,s were contested Ssn on the ,giound
nine their watches indicated the noon hour,
and they rushed over the border. and began
to race for choice sections. The "sooners"
at other unguarded portions of the border
were very numerous. 1t is estimated from
all reports that the number of settlers who
entered the land before the legal time was
fully 5000.
The front door of the land office here
opened at II o'clock today. The FIRST man to
present his papers was S. F. Desmond, who
had stood in line day and night since last
Friday. He was almost exhausted from ex-
posure, and as he staggered up to the win.
dows It was necessary for friend to assist
him. Ten thousand would be moderate es-
innate, OF the people who have passed
through this city since daylight en- route for
the new country.