The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-20
Twenty Thousand Boomers Rush
Into the Reservation.
ONE MAN GRABS A TOWNSHIP.
Indians Amazed by the Vast Number of
the Palefaces-Fight in the Okla
homa Land Office.

incidents seen at former openings OF land
in this territory. Charles B. Pierce,
boomer from Nebraska, raced the
Rock Island train for the townsite
of Okaritche and beat the train,
having only two miles to go
to the trains three. Pierce located the
whole townsite as a homestead. The pas
sengers and railway officials were greatly
chagrined, but located townsite adjoin-
ing Pierce's claim and say they will build
Okariche there. Last night party of soon
ers, who were ordered to quit the reserva-
ton. were fired upon and one of their
horses killed. No one was injured. and
all escaped to the hills. Several minor
accidents &C :urred during the day,
but no fatalities are reported.
The Associated Press correspondent was
kicked by an Indian pony, breaking one
arm and iniiicting severe wound over the
left eye. Reports of the activity of BOOM
ers are coming in. Okariche has been
built in a day and covers territory nearly
two miles square. The population to-
night exceeds that of Kingfisher
and Ell Reno. The indications
are that the Indians are dissatis-
fled with the outlook and surprised at the
vast number of palefaces invading the ter
ritory. Hundreds of wagons laden with
supplies have left for the new county seats
today, and tonight no less than seven new
cities are booming in the wilderness. Quiet
is prevailing and indicates that the settlers
are law abiding and desirable citizens.
GUTHRIE, o. T., April 19-Miss Connie
Sorenson, of this place, who went to Okla
homa this morning and filed de- lsratory
notice, has returned. She was among the
first admitted to the land office. She says
that while filing her notice the opponents
of the ''ceat warmers" made an attack
upon the line and riot ensued Several
people were knocked down and trampled
upon, among them being woman, most
of whose clothes were torn off. One man,
unknown, was struck on the head and his
skull fractured. He Is fat ally injured. A
number of others were seriously hurt.
Ell RENO, o. T., April 19-It was
lucky thing for many boomers that the
wait on the border ended today. They
had gone to the front with scant supplies,
and had stood it as long as they could.
Around the border of the country yester-
day men went, gun in hand, demanding
that those who had provisions sell them.
A light rain falling when the start was
its picturesque chal aeter, but did
not dampen the enthusiasm. Precisely at
noon, as provided by the presidents proc
lamation, cannon thundered forth the
signal, carbines repeated it and e, 900 men,
on horseback, in wagons and on foot,
rushed into the Cheyenne and Arapahoe
country under whip and spur. Everybody
was rushing over Hat and hollow and
nd lry ioy G.
town lots. The soldiers guarded the
line as well as possible and were assisted
by the boomers themselves, who saw to it
that no one should secure al advantage.
The greatest crowd is at points mar Wa
tonga and Rossmore, the sea of counties
Cand H. Watonga is twenty-five m es
fom the line, and Rossmore forty. Every
man seemed to know just where
he was going, and headed for his
longed-for land without bestowing a
glance at the other rlshers. A
few wheels were lost near the l.,e, and
many more were left in the gal es THIS
aft. rnoon, but there have been no serious
accidents. The special train over the
Choctaw road from Oklahoma dumped a
load at the Rock Island crossing few
moments after noon. A crowd from FL
plete, reached the land at the same time.
The site was black with men within half
an hour after the opening.
HIGGINS, Tex, April 19.-One thousand
boomers made race into the Cheyenne
and Arapahoe reservation from the border
opposite this place. From the northern
and western borders fully four Tines the
number entered the lands. The only claims
taken up were near the border.
Browns VALLEY. Mimi, April 19-Dis-
gusted homeseekers are retuI ming from
the Sisseton reservation by the dozen. All
had located claims. but say the land is
worthless. All the good land had been
taken before they got there.
between the thirty-fourth and thirty.sixth
degrees of north latitude and the ninety. .ghth
and one hundredth degrees of lons.tude, adjo!n-
ing Oklahoma proper on the west es the Chey-
enne and Arapahoe country. IL contains a lie
over 100000 acres aud is occupied ny six 'ipas
of Indians, the Cheyennes, Arspahoes wiehi-
tas. Kiowas Comanches and ApA hes, nearly all
of whom are blanket Indians and have done
scarcely anything towald improving the
country. The Cheycnnes snd Arapahoes VIC >
placed on the reservation by executive
order August 10, 1869, the Wichitss t7eEpy the
lands by an unratif ed agreement o. October 10,
ia72, while the o:he tIih.s c--upy lands eeded
to them October 81, 1867. The entire territory
extends through 1913 miles ON east to west snd
40 miles from north tn south, and Is one of the
best wate-ed portions OF the Ind an Territory.
Flowing through ii from we,s to ST are the
North Canadian, south Canadian, Washits, Red
Piver and no. IN fork of + u River aud these
ali have nu nervous tributaries. among which
are tle Ia Bots. Gypsum, leep Run and Salt
Run creeks, ell considerable streams The Va
leys along all thsss - cams are broad, aver
aging from one TO two mics in w.dth and very
ferule. There is plenty OF timt y along the
streams. Tsken altogether IT is a beautiful
country and well adapted to the " nts OF the
farmer. The east half fer quality OF SOIL timber
and water supply is not tIceled in the Ind an
territory. The west hal Is not so vel! adap ed
to cotton and general fsrming, but is admirably
fitted for grazing and frlit eGiturs By an act
of congress dated in March, 1891 these Fertile
lands were eeded by agreement
with the Indsns TO the United ates.
BY the terms OF the agreement there has been
secuI II TO each me m5er OF the Cheyenne aud
Arapahoe tribes 10 acres OF land, ID be allotted
in sageFaity, one-half to be grazing land, tie
title thereto to be held In trust q: the a OF
tees for the period OF twenty five years, when
titles in fee simple are to be given to the
allot ees or their heirs, free trOm all in
cumbrances: also 81. 5000, as follows: 1850
cash per capita in June, 1871; $4,000 to be pa 4
out for said indians under the a. ect.on OK Ihs
seer Iary OF the interior, aud 10000 - be
tanned in the treasury OF this United States,
placed to Their credit. to draw per cent inter
est per annum, intsIes. 10 5e paid par capita an
nuAlly.
According to the latest enrolment reported 10
the commissioner of Indian affairs there are
now on the reservation:
Cgae'ass;
Mails --.--.-----.-------'.--- ~ 80.
Female ila--, III