The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-16
Special to the REcoRp-uN1oN.

| Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
ST.. PAUL, April 15.-Reports from the
! Slsseton Reservation indicate the weather
| all that could be desired for the opening
to-day, but the conditions under foot
We're most unfavorable. The whole
country is a sea of mud and water, and
the race for choice selections is to be to the
strong instead of the swift. Several town
ships are submerged over large tracts.
Daylight found lines of filers at Fargo
and Watertown. Sunrise also disclosed
long lines of homeseekers and townsite
| boomers stretched along the boundaries
of the reservation, held back only by the
guns of the soldiers, and the fear that
their claims would be thrown out If they
crossed in advance. So thick were they
that the long line of restless people
seemed living marks set to show the
| boundaries. Major Bernard laid his
plans well to give all an equal chance.
| The various officers compared their time
| pieces, and promptly at noon the signal
guns gave the word go" Major Ber-
| nard's bugler announced it at Browns
] Valley, and as the notes resounded from
the hilltop the rapid firing of musketry
along the line carried the word to the
| eager multitude, who started off at
| break-neck pace for the promised land
| through mud and slush. Mud had no
terrors for them, and pools Of water, even
small lakes, did not deter them, if by
| driving through them they could reach
| the coveted Quarter-Section the sooner
The towns near the border, so full of
life all the week, are now almost deserted.
| Even those who have no interest in the
lands have gone to watch the hustling
| crowd.
At Watertown all the land-lovers have
gone except !, 900, who felt secure in the
! validity of the filings over the claims of
squatters.
During the night there were continual
scenes of activity, and before 10 O'Clock
| the muddy streets were damned with
vehicles OF every character. At ii o'clock
fully 5000 people were collected along the
reservation at the head of Lake Traverse,
and the cavalry had difficulty in keeping
the impatient crowd in check, as they
were becoming decidedly uneasy
Some settlers outfits were unique and
interesting. a large claim shanty with
red window blinds, on wheels, was
drawn up to the line, a family living in it.
| Covered wagons IN large numbers drew
up and prepared for the race. Sack feed,
] bunch hay and spades composed the out
| fit of some, while others had wagons
! loaded with lumber for shanties, sur
mounted by a small stove, blankets,
chairs, pans, and kettles.
The ubiquitous country editor, doctor
| clergyman and county-seat policeman
| were all in line, waiting for the signal.
Five hundred teams plunged madly
| forward across the prairie when the OPEN
| ing was announced, with drivers regard
| less of direction. Horseback riders soon
| took the lead. Far up the lake a large
party crossed in boats, and succeeded in
entering the reservation five miles ahead
| of the crowd, but even others got in before
| them. It is estimated that 900 people
made the rush from Browns Valley,
about 500 from Travare and some 600
| from Wheaton. In spite of the efforts of
the owners of a private bridge to stem the
| Hood OF boomers across the bridge, the
police force was overwhelmed and lost in
| the struggle for the bridge. A large
crowd also set out for Ledgerwood.
There was wild rush from Hankin-
son, o solid line south Of there awaiting
the opening, and in several instances
| halt dozen made for the same claim,
and trouble is feared. At Waubay. on
the southwest some five or six hundred
| people joined in the rush. From Will
met there was great rush, and the train
on the Milwaukee road pulled to the end
of the track, at the signal from whence
| the boomers rushed to the lands on fast
mustangs, which were provided by In
dams at big prices. In fact, the Indian
was great man all over the reservation
| to-day.
On-rushing boomers from the north.
west and east met in the reservation, and
! if there is any trouble it will come from
difficulties over choice sections to which
the settlers raced from different direc-
tons.
Every section in Coddington County.
of which Watertown is the county seat.
was occupied by from one to five squat
| tiers before l o'clock. Numerous alterca-
tons ensued. but no bloodshed is re-
ported. 1t is believed the Deputy
SheritIs and militia will be able to'niain-
tain order. Many squatters have already
begun the erection of houses, but the ma
| jority commenced settlement by digging
wells and cellars, or by blowing the
soil.
At Fargo 100 filings were made in the
course OF the afternoon, Rev. Vanhorn of
the Baptist Church, Presiding Elder
Cooper of the Methodist Church and a
lady being among the number. A num-
Der of flers will probably lose their
claims through squatters reaching the
| land first.
Three thousand men were in line before
the Land Office at Watertown. The first
| place in the line was sold for s.. 600. and
the 126th for 500. Everything passed off
quietly. Lee Slower, local attorney.
who purchased the first place at exactly
noon, filed one declaratory, and rendered
| Nv oIhOiS, W nlSi were IGlSCJ0O. Inc III
! ing proceeded rapidly, and it is thought
the line will be exhausted by night.
CHEYENNE RESERVATION LANDS,
Ell RENO %. IT,, April I5.-Boomers
| continue to pour in along the border. but
| the crowd will not be as great as that
which entered Oklahoma. The boomers
do not seem to have cash, though most
have -four and bacon. and hundreds real
iZe that they are not iii condition to hold
down claims, but hope to secure a good
piece of land and sell 1t out in a day or so
Ifthey fail, they will be reduced almost to
starvation. Perhaps 1900 people are
ready TO enter from the east, 5000 from
| Wichita County, while about 8 900 Texans
are drawn up on the south line. There
are not many people on the west side
| but some $500 east of Cantonnet and $50
| west. No trouble has yet been reported.
and none is anticipated.
TWO '.sooNERs'' REPORTED KILLED.
kINGFIsHER, April l5.-There is an
unconfirmed rumor that two ''sooners,'
were killed yesterday in the Cheyenne
and Arapahoe Reservation for resisting
arrest. Dense crowds of colonists con-
tlnue to come by wagons and trains. The
/ excitement increases. People of all
classes are. preparing for the wild rush
next Tuesday.
LIVELY RUSH.
! BROWNS VALLEY Mimi, April d.
| The sharp, clear note OF the bugle at noon
to-day, the simultaneous crack of the
carbine, then volley from the whole
! far-reaching line Of cavalry, and the