The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-09-21
TIE PROMISED LAND.
MAD RUSH BY THE MIGHTY HORDE
OF HOMEsEEKERs.
Precisely at High Noon Yesterday the Signal
Was Given That Sent the Assembled
Thousands Into the Land
OF the Red Man.

ARKANSAS CITY, Sept. l6--Five
minutes before noon today 1000 men
were gathered upon the north and
south boundaries of the Cherokee
strip awsiting breathlessly the signal
announcing the arrival of the hour
when the land would pass from the
ownership of the United States gov
ernment into the possession of indi-
vidual citizens. All were ready for
the race which was to bring fortune
and happiness to some, disappoint.
ment and suffering to others. All
were expecting fortunes and all were
ready for the race for the lands.
Some mounted on thoroughbred
racers, some on less fleet but sure
footed COW ponies, some on bicycles,
others in buggies and wagons. An
air of strained expectancy pervaded
the throngs and each was eager for
the signal.
THE SIGNAL.
Bang! bang! The revolvers of United
States army officers who have the af-
fair in charge gave the signal to start
and the race was on. Thousands of
men, women and children rushed over
the boundaries and into the coveted
land 50 if their very lives, rather than
mere Tarm or town lot, depended
upon their going. The shouting of
men, screaming of women, nelghing OF
frightened horses, cracking OF whips,
creaking ofprairie schooners, rattling
of wheels, clatter of hoofs, and OK
plosion of firearms, combined to MAKE
the confusion of sounds in keeping
with the general confusion of the start
and to render the scene one OF in
discribable pandemonium. After the
line was crossed and the racers spread
out many exciting scenes occurred.
Here was neck and neck race be-
tween horsemen who had all selected
certain lots in certain town site as
the only thing worth having in the
whole country, and each horseman
put forth every effort to snatch the
prize. Here choice farm is the stake
and the race is equally exciting. Here
the racers come up gully over which
they cannot urge their horses. They
abandon the animals, trusting to luck
to finding them again and make for
the goal on foot, stumbling over rocks,
wading streams and climbing precipit-
GUS banks in the mad rush. Here
women engage in race for prize,
and there women and men chase over
y the prairie for the same piece Of land.
SELECTING THE LANDS.
During the hot days of registration
when standing in line in the blazing
sun entailed great suffering, the men
chivalrously surrendered their places
in the line. There is no chivalry now.
This race is business affair and no
sentiment interfered with the transac.
tion of the matter in hand. On busi-
ness basis the women must take their
chances. Their sex avails them moth
ing in the contest. There along the
railroad tracks the boomer trains,
loaded to the guards with town si.
ters, are creeping along at a snail's
pace. it seems to the anxious passen-
gers, while fleet animals outstrip the
mighty iron horse, handicapped by
being forbidden to exceed II miles per
hour. The horsemen derisively shout
as they pass the trains, and some of
the more hot-headed passengers
pile off of the cars and forthwith
scamper distance in the prairie and
squat upon the first vacant patch OF
16O acres which comes in the way.
LOCATING TOWN LOTS.
As the train pulls into the town site
or county seat 1T disgorges its load OF
town siters, who swarm over the
town site like an army of ants. The
plot of ground which Is minutes be-
fore was nothing but surveyed Patch
of prairie with not an inhabitant be-
comes a populous community. In.
Vulnerable disputes, mary alterca'