Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-21

Embryo business houses OF all descrip.
tons have already opened their doors
and the town presents all the sights Of u
busting western city.
The dust has banked about the build
ings in the town to such an extent that
they arc more than half buried. The
dust clouds strike and drift into piles
Ike Snow banks. 1t ia impossible to
keep the dust from entering the restaur.
ants. Chairs around the tables are
buried nearly TO the seats in dirt, while
plates OF food are well nigh ruined be-
fore the purchasers can eat.
Thousands of men, women and chill.
dren laid down to rest last night upon
the bare ground, selecting places in the
shelter OF wagon wheels, boxes, sc.
Sleep was impossible, the suffocating
dust almost burylng them from view.
The rush for town lots was exciting,
and many Of the small lots have small
armies OF claimants upon them who
will contestto see who shall hold the lots
The land office in Perry is in a little
building that is full OF cracks, through
which the dust pours 10 at will. The
land office officials and their force of
clerks were in perfect misery this morn.
ing. Everything was covered with dust,
and TO add to their trouble the men who
were engaged to haul water to them
had failed to do so, their supply being
completely exhausted. But slight effort,
from all appearance, would have been
necessary TO induce them to resign their
positions.
TRAGEDIES OF THE OPENING.
Hundreds of settlers have been in the
city from the strip to-day after supplies.
They came from all portions of the
promised land. So far as am able to
learn but few deaths occurred during
the wild scramble for land. One man
was deliberately shot for entering the
strip minute or two ahead of time and
falling to stop when called upon to do
so. Another man was killed by Jump
ing on the top Of passenger coach.
Word reached here late that "sooners''
killed one or two men about 25 miles
south. Another report states that two
homesteaders arrived upon the same
quarter section at about the same time.
They had heated argument for time.
When, with the remark 'Ill die for this
claim" one of the men pulled his six.
shooter
"Pldo the same" exclaimed the other
Two reports rang out as one ami both
fell dead in their tracks. Considering
the large number Of desperate and law.
less characters who entered the race the
deadly conflicts have been remarkably
few.
In all parts of the strip to-day the
multitude Of home seekers who were
fortunate enough to secure desirable
farms have remained closely upon them
to guard against claim jumpers.
BUSY WITH IMPROVEMENTS.
What was vast, unbroken plain o.
the deepest solitude yesterday is to-day
dotted with the modest claim shantie!
OF tens of thousands of hardy persons
The first Sunday in the now domain has
been made use Of in making the neces
sary improvements required by the lane
laws of the United States. az
Instead Of the accustomed quiet wall
to church with his family in an oldei
community the settler has been bus,
| plowing and building. The music o
the hammer and the saw precedes th,
music of the church bell. In Tim,
churches will be constructed in eacl
community and the surroundings will
resemble the older sections of the west
The country will be transformed
and, If Drawn and muscle can do it
will blossom like the rose. Rows o
prairie 'schooners" have been goinl
through town bound north, the occu
pants OF the wagons having eithe
failed TO secure land or become dis
gusted with the weather and lack o
water.
"BLuFFED" OFF CLAIMS.
Among those going home disappointet
are many who were "bluffed" off tn
claims which in all justice should hav
been theirs. One man relates that b
put his stake in the ground on fin
claim fully ten minutes before any on
else, but rough character came along
stuck his stake in thelsame piece O
ground, strolled leisurely over to tn
original occupant, and upon learnin
that the first man claimed the LAND
cooked his Winchester and, pointing a
the other, said, "You git"
1t is needless to say the other saw tn
force Of the argument and SCOT" Score
Of such cases will probably be reporte
from all over the strip.