The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-09-17
SCENES OF WILD EXCITEMENT.
One HuldrGd Thousand Men Race Into
the Promised Land.
FOUR CITIES ALREADY STARTED
The wild Mad Rush of Mingled Humanity
into the Strip Resulted In the Loss OF
Several Boomers' Lives.
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Arkansas City, Ks, Sept. 16.-One
hundred thousand people settled upon
the Cherokee Strip today. At noon the
signal was given and the great race
was begun. AS far as the eye could
reach in either direction could be seen
men mounted and in wagons and on
foot closely packed together, making a
solid column two hundred feet or more
wide IN the middle and tapering away
to a mere streak black in the distance.
Confusion relgned everywhere. So
closely were the contestants packed
together that the start was hazard
Gus one. Horsemen were unseated, wag-,
ems overthrown, and pedestrians pros
trated in the mad rush. The cowboys
on ponies took the lead and had gone
but a short distance when they spread
out over the prairie and dismounting
set fire to the thick prairie grass, hop
ing to thus turn aside those who were
following. The fires spread rapidly at
first but were soon stopped by a deep
gully which parallels the Cherokee
line three miles south Of here. The
horses could not be urged through the
flames and many turned back. No
damage was done by the flames fuyth-
er than destroying the grass and inn
peding the racers. James II. Hill Of
Kingborn, N. j., was shot and instant
ly killed by soldier at the southwest
corner of Chiloco reservation. He
started into the Strip before the sig
nal was given. He had $500 and it was
turned over to the sheriff. In the race
many men were injured, and some
killed. OF the latter two were muir
dered. One was stabbed and the other
shot through the headI There are
many dead horses on the prairie. -Four
new townsites have populations esti-
mated at 5000 each, and others boast
ranging from 1000 to 5000
Every describable claim has at least
one claimant and many have two or
four contestants. The contests of
course will be numerous The soldiers
shot four "sooners" near saltwater, o.
T., and Arkansas City, Kansas, wagon
and freight train loads with supplies
followed the settlers into the Strip.
Camp fires dot the prairie in all direc-
tions tonight. The drought has dried
up the streams and those who failed to
themselves with water are
forced to endure much suffering.
Caldwell, KS. Sept 16.-The first
train into the Cherokee district was
run by Engineer ]. 2. Colburn, who
has been thirty-three years in the SER
vice of the Rock Island road. The train
was composed of thirty-five stock cars
and every foot of space was taken.
Pond Creek will probably be the larg-
est town on the Rock Island line, with
a population of 5000.
Orlando, Ok, Sept. 1G.-Twenty-five
thousand men and women started into
the Strip today. Hundreds went in on
trains which were jammed, but the
grand rush was made by horses and
wagons. Judge Wollock, the special
land office has advices showing that
the number of people who made the
run into the Cherokee Strip exceeds
all expectations. Fully 100000 men
started in the race and on the estima-
ton that families married at one to
each certificate bearer, the Cherokee
Strip tonight has a population of 2OO,-
900. Advices to Judge Wollock show
that the racers were divided about as
follows: Among the border towns: Ar
kansas City, 10000; Orlando, 25,OOO;
Caldwell, $4,000; Hennessey, 100000 Still
water, 10000; Kiowa, 1000; Hume
well, 5000; and other points 1000.
Near Black Bear, northeast Of here,
today, the body of James Rearden, of
AIilfeard, Mass, was found on the
prairie after the rush. He had been
stabbed to death and the weapon was
sticking in his breast. Further north
was the body Of w. D. Blake, supposed
to be from Gainesville, Texas. He was
found shot through the heart. 1t is not
known neither he was murdered or
shot by accident. The body Of Made
line Granger Of Terre Haute, Ind, was
also found on the prairie. There are
nc marks Of violence and 1t is believed
she died from. natural causes.
This town, the seat Of County 20"
and the principal townsite on the San
Ia Fe- road, fell into the hands Of the
"sooners" at twelve minutes after
noon. Two hundred horsemen under
the leadership Of Jim Masterson,
on Bill Dalton's famous horse,
occupied lots surrounding the land Of
flee where the business portion Of the
town viii doubtless be built. That they
were asooners' who had been hiding
In the flint hills is absolutely certain.
for they could not ride nine miles IN