Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-09-17

safety. The gulley soon became lined
with hOrsemen. All the claims were
taken, aud those whose horses would
not attempt to cross IL were obliged 70
take long detour around its ends.
They were not discouraged and hoped
for better luck further on.
THE ARMY OF SETTLERS.
Enough people made the run to furn-
ish each one Of the37, SEQ hOmesteads
with an occupant aud give every county
seat aud town site at least l,500 inhabi-
tants 10 is known that over 125,0OO
certificates we're issued from the vari-
Gus registration booths, but the major
ity of prospecting settlers took out both
homestead aud town site certificates,
so that the lumber OF certificates does
not represent the number OF settlers.
10 IS estimated that $4,000 people
made the race from Arkansas City, l5,-
600 from Caldwell, II, 600 from Orlando,
6. 600 from Heunessey, 1000 from Still
water, 5000 from kjowa, 5000 from
Hunneweu and 5000 10 5000 from
other points. The total numOe nearly
doubles the crowd which raced into
Oklahoma wuen the territory was
opened.
The weather was all that could be de-
sired for the occasion. The sky was clear,
and aud a cool north wind was blowing
briskIy, buJ not with enough force to
raise the dust, which the settlers had
come 10 regard as a necessary comDo.
neut part OF the strip atmosphere.
These favorable conditions were great
relief 90 the boomers, who have suffered
so greatly the past week from the un-
preceieuted hot spell. The greatest
rush was into the eastern portion OF the
country, which contains by far the more
fertile aud best watered farming land OF
the whole strip, Preey, the town site,
on the Santa Fe, was the favorite des-
tnarion of spectators, but Milford
and Pond Creek, on the Rock Island,
were the objective points OF the throngs
who made the rush from Caldwell,
WHAT TUE BOOMERS FOUND.
After the race was over, and the set
tiers had looked around TO see where
they were at, many were sore, very
sore The man who had taken up a
homestead found himself located upon
as apparently undesirable a patch OF
land ms could well be found 10 the whole
breadth of Uncle Sans domain, except
ing, possibly, portions or the American
desert Prairie fires had swept great
tracts of land and left them black and
uniuviting. Other tracts had been cut
clear OF hay by men who have made
living, aud some OF them fortunes. gath
erIug the prairie grass. What hay had
been left by the fires and haymakers
was parched TO a crisp by the recent
hot winds, and matted on the ground
by the same agency. The prospect was
dreary oue-prairie extending as far
as the eye could reach, relieved by no
signs OF human life excepting those
brought into the desOlate waste by the
settlers themselves.
Few Of the homesteaders were provi
ded with natural water. The lack OF
water will be the great obstacle in the
way of homesteader's comfort and that
OF his focks and herds. The season
has been unusually dry, even for this
dry climate. But little rain has fallen
for a full month, and none for the past
two weeks. The creeks have run dry,
and the Arkansas and CimmarOn have
nearly reached a condition OF stagna-
tion. so that what little water is obtain
able is Of bad quality. There are very
few springs in the Strip, and the dig
Qiug of wells in the sandy soil Is a long,
arduOuS process. They must be sunk
at least 100 feet. aud In some cases $50
feet, before water is found.
Pending the digging Of wells or a fall
OF rain the settlers will experience great
difficulty, aud in many cases actual suf-
lering, in providing water. Some will
be Obliged TO haul 10 a long distance
from the river, and then it will be an
insufficient amount and Of undesirable
quality. Most OF the settlers have TAX
en- with them to their claims an ample
supply of food and no Inconvenience
will be encountered on that score.
The towu-siter was also disappointed
man when he found himself in posses
sion Of much coveted lot 10 his
dreams be had pictured TO himself a
town lot az least. When he got his lot
he found he had a 25-ioot piece of land
I'm the open prairie exactly similar TO a
thousand pieces, divided from each 9TH
er only by imaginary lines. At the gov
ernmeut town sites only the block had
had been severed and il was impossible
for man TO tell just where his lot was,
even after he had got IL. The fact that
the lots were not surveyed led TO end
less confusion and numerous disputes
for a given block happened. The first
buildings that went up on the lots were
of canvass, the tents erected by shop
keepers, who stocked them with their
wares aud were soon doing a thriving
husiupsS