Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-09-23
ON TO THE STRIP
The Mad Rush for Homes Began
at Noon Saturday.
Some on Race Horses, Some on b.
cycles, Thousands on Foot
A HowIing Wilderness Populated
in a Few Minutes.
Municipalities Organized and Men
Seeking Office.
The Widest Scramble for Land the World
Ever Saw--Horses and Men Disap.
pear in a Cloud OF Ous.-.Many
Accidents and There Win
Be Fights and
Bloodshed.
Municipalities Organized and Men
Seeking Office.

GUTBR,E, Okla, Sept. l6.-The man
who has ever witnessed or participated
In the opening of any of the Indian
lands in the great southwest will
never forget the occasion. II is n
scene of wild excitement, rush and tur-
moil that can be likened only to times
Of war.
Three times before this have the
thousands gathered upon the border OF
indian lands in this territory, TO enter
IN a wild scramble and race for homes
At the appointed hour, but on no oc-
:asion have the crowds been SO large,
nor the excitement SO great as it has
been for a week past, and was today.
Think of 100, 900 people gathered in
little companies all along a line border
ing a land for nearly 500 miles, in
wagons on horseback and OF foot,
waiting from early dawn until noon
Tor the signal TO start in the widest
.ace the world has ever seen: think Oh
the terrible strain. the pent-up excite
ment, as watch and suns shadow tell
them the momentous hour has almost
arrived. and twill be but a few mo-
ments more until the great signal gun
will boom forth the summons to begin
The strife.
Description OF the Throng.
Many of these people had been en-
eamped upon the line for months, some
even for years, and their battered out
its and worn and weakened animals
,etokened the disappointment that was
certainly in store for them, for like the
nan who idly waits for anything, they
we're apt to be outstripped by one
lresher for the race.
Others had been but a few weeks in
saiting and were none the worse for
{, save for a coating of dirt and dust,
III unkempt appearance, and n skln
AIMED to a mulatto shade. The
~freater portion of this motley crowc
lad, however, been in waiting but a
lew days or hours, and were fresh
rom city or country home, from store,
from shop. from mine and from farm
The great majority of the waiting
gDTOllR tlllcItu llt luId Oh wv
md for hours their horses had beer
froomed and saddled and bridled.
The camps were astir unusually early
ibis morning, and after the thousand
IF breakfasts of bread, bacon and blacl
coffee had been prepared and eaten the
packing began and everything wa
,towed carefully away in wagon, IL
<napsack and saddle bag.
Eleven o'clock found all eating a hur
led dinner of cold leavings from break
last. for few stopped to cook anything
aow, and soon there was n hurryint
md pushing forward to get starting
places of advantage.
There was the greatest difference in
:he character, looks and aims OF tn
different people standing ready for tn
start. In the first wagon was a grizZle'
I'D Texan driving "A mule team attached
o an old freighter wagon loaded will
household goods and n goodly sizet
'amily. Next TO him were a dozel
cowboys, mounted on bronchos, and be
vond them a Spectator or two MOUNTED
On trained race horses. Next was al
Did time boomer, with dilapidated out
IL and numerous children, and besid'
aim a Mississippi negro sitting calml.
n his ox-cart. Two-wheeled, -four
wheeled and six-wheeled vehicles wer'
10 be seen, and people OF all sexes
ages, sizes and races. The Indian wa
here present with the rest, sitting upol
ais pony, and gazing vacantly int
space.
There were dry goods clerks o.
horseback and in wagons, who wer
already getting sick Of camp life an
fare. and would not know what to d
with a claim when they secured 1t.
Here and there in the line was
plucky mar or woman on foot, stand
ing ready to rush for one Of the nea,
by claims that the horsemen nigh
leave unoccuppied, and an occasions
one-legged soldier could be seen mount
ed upon a horse, TO risk again his lif
In racing for the home the government
should long ago have given him.
The ToSnsits Scramble.
As one reached a point nearest som
town site, there were found sewers
hundred horsemen massed, ready fo
the most exciting ace Of all-the rus
to the town site and the scramble fo
lots. Back Of them were "A hundred q
more wagons loaded with freight, tina
were to come on after the horsemer
bringi ,g tents and food, lumber an
stocks OF goods with which to set tn
business machinery of the town
motion. So 1t was all along the line
an ever changing scene of the kaleido
scopic variety, all kinds of people. bu
all on one mission bent-the securin
of a home or a fortune.
A thousand watches, held in a thoui
and excited, trembling hands, bett
kened the near approach of the hou
of noon, and there was a tightening {
saddle girths, and adjusting OF bundle
and a hasty mounting all along tn
line. Reins were frightened, horses b,
gan to shift about uneasily, a thousan
whips were appraised, while muscle
were strained, lips were compressed
and IN impressive silence reigned 5,
preme-the awful calm that prevail
before the mighty storm.