The Russellville Democrat., 1893-09-21
AT NOON TO DAY.
It Was Mad Race in Which LOGO Peo-
 pie Sought to Win.

AhhANoAo NiA As e1cph' AOs- %Ab five minutes before noon to day 5000 men were gathered upon the north and south boundaries of the Cherokee Strip, awaiting breath lessly the signal which would an nounce to them the arrival of the hour when the land would pass from the ownership of the United States government into the possession of individual citizens. All were ready for the race which would bring fortune aud happiness 10 some, disappointment and suffer ing to others. All expected for tunes, and all were ready for the race for the lands, and some were mounted on thoroughbred racers, some on less fleet but surer footed COW ponies, and some on bicycles. Others were to make the race in buggies and wagons. An air of strained expectancy pervades the throngs, and each is eager for the signal.
 Bang! Bang went the revoivers of the United States army officers who have the affair in charge and gave the signal to start and the race for homes was on. Seventy five thousand men and women rushed over the boundaries and into the coveted land as if their very lives rather than the mere possession of a farm or two, depended on going
 The shout of men, the screaming of women, the Heighiug of frightened horses the cracking If whips, the ereaking of prairie schooners, the rattling of wheels, the chatter of hoofs, and the explosion of firearms combining to make the confusion of sounds in keeping with the general confusion of the start, and to render the scene one of indescribable pandemonium. After the line was crossed the racers spread out over the strip. Hundreds of exciting contests took place. Here was neck and neck race between horsemen, who had all selected cer- tain lot of certain town site as the only thing worth having in the whole country. The stake is allur- ing and each horseman puts forth every effort 70 snatch the prize>
 There choice farm is the stake, and the race is equally exciting. Here the racers come upon a gully, over which they cannot urge their animals. They abandon the ami mals, trusting to luck to find them again, and make for the goal on foot, stumbling over rocks, wading streams and climbing precipitous banks in the mad race. Here women engage in the race for a prize, and there are men and women chasing over the prairie for the same piece of land. During the long, hot days of registration, when standing in line in the blazing hot sun, which entailed great suffering, the men chivalrously surrendered to the weaker sex the places in the lines. There is no chivalry now. This race is a business affair, and no sentiment interferes with the trans action of the matter in hand on business basis. The women must take their chances. Sex availed them nothing in this contest.
 Along the railway tracks, boomer trains loaded to the guards with town siters, were seen to be creep ing along at a suail's pace it seemed to the anxious passengers, while thousands of fleet animals with mounts were outstripping the mighty iron horses which were handicapped by being forbidden to exceed twelve miles an hour. The horsemen shouted derisively as they passed the trains and some of the more hot headed pas sengers piled off the cars and forth with scampered distance into the prairie and squatted upon the first vacant patch of 160 acres which came in the way. As the train pulled into town site or county seat it was disgorged of its load and the town siters swarmed over the land like an army. A plot of ground which fifteen minutes before was nothing but a surveyed patch of l prairie with not an inhabitant be- 1 came populous community. h. numerable disputes, many alterca- tions and some fights took place. | There were no officers of law to in- 1 terfere, and the lot seekers were too busy with their own affairs to mix in other peoples | business, so the fighters fought it i out until one was incapacitated, while | the other captured the prize. I'm mediately when a lot was claimed ! stakes were driven, in some cases | and tents erected, and in few in- 1 stances town meetings were held, i officers elected, ana, before the | thing seemed possible, a munici | pahty had sprung into existence. |
 HERE THEY GO.
 Enough people made the run to furnish each one of the 37, 600 home | leads with an occupant and give | lyery county town site at least l700 | 1t is estimated that I5, ,000 people made the race. It is |, e.-.. Tg- 0an .--A.H