The morning call., 1893-09-16
ALL READY TO RACE.
Boomers in Line Along the Bor-
der of the Strip.
At High Noon the Land Will Be
Opened and the Struggle VIII
Begin.

ARKANSAS CITY, Kans., Sept. 15-At
noon tomorrow the Cherokee strip passes
from the Government to the homeseekers.
Thanks to the relief afforded by the Inte-
rior Department, there is now every pros
Dect that all will obtain certificates There
has been a steady exodus to-day and to-
night of Notwithstanding homeseekers
from the towns and camps TO convenient
places along the border whence an advan-
tageOus start can be made.
The farmers have about all secured GER
tifcates and have loaded their prairie
schoOners and moved on with their fami-
lies, but the speculatOrs. townsiters and
gamblers still ain in the towns and will
go on to-mOrrow's railway trains. The
Santa Fe will run six trains for the BOOM
eTs. Three will start from this side of the
line and three from the Oklahoma side.
On the KiOwa line train will be rrn in
each direction. The Rock Island will run
six trains, three south from Caldwell aud
three north from HenDessy. o. 7. These
trains will be run under the supervision of
the Interior Department. and at speed
not exceeding twelve miles an hour.
Most OF the men seeking. homes and
claims will make the race on horses, but
some will go on foot and few on bicycles.
| The entries are estimated at 7S, COO Twen-
ty-five thousand will go from Arkansas
City and vicinity, 5000 from Caldwell,
5000 from Kiowa, 5000 from Hannewell.
11,000 from Orlando, 5000 from Saltwater
and 5000 from other points.
Half of the hOmeseekers it is estimated
have families, and the population of the
strip tomorrow night will be at least
25O. .000 The booth in town was besieged
all day and double lines were formed,
each containing at least 5000 people. At
o'clock this evening about 5000 certificates
had been issued. but the line still con tained
fully an equal number OF people. The
booth Will be kept open all night. The
establishment of this booth in town has
undoubtedly been the means of saving
many lives to-day. as it was comparatively
sheltered and the people had an opportu-
nifty of getting water and food, which they
could not do out at the other booths. One
consequence of its establishment was that
the largest proportion of people of the
outside booths abandoned them and made
a grand rush for town. At the booths on
the border only 56OO people applied for
registration during the day, aud at
A booth was opened at Guthrie yester-
day and about 1000 certificates had been
issued, when word came from Washington
that the booth must be moved to Orlando.
At the latter point about 7O0O certificates
were issued to-day. At Caldwell practic-
ally all have been supplied with certifi-
Gates.
At Hennessy to-day a man named Nib
m hou doa Iar
from Kansas City. fell dead in the line.
He had paid S25 during the day in So in-
stallments TO get ahead in the line.
At Saltwater this afternoon j. II. Card
we'll of Gainesville, Tex, was bunkoed out
of $3.50. As soon as he realized what had
been done he started for the confidence
man with gun. The gambler ran, but
the Texan brought him to the ground with
bullet in hi. shoulder. and not only re-
covered his own money, but got 500 in ad-
diton. Commendation of the act was so
general that the gambler made no effort to
recover his money.
At Guthrie cOntraband trade in certifi-
Gates has been going on since Tuesday, and
it is estimated that there are at Oklahoma
City from 500 to 1000 persons no have
given up So for certificates. If they are
genuine trouble Is in store for some of the
booth clerks. The plan of operations was
for the man to sign an official declaration,
which was taken 10 Orlando on the after
noon train, and the certificate returned
next morning. Persons in the scheme at
this end say they divided the profits with
the clerks.
Tonight thousands are camped along
the line. their fires making an almost un-
broken chain on the border. To-day was
cool in comparison 20 the last few days, the
thermometer standing at 60 with wind
from the north. Indications for tomorrow
are for clear. warm day. with northerly
winds
KANSAS CITY, Sept. 15.-A Stars Ar
kansas City special says: A scout rode in
from the Holister ranch this morning and
notified the banks that a remnant OF the
Dalton-Starr gang was camped thirty
miles south. and it was said il was the in
tention of the gang to raid the banks here
tomorrow after the people had left town
for the border. The banks organized
strong posse to defend their property, and
will close their doors iii Monday.
Est. LOUIS, Sent 15-A special 10 the
Republic from Guthrie, o. r.. says: Fiji
teen thousand people are massed about tie
Santa Fe depot ready TO fight for place
on the first train Tomorrow. The railway