Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-09-14
AT TIE LINE.
Excitement Increasing as Strip
Opening Approaches.
REGISTRATION PROCEEDING BRISKLY.
People Sick from Exposure and Exhaustion
Plans of boomers Soldiers at Ar
kansas city MisbchavInE
Themselves.

ARKAEsAs CITY, Kan, Sept. i2.-Yes.
terday fully 1000 people arrived by rail
road, wagons and horse back and Joined
the campers already In the parks, along
the rivers and near the booth. As the
crowd multiplies the number OF booths
has been increased and more clerks en-
pluyed.
At o'clock the booths opened for
business and at that hour ut least 5000
people were in line. searly MS Saturday
evening the crowd began TO gather at
the booth
The long continued dry weather has
covered the roads with fine dust
which the constant stirring up has
thrown into the air, where IL hovers
constantly The booths are situated at
the side of narrow lane at the state
line
When the crowd began to gather
they formed three lines east and west
and In this way spent the time until
Monday morning There is no water
within two miles of the booth and the
supply has to be hauled from Arkansas
City in tank wagons. Those waiting
In line slept on the ground. Some had
blankets, others were without coats.
Towards morning the weather changed
and got very chilly, causing n good
deal of suffering. Hot coffee peddlcrs
passed along the line all night and
helped to keep the crowd comfortable.
When the clerks appeared for business
In the morning, dropping spirits re-
vived somewhat and cheer went up
from the grimy, chilly boomers
H,sas q - Ia
John u Cameron, of Kansas City. At
first the business of registering went
very slowly, but as the clerks got used
to IL they made more rapid progress,
and when closing time came nearly
$500 people had been registered. In
the line were many women, who had
stayed there twenty-four and many of
them thirty-siX hours
The crowd was an usually good
naturcd one, and although they were
choked and covered with dust, hungry
and thirsty, and many of them abso.
lutcly without sleep, they exhibited no
impatiencc. The troops had charge Of
the line and kept the crowd orderly.
The soldiers have not been behaving
themselves
deal and their conduct has elected u
great deal of unfavorablc comment.
They have been in a good many street
rows and several of them have been ar
rested
Yesterday n colored man died In the
line from exposure and exhaustion. A
good many men were taken from the
line overcome with heat
REGISTRATION AT CALDWELL.
CALDWELL, Kan, Sept. l2.-Nearly
1000 homcseckcrs received certificates
here yesterday. Registration began
promptly ut I u. m. and closed ten
hours later. Over 1900 strippers are
In line and numbered. Officer Ketchem
has tclegraphed TO Washington re-
questing that two more booths be es.
tablished here. They will probably
open tomorrow ut noon. Clerks will
be appointed by the mayor. This will
enable them TO register at least ., 900
per day and insures all u chance
The crowds were very patient and
not even dispute occurred TO destroy
the tranquility of the strippcrs Sew
eral hundred ladies were registered be-
fore noon. A large majority Of the
strippers are true disciples of Chester
field and very gracefully resigned their
places IN line TO some member OF the
fair sex.
| The sight of 40 many bloodod horses
I Is working the poorer classes into
/ frenzy, and II all doubt Of n train On
tering Is destroyed many will grow
| desperate and turn "sooners" Every
one is excited and all are talking and
no one listening. IL will be the great
est handicap ever run on American
soil and worth coming 1000 miles 10
see.
ID. u. Calhoun, living on the line, has
a house built on the wheels of u separ-
ator, and will eat dinner In his house
on his claim in the strip five minutes
after H.
One span of the bridge broke under
the weight OF the heavily loaded wagons
yesterday afternoon. Two wagons fell
through, but no one was seriously In
jured.
THE LINE AT ORLANDO.
guTuRlE Ok, Sept. l9.-The line at
Orlando is big one. It's fair state
ment 10 say that there are 300 men In
line at the booth.
The great gathering OF tents and
wagons Of every variety makes IL seem
rs II there were many thousands Of
people present They are still coming,
however, and before night there will
DE mt least ., 900 on the ground who in
tend 10 make the run.
A United States police force has been
organized with Tom bowman, an old
police officer from somewhere In Mis-
souri,, as It's chief. This was necessary,
as thieves are quite plenty. A man
named Weber, from Kansas lost his
watch, n gold one, and $50 yesterday,
leaving him dead broke. Others have
been buncoed ont OF their money and
as the crowd Is full Of confidence men,
other victims are likely soon TO turn
up There are large numbe Of WON
en- ready 10 make the run on the 10th.
Bicycle racers are plenty. Among the
crowd there are men rs old as Methuse-
lah, yet they feel us II they would
make winning race. There is one old
chap here named Baker, who Is no less
than 50 years OF age, who swears he
will get claim or die. lie has two re-
volvers swinging at his hips and Is as
confident as Il young man Of 20 There
nre several very sick men and women
here who will likely pull out.
National Banks TO Reopen.
WAsmNGTOS, Sept lathe follow
ing national banks which recently sus-
pended payment have been permitted 10
reopen: First national bank OF Provo,
Utah; Western national OF South Pu-