Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1893-09-21
LIKE A TORNADO.
A Hundred Thousand People Settle Upon
the Cherokee Strip.

One hundred thousand people set
tied upon the Cherokee Strip the first
day it was opened to settlement. At
noon the signal was given announcing
the passing of the title of the land
from the United States Government
to the boomers and race such as was
never witnessed before and will prob
ably never be seen again was begun.
On the lines in the vicinity of the
various border towns the boomers had
gathered in great numbers. AS far as
the eye could reach in either direction
could be seen men mounted and in
wagons and on foot closely packed to-
gether, making solid columns of twen-
ty feet or more in the middle and ia
pering away to mere streak Of black
in the distance.
The scene when the column
broke at the firing Of the signal gun
and each individual entered the con-
test for common prize, can be im-
agined better than described. ConfI-
sion reigned everywhere. So closely
were the contestants packed together
that the start was q hazardous one.
Horsemen were unseated, wagons over
turned and pedestrians prostrated in
the rush to be of. The cries of an
gered men mingled with the neigh
ing of the panic-stricken horses, the
shouts of racers, the Gathering of
hoofs, the rafting Of wagons and the
shrieking of locomotives combined in
a roar similar to that accompanying
the progress of tornado.
In the race many men were injured
and two were murdered. The details
of the crimes are not known; but the
dead bodies, one stabbed and the 9TH
er shot through the head, tell the man.
ner Of death. Many dead horses have
been found on the prairie. Some died
OF oyer exertion, some were killed by
falling in the race, and others received
broken limbs, and were shot by the
owners.
Tonight, the Strip, which, twelve
hours ago was wholly deserted, is a
popnlous country. Four of the new
town sites have populations estimated
at five thousand each. Others boast
OF populations ranging from l, 200 to
5000. Every desirable claim has at
least one claimant, and many have two
or four. Contests will, of course, be
numerous.
The reports of crimes resulting from
the settlement of the land are few,
and the Government officers who sI-
perintended the opening are congratu-
lating themselves upon the COMPARE
lively peaceful manner in which the
settlement was made.
The unfortunate occurrences were
the shooting down of "sooners" near
Saltwater. The soldiers who did the
shooting were instructed to prevent
"sooners" at all hazards, aud they
point to their orders in justification of
their action.
Wagon and freight loads of supplies
followed the settlers into the Strip.
The teams distributed provisions at
the various county seats and town
sites, where stores have been opened
in canvass tents, pending the erection
OF buildings. Camp fires dot the prai-
ries in all directions tonight, where
the home seekers have established
temporary camps.
The recent drought has dried up the
streams, and those who failed to pro-
vide themselves with water were
forced to endure suffering for thirst,
for water is obtainable in only few
places on the strip except from the
rivers.
DR.. Gallagher of the General Land
Office, has received instructions from
Washington to keep the registration
booths open until further orders and
to issue certificates to all who were
unable to obtain them before noon to.
0av