Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-18
The start

The view or the ruSh At II O'CLOCK OF
the boomers yesterday from the obser-
vatory on the Chilocco school was full
Of exciting interest. With field glass
3 view Of the long line Of horses and
men densely packed for two hundred
feet back could be seen getting ready.
The sharp crack Of a revolver was dis
tinctly heard, aud Immediately follow
lug the reports Of a hundred carbines. A
h0arse yell went up sOftened by the
distance and the line got In motion.
Horses were seen TO shoot out from the
ruck and dash across the prairie, then
a dense cloud Of dust obsoured the line
for a moment, but a brisk wind from
the west cleared IL away for an instant
and the men aud the wagons could be
seen scattering as the sloWest were left
behind. Now and then wagon would
90 over with a wheel knocked of. A
horse was seen 10 rear in the air as he
was struck 6y wagon tongue and fall
back. His rider was up in an instant
aud bent over his horse. Then
be arose and it was plainly seen
that he had been left at the
post. The last OF them we're not long
In disappearing over the hill into the
valley at the south line OF the Chilocco
reserve. The rear being brought up by
a tbrOng OF men and women on foot
and a few teams on a walk. The trains
did not pull out OF the Santa Fe yards
until long after -, and the jam then
was awful At least Is, 600 people, in
cIuding most of the population of Ar
kansas City, were there TO board the
trains.
Special trains from Wichita, Winfield
aud other near points came in loaded
with Sight.seers
Box, cattle and fat cars were brought
into requisiJion, aud every switch en-
gine was used to pull trains out.
After the race was over and the set
tiers looked around 70 see where they
were at, they were sore, very sore.
The man who had taken up a home
stead found himself located upon an sp-
parentlY undesirable patch Of land as
could we'll be found in the whole
breadth OF Uncle Sans domain, except
ing possibly, portions Of the American
desert.
Prairie fires had swept great tracts OF
land and left them black and uninvit-
ing. Other tracts had been cut clear
Of hay by men who have made a living,
and some Of them fortunes, gathering
the prairie grass. What hay had been
left By the fires and haymakers was
parched 70 crisp by the recent hot
winds and matted on the ground by
the same agency. The prospect was
a dreary one, the prairie extending
as far as the eye could reach
relieved by no sign Of human life eX-
ceDting those brought into the desolate
waste by the settlers themselves. Few
OF the homesteaders were provided
with natural water. The lack OF water
will be the great obstacle In the way OF
the hOmesteaders' comfort and that OF
his 6OCks aud herds.
Enough peopl made the run to
furnish each one Of the $1,000 home
stesds with an occupant, and give
every country seat and town site at
least |, 500 inhabitants. 1t is estimated
that IS. 900 people made the race. 1t Is
known that over 1880 certificates
were issued from the various register
alton booths, but the majority OF the
prospective settlers took out both
homestead and town site certificates, so
the number Of certificates does not
represent the number OF settlers.
In the race many men were injured
and some killed OF the latter, some
met death by accident and two were
murdered.
The details OF the crimes are not
known, but the dead bodies, one stab
bed and the other shot through the
head, tell the manner Of death. Many
dead horses have been found on the
prairie. Some died OF oYer-exertion, n,
some were killed by falling In the rae e.
and others receiving broken limbs In
the rough prairie, were shot by their
owners.
Last night the strip which twelve
hours before was wholly deserted is
Dopulous country, -Four OF the new
town sits have populations estimated at
five thousand each. Others boast pop
ulations ranging from 1000 to 5000
Every desirable claim has 81 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 superin-
teuded the opening are cOngratulat-
ing themselves upon the comparative
Iv peaceful manner in which
the settlement was made. Unfortunate
occurrences were the shooting down OF
"soOners" near Saltwater. 0. T., and
Arkansas City. Kansas. The soldiers
who did the shooting were instructed
10 prevent ~sOoners" at al hazards and
shev point TO their orders In iustiiica-
ion Of their action. Wagon aad train
Ioads OF supplies follow the settlers into
the "Trip. The teams distributed pro-