Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-09-17

ARKANSAS CITY, KAs., September 16.
AT five minutes before noon to-day
$4,000 men and women were gathered
upon the north aud south boundaries or
the CberoEse strip awaiting oreathieSS-
lv ~ signal which would announce 20
them the arrival of the hour when the
land should pass from the ownership OF
the United States government into the
possession OF its individual citizens. All
were ready for the race which would
bring fortune and happiness % some,
di appointment and suffering 20 others.
All pypected the fortunes, aud all were
ready for the race for lands. Some
were mounted on thoroughbred racers,
some. ON the less feet but surer-i00ted
monies. and some bicycles. Others were
10 make the Ssce 10 buggieS and wag-
ops. An air of strained expectancy per-
vaded the tbrOngs aud each was eager
for the signal
Bang Bangl The revolvers Of the
United States Army officers, who had
the affair in charge, gave the signal 90
start and the race for homes was on.
Seyeutv-fve trsusaUd men and women
rushed over trN boundaries and into the
coveted land as ~ their very lives,
rather than the mere possession OF a
farm OF two, depended on their going.
The shouting OF the men, the scream
ing OF the women, the neigbing OF tue
frightened horses, the cracking OF
WHY'S, the creakiug of prairie schoon-
ers the rafting OF wheels, the Clatter
on boofs and the explosion Of firearms
combined 90 make confusion of
sounds in keeping with the general con-
fusion OF the start and 90 render the
scene one of iudescribable paudemo-
mum.
THE WILD RACE FOR HOMES.
After the4ins was crossed and the ra-
GERS spread cut over the Strip, hundreds
of exciting contests took place. Here
was neck aud neck race between
b0rsemen who had an selected q certain
Iot ip a certain town site as the only
t1inr- worth having in che whole coun-
trv. The stake was aliurng, and each
horseman put forth every effort 10
snatch the prize. There a choice farm
was the stake. and the EsCe was equally
exciting Here the racers came upon
QqTy over which they could not urge
their horses Thew abandoned their
animals, trusting 90 luck 20 hud them
again, aud made for the goa. on foot,
stumbling over rocks, wadiug streams
aud climbing precipt0us banks In the
mad race.
Hare women eng. d in race for a
nrize. and there men aud women chased
over the prairie for the same piece Of
land During the long hot days Of reg
isrratiop. when standing iu line To the
blazing sun eu8iied great suffering,
the men chivaIrOuslY surrendered 60
the weaker sex their places in the lines.
There was no chiyalry to-day. The
race was business affair, aud no seuti-
meDt interfered with the transaction Of
She matter iu hand on business basis.
The women had 90 take their chances
their sex availed them nothing in this
contest.
AIoag the railway tracks. the boomer
trains, loaded 90 the guards with town
siters, were seen 90 be creeping alonE at
q snaTs pace, DO seemed 90 the anxious
passengers, while thousands OF heet
animals with their mounts were out
stripping the iron horse, handicapped
by being forbidden 90 exceed - miles
An hour. The h0rsemeu shouted derIs-
veIy as they passed the trains, and
some OF the more hOt-headed passen-
gers piled of the cars forthwith, scam
Up-ed o distance into the prairie aud
so1atted upon the first vacant patch OF
16I acres which came iu their way. As
the train pulled into a town site or
county seat disgorged its load, aud
the town siters swarmed over the land
Ike an army of ants. The plot OF
r,ouud which is minutes before was
othlug but surveyed patch OF prairie
with not an iuhabitaut became q popu-
lOus community.
TOWN MEETINGS HELD.
Inaumerable disputes, many slterca-
tions and some fights took place. There
were no officers OF the law 20 interfere,
and The lot seekers were TOO busy with
their own affairs 90 mix In other peo-
Ule's business, the fighters fought 10
ont nutil one was inCapaCitated and the
victor captured the prize. Immediately
a lot was claimed stakes were driven, tn
some cases tents were erected, and in
few Instances town meetings were held,
officers elected, and before the thing
seemed possible q municipality had
sprung into existence.
Meantime. out on the prairies, the
farmers continued their great iree-ior-
An race for homestead Dre-emptions.
The man OF the family and bis sons o.
legal age made the race on horses or on
foot. If the horses were not numerous
enough 70 coarouud, while the women
folks" followed more leisurely in the
Drairie schOonerS, which pitched and
rolled about on the broken prairie like
sure enough schooner in a rough sea-
From the line south or Arkansas
CITY q number Of young men made the
race on safety bicycles They needed
safetles. They had practiced for days
ridinR over the rough prairies in prepar-
ation Tor the race. A deep gulley. a
miniature canon, parallels the north
ii,e Of the strip about three miles 10
tba interior. Across this IL was I'M
-osslble for the cyclers to ride, az u
hose who had outstripped the hOrS-
,-en wfte obliged 70 dismOunt and q
nat they could fad north Of the
~ This same gulley proved 81
..scle 10 the course OF many race d
s-iv the trained ponies were sure
80 adventurous enough to desc
90 ana scramble up the =