Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-09-12
HO! FOR THE STRIP.
Boomers Register Preparatory
for the Grand Rush.
MILES OF LEN BEsIEGE THE BOOTHS

All Hoping TO Get Home in the New
Land of Promise-The Oklahoma Rush
Only a Small Affair ComparativeIy-The
Strategy Of "A Maiden of Ii summers-A
Movement Against ''Sooners''-Death in
the Waiting Line.
ARKANSAS CITY, Kas., sept. 12.-Every
available camping ground about the city
has filled NJ since Friday night News
paper n.en who went through the Okla
homa rush say that the crowd greatly out
numbers that memorable event 1t is al
most impossible 10 get anything TO eat at
the hotels or restaurants. and every vacant
place in town is filled with cots and many
have been compelled to sleep in doorways
and on the streets. Il party Of wheelmen,
about thirty in number, has come in from
Kansas City and ST. Joseph. The bicycle
organization now numbers more than
hundred men. And the cause O; all this
is the strip rush which will probo bly,
result in a great deal Of heartache before
it is over. because there are so many more
here than will get homestead.
Very 'Slick'' Young Woman.
There i one young woman here-very
young as she j. but 14-who seems to be
slick cheyenne" aboundently able to
get there" no matter who is in the way.
She is named Nora Wiley. As soon as
the rec.stery booths were opened she
started her little scheme At that time
there were from 40 20 1000 men and
women IN line before each booth. some of
whom had been in their places for forty
eight hours. Miss Nora secured tray and
two cups OF coffee and started for the
booths
Aud They Cheer at Her Trick.
The men in line, supposing her a wait
ress with coffee for the men in the booth,
made way for her right at the head of the
line. When she finally reached the regis
tration booth she placed the tray on the
desk and said
Mr.. Clerk, am an orphan and, there
fore, the head of my family and want to
register for n town lot The men dis
placed at first looked blankly at her and
then set up q cheer. The clerk gave her
the coveted certificate which she triumph
antly waved a. she passed through the
living walls of men. Booths are put I'd
at number Of points and wherever there
Is booth there is a crowd OF thousands,
All HduLiIt- 70 ne Registered lOr the race
to the promised land"
Miles of People Waiting Turn.
Booth No. g for instance is COMPOSED of
three tents with two clerks in each.
Around each tent is a small fence contain
ing five gates for entrance and each gate
Is supplied with a guard to keep order
To each tent there is a line of people from
one to two miles in length, and since
morning it has grown longer instead of
shorter. The lines commenced forming
Sunday evening and John Il. Cameron, of
Kansas City, was the first to register.
The booths opened at fifteen minutes of
o'clock and the registration started
smoothly. Later it commenced to get
tedious and man was registered in from
one TO three minutes This is slow work
and half of the settlers here cannot get
registered ut this rate. Colonel Gallagher.
who has charge of the booths, promises
TeinfOrcements today.
The First Woman to Register
Miss Kate Durand, of this city, was the
first lady 10 register She has a splendid
horse and will get u claim. On the issu-
ance Of the first certificate large major
ity Of the boomers were disappointed be-
cause their illusion that it would be a
drawing was disappointed There is no
doubt but that it viii be horse race from
the north and south side of the outlet.
Robert L. l.owen, attorney for the Chero-
KEGS, has arrived here from Washington.
lie refused to be interviewed 1t is said
upon good authority that he is mad at the
government over the treatment accorded
the Cherokees.