The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-16
Nearly 10000 People Waiting to
Invade Cherokee Strip at
Noon To- Day.
Last Night Their Camp Fires AL
most Encircled the Entire
Strip.
In Less Than Dny Populous State
VIII Replace tho Present DssOiate
Prairie.

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan, Sept. 15.-At noon
to-morrow the Cherokee strip passes FROM
the government to the horneseskera Thanks
10 the relief afford d by the interior de-
partment there IL now every prospect thaS
all will obtain certificates. There has been
a steady exodus to-day and tonight OF
certificate holding homeseekers from towns
and camps 20 convenient places along the
border, whence an advantageous start can
be Innde. The farmers have about all
secured certificates and loaded their prairie
sehooners and moved on with their fam
lilies. Spectators, townaiters and Rnm-
biers stiil remain In the towns and will 90
on to-mortow's railway trims.
The santa Fe will 'un six trains for
boomers. Three will start ftom ths side
of the limo and three from tho Oklahoma
side. On the Kiowa line one train will be
run in each di ection. The Rock Island
will run six trains, three south from Cald~
we'll and three north from Hennessey. o. T.
These trains will be run under the super
vision of the inte Tor apartment at speed
not exceeding twelve miles an horr. Most
of the men seeking homestead claims will
make the race on horses, some will 60 on
foot and few on bicycles.
Entries for the race are estimated at 78.
600. Twent, five Thousand will 90 from
AIkansas City and vicinity. l5 coo from
Caldwell, 5000 from Kiowa. 3.CO) from
Hunnewell. II, 600 from Orlando, 5000 from
Saltwater. and 5000 from other points.
| Half the homeseekefs, 1t is estimated, have
families and the population of the strip
tomorrow night will be at least 10000.
The booth in town was besieRed all day.
Double lines were formed. each containing
at least 5000 people. At six O'Clock this
evening about s. 900 ce, ,tific Gates had been is
equal number Of people. The booth will
be ke' open all night. The establishment
OF this booth in town undoubtedly has
been the means of saving many lives to-
day, as it was compa ativeiy sheltered aud
the people had an opportunity OF Rsttina q
water and food, which they could not dc
out at the other booths.
| At Saltwater this afternoon. j. H. Gard
we'll. of Gainesville, Tex, was buncoed out
OF $3.50. As soon as he realized what hao
been done. he started for the confidence
man with gun. The gambler ran. bu,
the Texan brought him to the ground with
a bullet in the shoulder and not only re-
covered his own money but 300 in addi-
tion. Commendation was so general that
the gambler made NO effort to recover hil
money.
At Guthrie contraband business in Ger
tificates has been going on since Tuesday.
and it is estimated that there and at Okla.
homa City from 500 10 LOCO persons have
given up IS for certificates. If these stories
prove genuine trouble is in store for some
booth clerks. The plan Of operation waa
for q man to sign an official declaration,
which was taken 30 Orlando on the after
noon train and the certificate retu,n ned next
morning. Persons in the scheme al this
end say they divided the profits with the
clerks.
Tonight thousands are oamped along
the line, the fires making an almost un'
broken chain along the borde.. To-day
| was cool in comparison with the last few
days, the thermometer standing al ninety,
with the wind from the north. The indioa-
tions for Tomorrow are for q clear, WaTm
day, with notther.y winds.