The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-20


in the afternoon they put their horses on
cars and went to Arkansas City.
More sunstrOlxes.
The Rock Island took forty-three car
loads of people into Caldwell today and
added at least 5000 to the 10000 already
there. Only a small number OF these
are homeseekers, the majority being ex-
cursionists who have come TO look on.
The heat there today was dreadful and
thirty-two sunstrokes were reported and
two fatalities. Most of the people over
come were those waiting in line before
the registration booths. The two men
who died were both old and weak. Their
bodies were taken to their camps by
their friends and the deaths have not
been reported to the coroner.
At Hennessey. o. T., just south OF
Caldwell. in Oklahoma, the prostrations
from heat numbered eighteen. The
Young Peoples Society of Christian En-
deavor has undertaken to relieve the suf-
fering here caused by lack Of water.
The suggestion was made by the Leaven-
worth society, which pledged a sum OF
money to pay the expenses Of hauling
water from Arkansas City to the booths
south of there. The societies here adopt
ed the plan with enthusiasm and three
water-carts full of free water were put
into service today.
ARKANSAS CITY. Kas., Sept 10
Five minutes before noon today $4,000
men were gathered upon the north and
south boundaries Of the Cherokee strip,
awaiting breathlessly the signal which
would announce to them the arrival of
the hour when the land should pass from
the ownership Of the United States gov
eminent into the possession of it's indi-
vidual citizens. All were ready for the
race which would bring fortune and hap
piness to some. disappointment and suf-
fering to others. All expected the for
tunes and all were ready for the race
for lands. Some were mounted on
thoroughbred racers, some on less fleet
but surer-footed cow-ponies, and some
on bicycles; others were to make the
race in buggies and wagons. An air of
strained expectancy pervaded the
throngs and each was eager for the sig
nal.
Bang! Bangi The revolvers Of the
United States army officers who have the
affair in charge gave the signal to start,
and the race for homes was on. Seven
ty-five thousand men and women rushed
over the boundaries and into the coveted
land as If their very lives rather than
the mere possession of farm or two de-
pended on their going. The shouting of
the men. the screaming Of the women,
the neighing of the frightened horses,
the cracking Of whips, the crealking of
prairie schooners," the rafting Of
wheels. the clatter of hoofs and the ex-
plosion of firearms combining to make
a confusion of sounds in keeping with
the general confusion OF the start and to
render the scene one Of indescribable
pandemonium
After the line was crossed and the
racers spread out over the strip, hun
dreds Of exciting contests took place
Here was neck-and-neck race between
horsemen who had selected a certain
lot in certain town site as the only
thing worth having In the whole coun-
try The stake Is alluring, and each
horseman puts forth every effort to
snatch the prize. There is a choice
farm in this stake, and the race Is
equally exciting. Here the racers come
upon gully over which they cannot
urge their horses. They abandon their
animals trusting to luck to find them
again, and make for the goal on foot,
stumbling over rocks, wading streams
and climbing precipitous banks in the
mad race. Here women engage in a
race FOR a prize, and there men and
women are chasing over the prairie for
the same piece of land During the long
hot days of registration, when standing
In line In the blazing sun entailed great
suffering, the men chivalrously sur
rendered to the weaker sex their places
In the lines, but there is no chivalry
now. This race is a business affair, and
no sentiment interferes with the trans
action OF the matter in hand on a bust
ness basis. The women must take their
chances. Their sex awaited them moth
ing in this contest.
Along the railway tracks the boomer
trains. loaded to the guards with town
siters, were seen to be creeping along at
a snaiPs pace, it seemed to the anxious
passengers, while thousands Of fleet
animals. with their mounts were out
stripping the mighty iron horses, handi-
capped by being forbidden to exceed
twelve miles an hour. The horsemen
shouted dertsively as they passed the
trains, and some Of the more hot-headed
passengers piled off Of the cars forth
with, scampered a distance into the
prairie and squatted upon the first
vacant path Of which came in their
way. AS Ine train pulled into a town
site or country seat, Il disgorged its
load, and the townsiters swarmed over
the land like an army Of ants. The plat
Of ground which fifteen minutes before
was nothing but a surveyed patch Of
prairie, with not an inhabitant, became
a populous community. Innumerable
disputes. many alterations and some
fights took place. There were no officers
OF the law to interfere and the lot-seek-
ers were too busy with their own af-
fairs to mix in other peoples business,
so the fighters fought 1t out until one
is incapacitated, while his victor cap
lures the prize. Immediately a lot was
claimed, stakes were driven, In some
instances town meetings held, officers
elected, and before the thing seemed
possible municipality had sprung into
existence.