The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1893-09-21

prairl., with not an iuhabitant, became
populous community Innumerable
disputes, many alterations and some
fights took place
There were no officers Of the law to
interfere, and the lot-seekers we're too
busy With their own affairs to mix in
oth, peoples business, 80 the fighters
fought 1t until one is incapaciated
while his victor rapures III" prize. I'M
mediately lot was claimed, stakes
were driven, in >on.e cases tents were
erected and in Il few instances town
meeting held, officers elected, and he
fore the thin seemed possible u mum
icipa6cy had sprang into existence.
Meantime cut or the pr,itits the
farmers continued their gr at frrA.t0r
all race l1r homestead prescriptions,
The man Of the family ana Ills SONS Of
legal age made the race on hurees "
ON foot, if the horses were MT numtr
ous enough to go around, while the
women folks" followed more Ici>ure!y
in the prairie schoorers which pitched
aud rolled about on the broken pr'ii
like sure enough schooners in 70 gh
ga.
From the line south Of Arkansas
City Il number Of young men made
the race on safety bicycles. They uero-
ed safeties. They had pracicel for
days riding over the rough !raiIies in
eparaticn for the race. X deep gully
miniature canon parallels the north
line of the strip about three miles in
the interior. Across this its impossi
bic for the bicyclcrs to ride. and those
who had outstnpped the hors-men
were obliged to dismount and take
weat they could find orth OF the gulley
This same gulley proved an obstacle
in the course of many racers, and only
the trained COM ponies We're sure foot
ed and adventurous en- )ugh TO de
soend one side and scramble up the
other is safety, The gulley became
lined with horsemen. All the claims
were taken, and those whose horses
would not attempt to cross it were
obliged to make long detour around
its ends. They were not discouraged,
and hoped for better luck further on.
Enough people made the run to fur
nish each one Of the 81, SEQ homeste IDS
with an occupant and give every coun
ty TOW n site OF at least 1900 inhabi-
tants, 1t is estimated that 5000 peo-
pie made the race. l. is known that
over 10000 certificates were issued
from the various registration 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. It is estimated
that $4,000 made the race from Arkan.
sas City $4,000 fr, m Caldwell, 1000
from Orlando 5000 from Hennessy
1000 from Saltwater: 5000 from
Kiowa; 5000 from Hunnewell, and
from 5000 to 5000 from other points.
The total number nearly doubtless the
crowd which raced into Oklahoma
when that territory was opened.
The weather was all that could be
desired for the occasion. The sky was
clear, and a cool north wind was blow
ing briskly, but still with not enough
force to raise the dust which the set.
tiers had come to regard as q compon-
ent part of the strip atmosphere.
Thes favorable conditions were great
reliefto the boomers, who have suffered
so greatly the past week from the I'm
precedented hot spell. The greatest
rush was into the eastern portion of
the country, which contains by far the
more fertile and best watered farming
land in the whole strip. Perry, the
town site on the Santa Fe, was the fav-
orite destination Of the spectators,
but Milford and Pond Greek, on the
Rock Island, were the objective points
of throngs who made the run from
Caldwell.
WHAT THE SETTLERS FOUND
flor tho rono uoc ovor ooJ 4,l,ox