The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-28
T WAS 4 WILD TINE.
z lad R.sh T3r Homes - .ha I~-;a-
-er-:.ory Saturday.

Duriom SIM.
ARKANSAS CITY, kans., Sept, l6.-
One hundred thousand people settled
upon the Cherokee strip today. ~
| noon the start was = hazardous one.
| Horsemen were Of the title OF the land
| from tie United States government to
| the boomers and race such a. never
| Will be seen again, was begun On the
lines in the vicinity Of the various bor-
der towns the boomers had gathered in
great numbers As far as the eve could
reach either direction could he seen
men mounted and in wagons and afoot
closely packed together making a solid
column 2C0 feet or more in the middle
and tapering away to mere streak in
the distance.
Tonight the strip which twelve
hours ago was wholly deserted is a
pCpulOus country. Four Of the new
town sites have populations estimated
at 5000 each Others boast popula-
tions ranging from | LOCO to 5000 Ev-
cry desirable claim has at least one
claimant and may have two to four.
Contests will. Of course. be numerous
The reports OF crimes resulting from
the settlement of the land are few and
the government officers, who superin-
tended the opening. are congratulating
themselves upon the comparatively
ment was made The unfortunate oc-
currences we're the shooting down OF
''sconers'' near Saltwater, O. T., and
Arkansas City, kans. The soldiers who
did the shooting were Instructed to pre-
vent '.soOners.' at all hazards, and they
point to their orders in Justification
Of their action.
Wagon and freight loads OF supplies
followed the settlers into the strip. The
terms distributed provision at the va
.io;,s county seats and town sites where
stores have been opened in canvas
tents, pending the erection Of build
ings Camp fires dot ,he prairies in
all directions tonight. Where the home
seekers have established temporary
camps The recent drought has closed
UP The streams and those who failed to
provide themselves with water were
forced 10 cndue suffering from thirst
for water is obrainabe in only a few
place: on the strip, except from rivers
THE SCENES Vt GUTHRIE.
GUTHRIE. Q. r., September IG.-The
scenes that we're enacted here today
begg,.red alI descriptions. People fought
ike wild animals to Get aboard trains
10 Get into the Cherokee strip and hun
drc>!s were injured. some fatally.
Men forgot their manhood, and wom-
ell lost their self-respect. in the wild
struggle for advantage.
During the terrible struggle 10 get
upon the trains, one man bad his
shoulder broken. one a eisiocated leg.
and a wcn0n an arm broken. TWcn
t. others were badly trampled upon.
4 mighty shout went up as the first
train moved out over the prairie. FOL
lowed by second, third, fourth and
fifth The ran to the town site Of Per
~ was made in forty minutes, bu;
nilen the trains came III sight of tie
town twO-thirsis OF the best lots were
taken by "sooners" Horsemen were
pouring into town over a bluff to the
east at thc rate Of fifty minute. Those
on tie first train secured some business
lots and those on the second some resi-
denco tots on the outskirts. but the
1000 in the other trains got nothing.
1t was a Wild and exciting race all the
wav between tie trains and hOrsemell,
with the odds in favor of the horses.
". c. Ramsey, OF Eldorado. Kan.
was the first hOrselnan to arrive from
the south line. and be stal,ed q fine
corner lot .22S He says large por-
t;on Of tha town site was taken by
'sooners. who were walking ieisureiy
into the town from the west when lie
arrived.