Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-09-17

tALDW ELL, ran, sept ~ h""'
ands of people were on the streets OF
Caldwell this morning making final prep
arations for run into tile strip. The
Rock Island train which left Kansas
City last night, was delayed by enormous
crowds Of passengers at stntous along
the way AT all stations between Csld-
well and Wichita hundreds of people
left. AT Wellington the crowd almost
took possession OF the train, climbing
on top Of the cars, ON the trucks, IN tue
cab and ON tine tender aud pilot. Even
then several hundred were left at Wei
lington. Ii became impossible 70 handle
the crowd and 'hc doors of ule cars
were locked and people outside left 10
take care of themselves. Thirty cattle
cars ON the side track here were switched
| down to the boundary lie two miles
| away and made mo train There was
an enormous delrl nd for tickets, and
two way cars aud half dozen clerks
we're sent down the line early this
moraing to sell tickets. With all this
provision for selling tickets the people
fought for places at the ticket window
nj Caldwell station, and thirty-fiye cars
did not accommodate half the people
who wanted tickets.
There was the greatest excitement
| here People werc moving to ana lru
breaking camp and getting ready Tor tH'
run. AZ several places on the streeI'
ponies and horses of all descriptions wer'
sold at auction ut high prices:
PEOPLE WE'RE WILD
In their efforts to obtain some sort o.
conveyance to the strip, and half .
them Had to make the run ON Tool,
The fayorite towIlsitc here seemed t
be Enid. and half the people oqagn
railroad tickets for that place. II ]
/ about fifteen miles distant. Wild Hors
and Pond Greek got many people Iron
the Caldwell contingent also
The Rock Island northbound train
which reached Caldwell at I O'Clock RAJ
through the strip at II high rGte of speed
= Ii was loaded with people and the con
r people at KinEiisher and hundreds =
other stations along the line. He sal
y also that there We're many boomers
g The strip and he had seen scores of cam
e fires burning along the railroad.
+ suddenly he fell to the ground and hq
u dozen horses passed over nm. IL
4 life was only saved by a caymryma
y near by, who, 81 the muzzle of his r
u volyer compelled the wild drivers
D. turn aside. The man was helped TO h
Z horse aud Immediately uAsheu away
~ regain his place in the procession. J.
lc was very cdispicous in the crowd I
lr account of his clothes, and the peoI
VI were horriicd to see him dashed to Il
" ground a second time as his horse pa.
re ed over him, u mile AWAY. Behind I
~ unlnclSy racer came a wild troop OF Sc
~ crll hundred horsemen and passed
wv without giving attention to the poor f
es low who was down. Luckily he escap
w serious injury and although he lost
~ horse he stayed in the race, continuing
Wv foot
nc There were many runaways and sol
ls, breakdovns, bur the first half hour
~, Nv the run at Caldwell passed apparen
W. without serious accident
nv The first train into the new distr
was coIrposed Of thirty-iiye stock ca
and every available foot of space "
mt taken Two engines pushed from
rear, and after much pulling and snort
yd the tnin moved slowly out; Il min
ID. after the signal guns was fred; the p
ere pie cheering wildly and waving their h
my hNnderchicfs aud Hays. The train
III. al the rate OF fifteen miles an hour ,
he slowed every five minutes 10 allow III
air Who wished TO jump on and make r
for neirhboring claims on foot.
ere An hour after the opening the SC
fol. was quiet again.
al Pond Greek will be probably the Ii
INV esi town on the Rock Island line.
osc night Il is populated by 5000 people.