Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-09-22
u,,o+,s About the Condition of the
thousands Who Entered the
Cherokee Strip.
Interesting Details Regarding the
Rush for Lands BY Anxious
Settlers.
rhe Most Cosmopolitan Crowd Ever
Assembled Waiting for the Sig
nal to 600"

the Cherokee strip when the signal gun
was fired, which announced to the null
titude of home.seekers and "boomers"
that they could go into "the promised
land" will long be remembered by those
participating. 1t was a unique and UNI
precedented affair.
The number of people massed at
various points was estimated as follows:
Arkansas City, Kan, rs, 900; Hume
we'll, Kan, 5000; Cameron, 5000;
Kiowa, 5000; Higgins, Tex, 5000.
Hcnnessey, 1000; %Cantonment, 5000;
orlando, $1,000; Saltwater, 1O,OOO:
total, l0O,O 900.
Half as many more were scattered in
little groups along the 400 miles of bor-
der line. Here and there a blue-coated
soldier is seen; here and there an armed
deputy marshal stands at the frnot, but
30 few is their number that the
might throng of people could sweep
them out of existence in a twinkling.
1t is no armed force, but the American
peoples patriotism and respect for the
law that holds tho waiting thousands
in check. Thirty thousand certificates
were issued at the Orlando booth, 49,
900 at Hennessey and z9,0 900 at Still
water. Everybody was registered, but
it was necessary for the government to
employ so clerks at some points instead
of the three they started with. The day
started out cloudy, with every indica-
ton of rain. Guthrie was deserted, all
the banks and stores were closed and it
was quieter than q Sunday. All the
men and half of the women had gone
to take part in the ace.
Crush at the Trains.
Long before daylight thousands of
people had assembled about the Santa
Fe depot here. and train after train
was speedily packed with people and
pulled out for Orlando, upon the line.
The rush for good places on the train
was hard, and a number were crushed
and injured. Arriving at Orlando, all
were compelled to leave the cars and
take their places with is, 900 people who
had spent the night upon the railway
right Of way there, or sat about the
town. A thousand or 80 of people who
had not registered were speedily accom-
modated, and then began a scene
of pushing and crowding and
elbowing that has never before been
seer. Over $4,000 people wanted
to go in the first train, which had a
capacity for less than 1900, and all
We're anxious to be at the best place to
get aboard. AT 1880 o'clock the first
train pulled up to the line and the 9th.
ers came right behind it. There were
at least half a dozen trains, but every.
body wanted to ride on the first one,
and as far forward in that as possible.
With a wild shout the crowd rushed
forward. The soldiers on the ground
Swept From Their Feet
and for a moment it seemed as though
the mob would capture the train, fol
men and women were around and ovel
the engine and tender, upon and under
the platforms, and even upon tine
roofs of the coaches. The blue
coated guardians soon recovered, how
ever, and with fixed bayonets cleared
the train and compelled everybody tt
show his or her certificate before enter
Ing. But on every side people tough,
and struggled to get near the cars
Women had their clothes torn off anG
men were knocked down and tralnplei
upon. Scores of people were
injured, yet the struggle kept ny
until the train was filled and wa
repeated on a smaller scale at each sue
ceeding train. Every train was loaded
as never passenger trains were loaded
before, seat and aisle, platform roo
and tender, and baggage car, in every
conceivable nook, on every imaginablt
1erching point, was a human being.
The First Train
OF IL cars pulled across the line at noon
crowded as trains never were before
Platforms and roofs of cars were u
black with hannah life as were the In
tides. Following this train, with al
interval of only two or three minutes
went another, and another until tn
last, consisting of fiat and coal cars, al
crowded, had pulled across the line fol
lowed by at least 5000 disappointed
painting men who were determined no
10 be deprived Of their rights. The rul
10 Perry was made in three-quarters o
an hour. Before the train stopped me
began climbing out of the windows an
Jumping From the Platforms
IN their haste to secure the claimt
Ahead Of the train were at least 100
horsemen who had come over the l
miles from the line in unprecedente
short time, and claimed all the lots i'm
mediately about the land Office and til
public we'll. They were rubbing dow
their weary horses as the trains wer
unloading. Soon the last of the train
""''ad in and the scramble for land cor
t'hued With increased vigor. The quar-
Ter sections about the town had all bee
taken. but in every direction lines wei
oelng run and additional towns lai
U to be called North Perry, Eas
terry and West Perry. BY 2 o'cloc
1ully 10000 men and women Of a
natlonalities and colors were on til
site of what it is believed will DO a city
without food and without water.
Ihn o,> 80 D-s1 ---- N.A .-..