Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1893-09-20
FOUGHT FOR HOMES
WILD SCENES IN THE RUSH
FOR LAND IN THE STRIP.

injured, some fatally. Men forgot
their manhood; women lost their self
respect in the wild struggle for advan-
tage, and those who won secured but a
chance in lottery with numerous
blanks and many prizes that Were
worse than blanks.
The arrival of morning trains from
the south was the signal for the OPEN
ing Of the Cherokee strip. The people
in the trains wanted to remain, but the
deputy marshals with guns and clubs
drove them out like so many cattle,
telling them they must go to the lines,
q mile away, and many walked there,
old men and weak women
Painting by the Way.
Then came change Of order and the
cars were again thrown open and the
crowd at the depot surged in, filling
them to the roof, while men hung upon
the trucks, upon the tender and on the
mail car guards, and hundreds climbed
upon the roofs. Those who had obeyed
orders and gone to the line waited in
vain for the train to come and were
compelled to get into the last trains,
leaving all hope of getting land or lots.
During the terrible struggle to get on
the first trains one man had his shoulder
broken, one leg dislocated and a
woman an arm broken. Twenty others
were badly trampled upon.
"sooners" Get the Best.
A mighty shout went up as the first
train moved out over the prairie, fol-
lowed by second, third, a fourth
and fifth. The run to the town site
of Perry was made in 40 minutes,
but when the trains came in sight of
the town tWo-thirds of the best lots
were taken by the ''sooners." Horse
men were pouring in over bluff to the
east at the rate of 90 a minute.
Those on the first train secured some
business lots and those on the second
some residence lots in the outskirts,
but the 7,0U0 in the other trains got
nothing. It was wild and exciting
race all the way between the trains
anu LILO AO1Ec1nO1ls N1bA tu6 OuuS AL
favor of the horses.
Woman Falls From Train.
One unknown woman fell from the
second train near Wharton and was
fatally injured. Lorenzo Holcomb of
Mulhall, o. T., was fatally crushed by
his horse falling upon him, and John
McCann had his leg broken, but after
ward rode six miles and secured good
lot. A conveyance conveying Major
Bateman of st. Louis and Rev. John
Aughy of Mulhall was wrecked and
Rev. Mr.. Aughy badly injured. At !
one bad gulch on the trail three con-
veyances were wrecked and six horses
and one man killed.
Another man was fatally injured
near by. All along the line are strung
wrecked vehicles, and many injured
people are being brought into Orlando
and other towns along the line. The
greatest number of certificates issued
at any one place on the southern line of
the strip was 80, coo at Orlando Hen
nessey came next with close to. 10000,
and Saltwater next 1900. The largest
crowd was at Orlando, and four-fifths
of the 20, 600 people massed there were
bound for Perry, the county seat of
Perry county, and now the largest city
in all.
Many Leave in Disgust.
The first legal settlers to arrive at
Perry found the town in possession of
sooners and most of the stakes pulled
up and destroyed. By mistake the
land cffice had been built on square
of private lots and things are in such
confusion that the streets, alleys and
all are being held by lot stakers. The |
whole affair has been badly managed |
from beginning to end, and there are
denunciations of the United States mar
shals and Secretary Smith for the |
shameful abuses that have been al |
lowed. Hundreds Of people have left in
disgust, but there are still 20, 900 peo-
pie there holding down lots on the site
and all over the adjoining claims.
Many Make the Race from Saltwater
At Saltwater the crowd numbered |
about 1000. Most of them went into |
the Pawnee country and scattered |
SlC~&IclH WItO h1l4Cu lAC1C dlu
several badly injured. At Hennessey |
about $4,000 people were massed, three
fourths of them bound for che town
site of Enid, and the same scenes were
enacted there as at Perry. One man is
reported shot over town lot quarrel /
and one woman badly injured by !
throwing herself from the train. T. r.
Ham of PauPs Valley beat the train on
a bicycle and secured fine claim ad-
joining the town site and Ten other
bicyclists got claims. So great has
been the scope Of country covered by
the rush that details are late in arriv-
ing, but when the truth is known it is
pretty sure that the death list will
reach score and the injured be num-
bered by hundreds.