People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-09-22

IluCdbOo' NHCu Ill buC CdIS Duu DctU
filed, the first train, to which was at.
tached General Manager Frey's pri
vate car, with the members of the
press, pulled out slowly and stopped
within foot of the Strip land. TIE
other sections followed close.
" behind. The crush ia
get on the trains was awful.
After the cars were full the people
climbed to the roofs and soon covered
them. They chung to the steps, in.
vaded the engine, and even crawled
upon the trucks, Inside the cars the
jam was frightfui People were
crushed in, and the pressure at the
doors could not be stopped. The eff.
forts of the deputy marshals did not
avail much after the first few had
shown their certificates. The trains
left hundreds of disappointed people
behind who were unable to get foot
hold. At the edge of the Strip a
horde Of people were waiting to board
the trains, but there was no room for
them. The Santa Fe sold 5000 tick.
cts for trains. most of them for Xii.
dare. The biggest crowd was gath
cred on the 1OO-foo. strip west of the
Chilocco school reservation. Here
and for two miles west wagons and
horses were literally wedged in, so
tightly that man to pass to the front
would have to climb over the wagons.
The wheels were locked and the
horsemen wedged in. Right in front
of the line, facing the south and
ready to spring forward, were hun
dreds of horsemen, who had camped
there for forty-eight hours Among
the horses were many thoroughbreds
and COW ponies, who had been en-
ployed by the townsite companies to
run for them. There were big, heavy
canvass-topped boomer wagons, sulk-
les, buggies, an ice wagon and every
other conceivable vehicle, to which
were hitched mules and big, fat farm
teams. Hundreds of men on foot were
waiting to start, with canteens and
blankets slung upon their shoulders.
Among them were many negroes. The
troops rode along the line keeping
back the crowd which edged up con-
tinually for a little advantage. The
crowd, though eager tc start, was
good natur ID, and joking and chatting
was very general. In the crowd were
many women on horseback. Some of
them wore bifurcated skirts, and fully
half of the wagons contained mem
bers of their sex. Lined behind the
boomers were the water and provision
wagons, which followed the crowd and
provided the settlers with water and
food.
The view of the rush at 10 o'clock
from the observatory of the Chilocco
school was full of exciting interest.
With a field glass the long line of
horses and men massed for 200 feet
back could be seen getting ready. The
sharp crack of a revolver was distinct
ly heard, and Immediately following
the reports of 100 carbine. A hoarse
yell went up, softcned by the distance
and the line got in motion. Horses
were seen to shoot out from the line
and dash across the prairie. Then a
dense cloud of dust Obscured the line
for a moment, but brisk wind from
the west cleared it away for an in
slant, and horemen AID wagons could
be seen scattering as the slowest were
left behind. Now and then a wagon
would go over with wheel knocked
off. A horse was seen to rear in the
air as he was struck by a wagon
tongue and fall back. His rider was
up in an instant and bent over his
horse. Then he arose, and from his
gestures it was plainly seen that he
had been left at the post. The last of
them were not long in disappearing
over the hill into the valley at the
south line of the Chilocco reservation.
The engineers were instructed to
run carefully, for it had been said that
attempts would be made to tamper
with the trains. Superintendent Hart
man said that some miscreant had re-
moved the straps and spikes from. the
bridges in the strip Friday, and he had
had men out all night repairing and
inspecting the bridges, Spikes had
also been found removed from the
rails. The way the trains were run
was a bitter disappointment to the
town lot seekers, as any wagon,
which was left in the rear of the line
could have beaten them to Ponca.
Most of the people who went in on
the trains carried blankets and provis-
ions, and some of them small tents.
All will have to sleep on the ground
tonight, as they will not be able to
get back. All regular trains have been
laid off.
While Kildare and Cross will make
good towns, Wharton, only a few miles
from the county seat at Perry, expert
enced a the great rush to-day. On
the old TOWNSHIP of Perry will be es-
tabished the negro town of Liberty.
1t will occupy 100 acres in the heart
of Perry and drive the white people
down to Wharton.
The cowboys on their sturdy ponies
took the lead in the great race. They
had gone but a short distance, when
they spread out over the prairie, and
dismounting, set fire to the thick
prairie grass, hoping thus to turn aside
those who were following. The fire
spread rapidly at first, but as the
winds were blowing from the north
and driving the flames south they
were soon stopped by the deep gully
which parallels the line three miles to
the south. Some horses could not be
urged through the flames and many
were turned back. No damage was
done by the flames so far as known,
farther than to destroy the grass and
impede the racers.
An old man named James H. Hill
of Kingdom, n. j., was shot and in.
stantly killed by a soldier at the south
west corner of the Chilocco reserva.