Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-11
DEUmmnRs IN TIE STRIP.
one Of Them Relates His Experience In
the Rush.

p
-
one Of Them Relates His Experisuce In
the Rnsh.
No less than eight travelling men were
seduced into making q run to the Chero-
kee Strip in search Of quarter sections
or town lots, and the number which re-
turned disappointed aud Disguised was
exactly six. As l was one OF the number
and hence am telling a tale OF myself,
a Y q writer in the st. Louis Globe
Democrat, 1 can not be accused OF
malice, unless IL be against mankind in
general aud the Interior Department in
particular. l paid $50 for a turn to regis
ter, and have ever since looked upon the
man who made the sale as a remark
ably smart individual. / obtained a
certificate and at - o'clock commenced
to ride a bright looking horse into the
Strip. l might have got a good claim
il 1 could have controlled the horse.
But / couldn't. The animal simply did
his best to beat everything in sight,
taking the fastest horse for pace-maksr
and following with p~raiseworthy assidu-
ity. l have been under the impression
that l could ride, and II sticking on a
horses back means good riding l have
nothing TO be ashamed or, for
I certainly did not fall of.
Otherwise l was a complete fail
uro as a rider, for the horse
went at his own gait, turned when he
wanted TO and treated my desires with
a contempt which vas supreme. 1t
was nearly 3 o'clock before he got 80
tired out that l was able to stop him,
and by that time he had got me into
one OF the worse sections in the Strip,
where the ground did not begin TO be-
worth the prince the government asked
for TO- Whether those who obtained
the claims got in on balloons or whether
they sneaked in over night / am not
prepared 10 say, but every claim with
preteuse OF heritage or water on 1t was
occupied, and one nan had q house
half built. 10 did not take me long TO
make up my mind to get back into
Kansas the better, but had no idea Of
the enormous distance l had ira
veled until l had got we'll into the
journey on an exhausted horse which
needed both food and water badly. l
had to camp out all night, and finally
got into town on Sunday morning,
heartily ASHAMED Of myself, and with
enough dust on me 10 have started a
small vegetable garden. My only con-
ISOLATION was that hundreds others were
evually unfortunate, and l believe there
was more grumbling and cussing 10 the
SQUARE inch all day Sunday In this
town than any one present could pas
SADLY realize. W.. who travels for q 81.
Joe dry goods house, did not turn up
tin just after supper on Sunday
evening. Exactly what happened TO
him no one will know until he r~egainS
bis temper. At present be will give
no information whatever, and all that
is known Is that he went into the strip
on horseback aud came back as an ex-
ira passenger in a prairie schooner or
eN-bOOmer's wagon. A Chicago man
who went in with US on horseback from
here got hOpelessly lost, and finally
found himself at Kiowa, where he sold
the Quadruped and took the care back
here. Another man Of the travelling
fraternity. who has always boasted
that he never got left, Joined a town
site colony a few days before the open
Ing aud went in with them. Half a
dozen sooners were quarreiing over the
quarter section they had designed
TO make the met. JpOlis Of the In
dian Territory when they arrived
at it, and all they could do
was TO drive Jack. Our brother In az
hictiou gives d most humorous account
OF his experience. Three Of the num-
Der made the run on horseback, the
knHuna, FnIfnmfur fn wronnnp Whnp
they met at tho coveted spot aud ON
pared notes they decided 10 camp out
for the night and come back at their
leisure, as they had enough food and
drink on hand TO give Indigestion, il not
govt, 10 the entire crowd. A remark
able difficulty then beset them. Every
inch of ground OF the vicinity was
claimed, and no one would allow them
them TO camp, fearing lest II was a trick
for the purpose OF securing evidence in
a projected contest. Finally their rest
ing place was selected on the edge Of
one Of the countless branches OF the
Arkansas river, and after a hearty sup
per and . good wash In the
river an attempt was MADE TO sleep.
The darkness brought with ID thou
sands OF mosquitoes and millions OF in
significant creeping things which stung
worse than could be imagined, and camp
was broken before 9 o'clock. After that
two or three more attempts were made
10 secure q decent resting place, and
finally il was decided to keep moving as
the best opportunity for comfort. Sew
eral miles were covered during the
the night, and In the morning the heart
breaking discovery was made that they
had been going south instead OF north.
They retracsd their steps and finally
got back into town 10 q very dilapidated
and dirty condition and with an i'm
mense amount OF conceit knocked out
OF them. We propose to resume our or
binary ayocations as soon as we are
rested up.