The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-27
STRIP OBSERVATIONS.
What an Eagle Correspondent Saw Along
the Rock Island.
Democracy and Fraud Synonymous Terms
at Enid-Bill Daitoa's Mother Scares
aYankee-A Kansas Doctor Takes
Dog for Fse-0sher Inter-
sstiDg Happenings

A correspondent for the EAGLE made
trip over the Rock Island road through
the strip Sunday and relates what he saw
and heard as follows.
A trip through the strip along the Rock
Islane road is full of interest. I started
out Sunday morning for Enid. made the
round trip in twenty hours and saw more
hustlng and originality than have ever
seen in twenty years.
When the train crossed the line south of
Caldwell about two miles fine view of the
strip was obtained. The prairie was black
and bleak for recent fire destroyed the
grass so completely that it would not he
too much of tax on ones credulity TO in
sist that the rain Of the previous night was
{. down pouring of ink. Even the swollen
streams were jet black from the ashes OF
the prairie grass that was washed into the
drBws and from the draws into the
streams. The blackness and bieakness
were relieved, however, by dotting OF
white lumber shacks far as the eye
could reach in every direction. These
buildings are very humble MS yet, bn. at
no distant day they will be succeeded by
.
prairie will be grean agaia when it is not
yellow with the golden harvest OF its fer
tile soil. When man says Il wouldn't
have u claim there AS a gift" he makes me
tired. Men said the same thing of Kansas
in the early days. Some wag or Wit
said twenty years ago, speaking about
the settlement of Sedgwick county, that
the government simply bet 100 acres of
land against the settlers sl4 that they
wouldn't live in the county five years, but
hey did and won the bet. 1t is the same
way with the Cherokee strip aud. like
Scdgwick county, it will be at some
future day not very far off, part of the
garden spot of the world.
At Medford the first stop was made and
200 people jostled one another on the plat
form to get an EAGLE. The uewsboy
hadn't time to do anything bat tC take in
the nimbie nickle--the other fellows
helped themselves to the papers. TO wit
ness the uewsboy raking in money
at every station along the line makes
a man farther up the ladder i'll
the newspaper profession feel like kicking
himself for ever raising. II is doubtful TO
me whether the newsboy is not making
more money during each trip, through the
Cherokee strip At least, according to the
capital invested, than the railroad COM
pany.
The next station is Pond Creek. with its
four townsites. There the jam ut the de-
pot was simply terrific. and how that poor
newshoy with the EAGLES escaped being
crushed to death or torn to pieces is more
than | can tell Familiar Wichita faces
can be seen in the crowd. but they are so
badly mixed up with Hutchinson faces.
Caldwell faces, faces from all over, and
dust and mud that you have to look smil-
ing when one Of them speaks 30 you and
upset your brain during the next ten min
utes trying to recognize who he was
The rain of Sunday euabled them TO wash
for dinner, and i'll the evening it was more
easy to recognize them.
The next town is Round Pond; but when
the train reaches there the fireman throws
In two more big shovels full or coal, the
engineer pulls the lever down another
notch, the old engine herself turns up her
nose and passes by ut her greatest rate Of
speed, not even giving n fellow time to
wave his handkerchief at the poor fellows
in the conuuty seat. Tney 20 on putting
up buildings at Il rapid rate OF speed, just
the same, and don seem to care whether
the Rock Island suubs them or not.
Tremlin, Nesting III the serpentine
meanderiDgs OF the classic Wild Horse
creek, is the next town and the train stops
there, smiiingiv, as much as to say:
"Tremiin, | like YOU" ana here another
hustl.ng, bustlug crowd is ON the platform
looking for papers.
North Enid is the next station and when
this is approached thu whistle of the
engine prccluims it with all the ceremony
that is observed when a train reaches
Chicago. The brakeman too announces
the approach of the town in large upper
case voice that is full Of meaning. 1t Is
well that this is done before the train
stops, tor after Que alights he is given 10
understand that North Enid is by no
means the metropolis Of the world. There
are about 100 drivers OF 100 different kinds
OF vehicles there from South Euid to
receive passengers for their town and
every one of them shouting get your
hacks here for the city"-with emphasis
Oh the city. When these same
fellows are at the south town they shout:
Here's your hack for the station" (North
Enid with equally strong emphasis on
the wcrd station. Well, ] boarded one OF
these hacks with three gentlemen from
Kansas and Kansas boy drove us to 1.-THE
CITY," i know he was a Kansas boy for
the reason that he passed all other COM
petitors in the race.
A TYPICAL NEW TOWN.
South Enid is a typical new town. 1t
covers nearly as much ground as Wichita,
but everything about 1t, so far, Is portable
and can be moved like an Arabian camp
IN DAY. At the entrance to the city a
Young man with very healthy pair of
lungs stood ringing cowbell aud in
wiling everybody 10 go TO GER
tain hotel, tbe most important induce
ment he offered being the alleged fact
that it was the only hotel in the city with
roof on it. He simply lied, for there are
now two hotels At Enid covered With roofs
but not waterproof by any means. Every
body in town seemed to be on the streets.
aud the scene presented was lively one.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
saw a crowd down near the city clerks
tent aud heard some singing there. aud, of
course directed my steps, as always dc
AT that hour of the morning, towards the
tabernacle of the Lord. Before I reached
there, however, the announcement was
made that as the tent was too small an
adjournment would be taken to the gov
eminent square, where the services would
be continued l followed the crowd
fxo3