The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-28
The Last OF tho Public Lands.

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imagine that at II :55 A. NJ. on Sept. 16. Their
is massed in sight from this hill fully 1000
home seekers and half as many spectators
Imagine this line and this multitude ex
tended for fully a hundred miles along tina
border OF the Strip. with the home seekers
massed in still greater force at Arkansas
City. and. in lesser force. at Geud,
Springs. Hunnewell. South Haven. Kiowa
and other Kansas border towns; and i'm
agine another host half as largo upon tn,
Oklahoma or southern border Of the Strip
thus one may get some conception Of the
mighty throng which swarmed toward the
promised land at high noon on that Satur
day. awaiting the signal OF the Hon. HoKE
SMITH to enter and possess 1t.
When the signal was given. away went
| thousands OF horSemen and horsewomen as
though projected from a catapult. while as
far as the eye could reach the white-tented
| wagons moved with one accord. though In
adverse directions. toward the tracts which
| the drivers had tentatively selected. Away
| to the south. over the barren ridge which
| forms the northern boundary OF the land
80 eagerly sought. fly horsemen and horse
women. with here and there a wheelman.
in search Of homes and Of the employment
under ones own mastership. which the
American farm promises to Its owner.
| This great swarming mass is bisected by
the deep cut through which runs the Rock
Island Railway. and upon this line. at the
same signal. starts train drawn by two
engines and pushed by third. every one of
the twenty-five cars swarming inside and
outside with the hungry land seekers who
are to be dropped at stopping places five
miles apart. whence they will essay to
make on foot the race for a home.
Entering the Strip. other trains push south
from Arkansas City and Kiowa; and still
| others go north from Purcell and Union,
| upon the southern border. all starting as
the sun reaches the meridian. As the
horsemen and horsewomen scamper away
to right and left. footmen and footwomen
invade the barren lands, and as many as
five are found disputing for the possession
OF one little location that few years since
would not have been accepted as gift.
However rapidly those upon the teetest
horses can ride. say 10 miles in 20 minutes,
they find HoKE SMITHS "Sooners" in adj
vance OF them and already occupying all
the desirable spots; showing what roar
ing farce. or rather what a pathetic tragedy
was that which compelled tens OF thousands
OF sweltering men and women to stand in
line day after day in the blistering heat, in
order that the Sooners might get certif-
Gates Of good character. and after nightfall
fold their tents and literally steal away
through the Hon. HoKE's open lines and
squat upon all the more desirable parts of
this greatly Overrated territory.
The efforts OF the authorities were doubt
less intended to secure an impartial allot-
ment Of the lands; but in practice the re-
suit has been to pass all the desirable places
into the hands OF the certificate-armed
Sooners. while the honest home seekers.
acting in good faith. awaited the signal
from the Hon. HoKE SMITH before entering
a race already adiudged to their more en-
terprising competitors.
Among this mighty throng were families
that had travelled from States as distant as
Washington. Idaho Colorado. and Iowa to
enter this futile race for home: and there
were negroes who had walked all the 300
miles from North Carolina that they might
secure the means OF constant employment
and sit under their own vine. even IL the fig
tree was unattainable.
AS the signal was given at high noon,
WdBouo CloSStu LILO lluo ldutu WIFI Une On
tire household effects and farming i'm
PIGMENTS OF men who. in the neigh
boring States, had waited years for the
opening. that they might make home for
wife and little ones and who were so conf
dent of securing the desired farms that they
had added to their equipment the coop OF
chickens and the family COW. Yet they
were doomed to the bitterest disappoint-
ment by their inability to reach the wished
Tor tract rs early as the Notwithstanding
Sooners. The grief and disappointment of
these men and their wives may be mag
ined. but is beyond description.
Men living upon rented lands in Iowa.
Nebraska. Missouri. Kansas, and other
States. had long been saving their earnings
for this opening; and vast numbers are now
forced to retreat. because the lands offered
for occupancy. even II they could be cult
waited. are insufficient to afford farms for a |
fifth OF those waiting upon the border.
And so obvious was this fact that MANY |
who had come hundreds OF miles. |
some OF whom had spent months upon the |
border refrained from registering, beliey- !
Ing that there was little possibility OF |
securing desirable lands with so many |
for them. Some OF the disheart- |
ened ones beat retreat fully week be-
fore the opening; but the great mass of
those who had not registered. remained to
see 1.-THE send of" and to observe how effec-
tive were the official regulations In securing
the Sooners' occupancy Of all the more at
tractive tracts. AS soon as the race was
fairly on. thousands turned their faces
toward their old homes: and from that hour |
the roads OF Kansas have been thronRed |
with host nearly as great as that which
sought the border before the event
When entered upon by the home seekers,
the Strip lands presented u most desolate
appearance. for. added TO the sterility i'm