The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-05-30
RI 'SH FOR KICKAPOO.

| the cei' OF May zo upon the open
ing o. tbt Kickapoo reservation:
Within lweEty minutes, to-day
s5 900 acr Of prarie land were
transferred nto a hive of surging
humanity } his morning the Kicka-
boo reser- alton was barren tract;
to night it hT2bs with life and ac-
tivity. At non ,e-aay me OF the
most exciting landical q ses known
in history, not excepting 'e great
rush in ~ Cher, ,kee STRIP vi.
pulled off. Although it was Oily
third as large as the str'- cln, it
equalled the latter In many respects.
AS early AZ 3 O'Clock this morning
the last side of the kichapoo was
literally lined with humanity, and
every preparation was made for the
break at IL. Every kin of vehicle
imaginable was pressed into service.
By daylight people were crowding
for advantageous places on the line,
all attempting to jam in at the best
crossings at the Deep Fork. The
Tngr m crowd on the north numbered
several thousand, while the Chandler
delegation on the east was twice as
large. Every man who had en-
tered a fractional quarter on the
north side of Deep Fork three years
ago stood in the middle of the stream
astride their best horses, ready to
dash upon the balance of the frac-
in the same position without the
formality of divided skirts or bloom
ers.
Long before noon everybody was
ready and tired of waiting, but the
fact that each settler was afraid of
his neighbor alone kept the crowd
from rushing in long before the sun
had reached che meridian and joining
the other sooners, who had every
claim staked two days ago, and were
now quarreling among themselves.
Nowherw was soldier or an officer
to be seen, and the signal was fred
by man chosen by the crowd.
Standing on a slight elevation back
of the eager throng your correspon-
dent waited for the starting signal.
Promptly on time the guns spoke out
AMI the mad rush began. Horses,
mules bicycles, wagons, buggies and
vehicles dashed across the line an
disappeared in, whirlwind of d.,
and confusion. No accidents occur
red at this starting place. Hundreds
of women started, and exhibited thet
same amount of enthusiasm as the
men. What the results of it all will
be can only be determined by time.
Certain it is that out of the thousands
who started from all points of the
compass only few will secure homes
and matters will be doubly complica-
ted by filings at Oklahoma City and
Guthrie. Again the law relating to
fractional lands along the Deep Fork
will be fruitful source of litigation,
and bad blood is sure to be engen-
dered by the numerous claimants for
the few claims.
Two town site companies are con-
spicuous and have capital behind
them. One from Chandler has for
an objective point place half way
between Chandler and Tecumseh and
is backed by prominent men from
Chandler and Guthrie. The embryo
town is to be called "Kickapoo City,
The other is on the Choctaw, midway
between Shawnee and Choctaw City,
and is to be called "Olney.n 1t is
intended as rival to Shawnee and
is backed by Oklahoma City, and
Tecumseh capital.
Frank Osawiski, long, lank Swede,
was the first man to locate a fine
claim in Deep Fork bottoms and
started at once for the Guthrie land
tered east of here twenty strong.
They were outstripped by the horse
men at first, but in the long run
many of them came out ahead.
Riding into the reservation your COR
respondent met a herd of negroes
from Douglass City who were settling
On school lands by the hundred and
hard job the government will have
to get them off too. The white set
tiers are greatly incensed at the act
tion of the government in taking all
the best lands for school purposes
and there is strong talk Of organic
ing and attempting to settle upon
and hold them by force.
South of Douglass City the boom
ers tell of tho loss of many horses,
wagons and outcts by imprudent Pc
sons who drove into the trelcherous
quicks 1nds Of the Canadian river,
aud there is an unauthenticated rumor
that half a dozen people persisted.
Every quarter section has from two
to half a dozen claimants and long
before night the settlers were turn
ing back disgusted and indignant at
the fewness of the claims and the
miserable guilty of what there were.
There will be plenty OF contests to
make harvest for the attorneys.
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