The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-07-31
Ell RENO RUSH
MADE A RECORD
Reports Of the Railroads in
KiOwa and COmanche
Registration

The Rock Island and the Choctaw
route have made a record in hauling
the crowd Of homeseekers that will
stand as a marvel in American rail
roading. During period Of 15 days,
beginning July TO- these two roads
have hauled in an dout of El Reno
100000. viii all this immense travel
not single passenger has been killed
nor has one received a scratch With
the facilities for hauling the crowds
this IS a phencmlnal record.
From July 10 to 26 the Rock Isl
and ran 1877 trains in and out Of El
Reno, Each train averaged ten cars
making In all 1870 cars. Each train
would carry 5000 people. The Rock
Island officials declare that 10000
passengers is a conservative estimate
Of the number handled during that per
iod,
The Choctaw road handled 21O
trains during the same period and
each train carried from ten to seven
teen coaches. General Passenger
Agent Lee estimates that his road
handled 10000 people.
The two roads were caught urpre-
pared for such heavy traffic In the
first place no one ever dreamed thar
so many homeseekers would come to
El Reno TO take chance in the lot
terry for homes. When Governor Rich
ards estimated that $4,000 people
would register he was jeered at on ev-
cry hand. Most people placed the
number not to exceed 10000. The rail
roads didn't know that the big show
was to be pulled off at El Reno until
four days before registration began.
Had they been given longer notice
the woluG have extended their yards
aud provided additional facilities for
handling tickets and baggage. They
would also have routed their freight
which is extremely heavy just now
so as 20 evade that business here. But
they didn't get the notice in time and
were compelled TO handle the crowds
and their regular business, already
heavy, with the same old facilities.
The Rock Island worked twent-hve
clerks in a room that ordinarily ac-
commodities four men. It's baggage
came in on freight trains and the
baggage room was string Of freight
cars.
It could not buy, beg, rent or bor-
row enough passenger coaches to
handle the crowds a couple of days.
and brought the people in and sent
them out in stock cars. Plank seats
were provided Some people used the
feed troughs as upper berths, So big
was the rush that many people even
crawled on the engines. The would 3it
on the pilot and on top Of the cabs
and stand on the fottboards aud mold
to the bell ropes. The tops of the cars
were covered and the trainmen were
only allowed to run at the rate of six
teen miles an hour It only took about
five minutes to load a train. The peo
pie would go through the windows
and any other way to get in Hun
dreds of women crawled through the
windows. A big 24O pound woman
got balanced in a window and stuck
1t took several men TO dislodge her
The Chootaw experienced about this
same thing. It handled all of the San
ia Fe traffic from Oklahoma iCty tC
FL RerJ. This was enormous. Sever
al ines a day the Choctaw woulD
simply hitch an engine onto a Sart'
Fe train at Oklahoma CITY and pul
It right over here. The Choctaw RAJ
trains during the day about three
hours apart. Aside from the Santa r.
traffic, It also handled the Frisco arr
Missouri, Kansas & Texas passengers
besides Us own
Freight cars were used as baggage
rooms on the Choctaw The depot was
entirely too small to accommodate
tie clerks necessary to handle th
tickets, end temporary ticket offic
was fitted mp in a baggage car