Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-07-25
A BIG REGISTRATION.
The Prediction That II Will Reach
100000 Extremely Probable.
TROUBLE IN GETTING TO FORT STILL
Passengers Have to BE Hauled Thirty Miles
by Team from Rush Springs Detectives
Watching for Repeaters - Line to
LawtOn Nearly Completed.


Lawton Nearly Completed.
III Reno, Ok, July 19.-Commis-
sioner Richards yesterday received
orders from the secretary of the in
terror to have a platform built in a
large open space for the drawing of
homes in the new country July 49,
The work will be intrusted to A. H.
Greene, who is experimenting the
erection of the land Offices here and
at Lawton. Mr.. Richards informa-
ton is that the commission to have
charge of the drawing will not be ap-
pointed until the last minute and
that the announcement will be made
from here.
The registration Of homeseekers
here yesterday was 1869, the
heaviest of any day except Monday.
The registration at Fort Sill yester-
day was 1900. The grand total is 3d.
400. There are seven more days to
register, and while the rush is be.
lleved to be about over the prediction
OF the officials that the registration
will reach the 100000 mark likely is
safe.
There ia little excitement at Fort
Sill now. The homeseekers no long
er have to organize in companies. The
clerks easily register all applicants
in half a day. The people are scat.
tering over the new country in
search Of claims, and the camp near
Fort Sill, which last week was
community Of 10000 souls is reduced
three-fourths in population
People who started for Fort Sill
by rail are experiencing difficulty in
reaching their destination. They
leave the train at Rush Springs,
which ID q town of 300 inhabitants.
Two livery stables and citizens with
teams are conveying the homeseekers
across the country, distance of 30
miles. The fare has been raised to
IS a passenger and people have to
wait sometimes three days before
they can secure transportation.
Those who are wise take the next
train for Chickasha, NARROW or An
adarko, where the congestion is not
SO great.
There were 400 people at Rush
Springs last night waiting for a
chance to go to Fort Sill. Many have
abandoned the trip and come to FL
Reno. Most Of those who spend the
night at Rush Springs have to sleep
on the ground. They are fed by citi.
xens.
A couple of government detectives
were here yesterday watching for re-
peaters. II is said there is an or
ganization of men here who register
at all the booths every day under as
sumed names, with the view Of re-
lnquishing their rights, il success
ful at the drawing for n considera-
ton. II Is easy to repeat in the jam
around the booths in the forenoon,
for nobody has time to examine
faces. The reporters are guilty of
perjury and the officials say they will
prosecute every case worked up by |
the detectives.
\, In q dispatch from Fort Sill to the
FL Reno American, Superintendent |
Clark, Of the Rock Island, is quoted as
saying that the new lines of railroad |
from Anadarko to T.awton would be |
completed by August I. There arc
only IS miles to be built and 200 track
layers are making great Roadway. |
The grading has been done for two
weeks. Superintendent Clark says
trains VIII be running mo Lawton !
before August 8, the date the sale Of ,
town lots begins,
The new country will be flooded
with secret service men from the in
terror department for several months
after the opening. They will look
for frauds. While great precaution
Is being taken to prevent frauds yet
1t Is almost certain that some will be
perpetrated and the secret service
department will straighten them out
after the homeseekers are settled. |
II Is the intention of the interior de-
partment to get special report with
In the first year on every homeseek-
er who enters land in the new coun-
try. |
FL Reno, Ok. July 2O.--Four trains
OF homeseekers from Chicago, New
York and the east swelled the regis