The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-08-02
The Ell Reno Excursion.

| he IL Keno EXCURSION.
On Tuesday morning, July %, about
twenty Chanutites started for the
promised land on Katy special. AT
Parsons our car was hooked onto the
"Flyer" and away we sped through
the Indian country at rapid rate.
There were thirteen coaches on the
train from Parsons, all full of jolly
excursionists, yet the arrangements
we're perfect, and all enjoy ed the rapid
spin to South McAlister, where a
transfer was made to the Choctaw
road, and our course changed toward
the setting sun.
The ride from McAlister to El Reno
was tedious. The train was long and
badly crowded, and water very scarce,
with innumerable delays. Still the
tourists seemed to enjoy the trip, as
it was new country and-new scenery
to most Of them. The Choctaw runs
from McAlester west through the In
dian reservations for abouta hundred
miles. 1t is very rough country
and covered with scattering growth
of jack oaks. 1t is richly Overgrown
with grass and looks like it would fur
nish pasturage for all the hungry cat
tie in the couptry. The train finally
pulled into Ell Reno about 10 O'clock
at night, and the real fun Of the trip
commenced,
We were unloaded in the midst of
an immense crowd, and the work Of
finding some place to sleep began.
AL Herod, of st. Paul, met the Cha
mute crowd aud piloted them up town
and rendered valuable assistance In
securing quarters for the night. At
about il O'Clock all had secured cots
in some of the many tents that
abounded, and soon were sleeping
sweetly and as securely as though at
home, though surrounded on every
hand by thousands of strangers. 1t
was novel sight to see so many peo-
pie sleeping everywhere. Thousands
of them stretched out on the side
walks and on the bare ground and
slept till morning. while lumber
pile or few boards we're esteemed a
luxury.
Wednesday morning, the big day of
registration, dawned upon us, and the
work of registering began. On every
hand was heard the cry from the no.
taries and their helpers: Get your
papers made out!" ".Our work is guar
anteed!" 1--WE make out your papers
for twenty-five cents" and similar
cries to attract the attention of new
arrivals. The papers secured, the
lineup for registration began. In Or
der to avoid standing in line, numbers
were issued by the guards and they
were called in regular order. In this
way we had but short time stand
ing in the sun. Numbers once secur-
ed, we could mingle with the crowd
and go our ways till about time for
our numbers to be called, when we
must be around.
The crowd was simply immense and
1T could not be avoided; it was every
where. 1t was the dirtiest, tiredest
looking crowd we ever saw, yet the
jolliest and best hammered. Every
body seemed to respect the rights OF
everybody else. There was no wrangl-
ing or quarreling and but little COM
plant of the Inconvenience all must
endure. There were saloons on every
hand and streams of men pouring in
and out all the time, yet there seemed
to be a remarkable absence of drunk
enness. All conditions of men met on
an equal footing in this vast crowd.
The banker add the merchant were
elbowed and jostled by the common
laborer. The negro, the Indian and
the Caucasian met for once on a COM
mon level.
But the happiest person in the