The age-herald., 1901-07-22
AN ALBANIAN AT
 ELRENOTHEMECCA
 OF LANDSEEKERS

with frying pans. The butcher, the baker, the eandlestick maker all of them seem- ed to be therel
 At Oklahoma City a stop of twenty minutes was made and we were greeted with the solicitations of horde of notar- les public who importuned us to fix up our registration papers.
 "I had one to prepare mine, and for tunately got place in line of the waiting crowds at the registration booths when arrived at Fl Reno, and in ten minutes after reaching the town had my papers or chance in my pocket
 "The crowd in line patiently waiting for their turn to come was a study.
 'There could be seen old men hardly able to keep their place in line, gray haired women women with babies in their arms, girls and boys who looked scarcely out of their teens, men with their entire families-all registering for a claim.
 q saw one old man with an afflicted daughter in his arms who had been an in- valid since her childhood. She gave In her age at 90, height feet inches, weight 45 pounds
 q saw a beautiful young woman, richly dressed stand in the baking and blister ing sun for two hours with her dainty white silk parasol over her, waiting to register for this much-coveted land. l was afterwards told she was from distant state and worth hundreds of thousands in her own right
 Wonderful Country.
 "As one rides from Oklahoma City to Fl Reno 1t Is soon discovered why there is such a. mad rush to this country. There, stretched lout on either side or the rall- road as far as the eye can see, is the fair est and most fertile country, l believe, In the world.
 "1.he climate Is delightful except right now when the thermometer plays around the hundred mark; water Is pientilui' wells can be dug to water anyWhere at a depth of 30 feet, the soil Is identical to the richest Black Belt prairie lands or Alabama and abundant crops arc with but little labor.
 .aThe little town of Fl Reno seems 10 be a. veritable metropolis just now Ac- commodations in houses Is simply out or the uuestion, and cots are spread III tie open air at night and rented to eacn man or woman at the rate of 25 cents eacn. saw stables cleaned up ana cots put III the stalls Men can be seen lylng asieep at all times of the day in any shady spot, Around the town for miles are stretched tents, and wagons and teams are q""A tered everywhere.
 .orhe street fakirs, the shows, the great hubbub that never ceases rivals the Mio- way at the Worlds Fair in Chicago.
 Many Drink--None Drunk.
 "The barrooms are packed to the doors at all times. In the restaurants you stand and wait for a vacant seat. Everything ia cheap-remarkably cheap-for so great A demand. Strange to say, never saw drunken man in the town, and was in- formed there had been none.
 "I inquired of policeman as to the postoffice He said:
 " GO east two blocks, and when you come to a line of three thousand people, at the head of this line is the postonice.
 1T went, but as my turn would not have come for over three hours decloeo I didn't want any mall, and lett.
 @There are. in round numbers, 14,OoO homesteads to be given away. From pres ent indications 1t is probably there Will he 125 900 registered claims, possibly more. So if seems there will be one chance Tn ten to get a homestead. The first cholce ia valuable; in fact, the first three or four thousand will be worth something. l was told that s40,O00 is offered for the first chance.
 q saw a farmer who was In the run when the Creek strip was taken up anu he told me that he and his two daughters and son secured section TOT WHICH 'hes had been offered $18,000.
 "Of course, there will be a great deal or this new land that will be comparatively worthless, but the fact of so many going in will make the poorest of 1t bring nrice. Registration closes on July 70 ana the drawing commences on the 29th
 sI arranged with the bank there to mo- tify me by wire If I was in the lucky num- her. and if in the first two thousand l will go back and stake my claim If not, Alabama is good enough for me.