The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-07-16
A GREAT RUSH FOR FREE LAND.

Before the RegistratiOn Booths,
Ell RENO, OKLAHOMA, July TO-
Following out the proclamation of
President Mckinley, opening up to
settlement by the whites the $4,000
farms in the Kiowa-Comanche
country, the first registration of
homesoekers was made here and at
Lawton at 9 o'clock this morning.
Hundreds were lined before the va
rious registration booths when dark
ness came tonight, and tomorrow
and Friday the registrations will
continue until all shall have been
given an opportunity to file their
names. The drawing by lottery will
begin on July 30, and until then
none of the $4,000 applicants will
know whether or not he has been
lucky enough to receive a home
stead.
The lottery scheme robbed the
opening of the picturesque run and
the exciting times incident to the
great opening of the Cherokee strip
ten years ago. Compared with the
event, the affair to-day was tame in
the extreme. Although there are
perhaps 10000 people in town, prao-
tioally no disorder prevailed, AS a
rule, the hOme-seekers are we'll pro-
vided with money and provisions,
and aside from the long wait in the
sur before the registration booths
no serious inconvenience has been
experienced.
Last night hundreds of people
slept in the streets to maintain their
places in lines which began forming
yesterday at the six registration
booths at FL Reno. Many had wait
ed on the border of the new country
for two years or more, and the last
night of their long vigil was the
most trying they had experienced.
The line was made up of the hale,
the lame and the brawny frontiers
man, sprawled out in the dust. The
crowd before each booth selected a
captain and each man and woman in
line was given a number which each
pinned conspicuously on his or her
clothing. A company member was
permitted occasionally to absent him
self from line for a short breathing
spell and invariably his place was
protected by his fellow watchers.
AS the hour of nine o'clock neared
interlopers tried to push in and break
the numerical order of the line Or
g%anization. This instantly raised
bad blood, and when word was passed
down the line that the government
officials would not recognize the line
organization, but would register the
first persons to present themselves,
there we're threats of violence and RI
citing. Tr0uble was prevented by
the early announcement that the
line organization would be respected
by the government officials. Cheers
and waving of hats greeted this
word, and from this time forth there
was no sign of trouble. Applicants
we're admitted to the booths four at
a time and the filing proceeded rap
idly all day.
During the day the heat became
intense, but no serious suffering was
reported. The numerous women in
line were treated calamity by the
men, who shaded them from the sun
with umbrellas and furnished drinks
from the lemonade vendors who piled
their ranks.
The second place of registration
named in proclamation was at Law
ton, twenty-five miles overland,
where similar scenes to those en-
acted at Ell Reno were witnessed.
WILL THERE BE FURTHER BOXER
TROUBLES
Rumors to That Effect Now Agitating For
eigners in China-secret Societies Flour
ishing.
PEKIN, July TO- Persistent reports
reach here to the effect that the So
ciety of Allied Villages, which Sc
cret organization has succeeded the
Boxers and is said to be growing
rapidly, has defeated the Chinese i'm
nerial troops south of PaOting Flu,