The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1906-11-01
MANY ''SOONERS''
Walker Lake, Indian Reservation
Near Thorne, New, Has Been
Opened for Settlement.
EXCITING RUSH FOR GOLD
Late Arrivals Find Hest Lands Oc-
cupied - Many irregularities Re-
professionalism Police Bribed
by Money and Liquor.

Thorne, New, Oct. 3O.--With tho
firing of mighty blast of dynamite
from the top Of Grant Peak, the
highest point in the adjacent noun
tains, the Walker Lake Indian reser-
walton has been opened. AT the given
signal, hundreds Of searchers for gold
hurried helter-skelter over the .boun-
dairy lines Of plain and mountain and
before the great cloud of smoke which
rose into the air from the dynamite
explosion had drifted away, spec,
tacular race Of automobiles, race
horses and vehicles was on.
Horses were ridden until they
dropped and men recounted their Ill
fortune when their automobiles be-
came stalled In the deep sands. Jad-
ed and overcome by thirst, numbers
Of prospectors barely summoned
enough strength to make their loca-
tions.
Those who had waited for the sig
nal from the top of Mount Grant be-
fore rushing into the reservation
found that all the most valuable
claims in the vicinity of the rich
Dutchmans, Cottonwood and numer.
GUS other creeks emptying into the
southeastern section Of Walker Lake
had been taken up by men who hau
rushed in the night before. Even
men who employed launches to take
them across Walker Lake from the
eastern side found that their efforts
we're of no avail as they were much
too late to be on an equal footing
with the men who had disregarded the
law.
The opening of the reservation was
not as imposing as it promised to be
on account Of the fact that countless
numbers of miners flocked into 1t
during the night and early morning,
completely overwhelming the Indian
police, of whom there were but IA
to guard rs miles of territory. While
the opening was taking place special
agent Frank Parks, of the general
land office, was waiting for an ans
wer to his dispatch sent to the gen
eral land office at Washington,
urging that the opening be
postponed on account of the irregu,
larities that he has discovered. Parks
pointed out that the Indian police who
had been named to guard the lines
were not only inadequate and ineffi-
cient but they had taken money ani
liquor as brides and were intoxicated
most of the time.
He stated In his despatch that on
account of the lax methods observed,
hundreds of prospectors had paid no
attention to the time set for the open
ing. This news soon spread through
the camps where bona fide prospec'
tors had gathered to make rush
and as result there was grea.
deal OF discomfort.
Special land agent Parks deplores
the fact that the rush was allowed to
take place, when 1t was known that
the laws of the United States in regard
to opening reservation had been
evaded. He says that there is yet
a possibility that the present OPEN
ing may be declared invalid and
new one called for
Sub.Indian Agent Robert Lovegrove
has made the sensational statement
that United States engineers who
were sent here for the PURPOSE of
carrying out reclamation work on
portion of the Walker reservation
that has been allotted to the Indians,
had occupied their time in placing
launches on the edge of Walker lake
for the purpose Of participating In the
rush, contrary to the law which
states that all persons shall keep off
a reservation until the time fixed for
its opening.
O-I HI