Arizona republican., 1909-06-03
BUSINESS men SEEK LAND
First Genuine Stampede of
the Phoenix Land Office
Began Yesterday Morning
Office Opens T oday for En-
tries Beyond Aqua Fria.

For the first time in the history of
the local land office that office will do
a land office business in the applied
acceptance of the term at am. today.
At that hour the lands beyond the
entry.
Never before in the history of the
city has a genuine rush on the land
office been witnessed. At 8 o'clock
yesterday morning. Just twenty-five
hours before the office is to open. the
first man appeared to claim first place
in the line and wait through the dreary
hours till the door to the office presid-
ed over by Frank Parker should open
for the second time.
The first to appear was one Of the
valleys oldest residents. an Arizona
pioneer. 1t was Siias St John who has
been in Arizona fiftv-One years. He
was in his place next to the door but
a few minutes before Warwick Scott
appeared and claimed second place.
After that the land seekers appeared
at intervals of few minu'es till by
l pm. there were over thirt,' in line.
At $50 last night there were forty
elRTlI III llilt lillS IulliDtl was btlN
increased at midnight and this morn
ing there will be several hundred
home-seekers and land-speculators
waiting for the coming of the agent.
II was one of the oldest sights seen
in Phoenix for a long time and many
went to the Fleming block on purpose
to get a look at the men who were
standing in line for the land the gov
eminent gives to all corners. The land
office. as everybody knows, is at the
north end Of the second floor Of the
Fleming block The hallway. which is
a long one. was completely filled with
the land seekers. Every man had
chair, the chairs being furnished by j.
c. Dobbins the engineer. Fred Rup-
pert passed continually up and down
the line with cold water.
Every man in line wore a cheerful
but resigned expression and it was
quite evident that each had come to
stay. They made themselves as COM
Portable as possible each man having
his little store of tobacco. cigarettes.
cigars. novels. sandwiches. newspapers
and bottled beer. stacked neatly about
his chair
1t would be difficult to find a more
conglomerate mixture Of the classes
anywhere else. There were weather
beaten old cowboys and miners who
lived in Arizona the largest part of
their lives and who had never before
awaited themselves OF the opportunity
Of taking out land though they were
here when land was cheap and home
steads could be entered upon within |
mile or two of Phoenix. Four col
ored men sat close together. They ad- |
mitted that they were holding down |
the chairs for other parties at 50 a
shift. Here and there were prosperous |
men-men known in Phoenix as bust
ness men of acumen and foresight
who were either in line themselves or |
walking up and down the hall TO see |
that their substitutes did not leave |
their positions to be Jumped" by 9TH
ers.
Most OF the men sat back and smok- |
ed. The hall rocked with tobacco |
fumes and the floor was covered with |
a layer of the ashes. Others employ |
ed their enforced leisure time by read |
ing. A one-eyed man was reading Ella |
Wheeler Wilcox Poems of Passion" |
which he held so close to his eye that |
his nose nearly touched the print. An