Oklahoma State Capital from Guthrie, Oklahoma • 1

WK 7 3 ri v' I 1 1 FIRST PAPER PUBLISHED IN OKLAHOMA TERRITORY VOL I GUTHRIE INDIAN TERRITORY SATURDAY APRIL 20 1889 NO 4 FOR SETTLERS OKLAHOMA CLAIMS! STOCKSLAGER DEFINES THE REQUIREMENTS VALUABLE POINTS OKLAHOMA INFORMATION FROM HEADRUARTERS RUSHING ON THE FLOOD TO THE BORDER INCREASING A DESTRUCTIVE STORM- Wellington Kan April One of the most terrific wind and rain storms that ever visited Snmner county struck this section last night at about 11 lasting about fifty minntes in the northern part of the county and in the vicinity of Rome seven miles south of this cityit hailed fiercely and the stones are reported as being of unusual size and fruit trees were bereft of branches aud in many instances totally stripped and destroyed besides the damage to growing crops In this city the wind and rain created much havoc a few buildings were blown down and some unroofed Many awnings and small buildings were destroyed and much damage will ensue from flooding KILLED IN THE STORM Daring the storm a barn was blown to pieces six and a half miles southeast of this city and some of tbe timbers Were driven by force of the wind clear through the north side of a bouse one of which struck and fatally injured a Mr Hacker who with his family occupied it Three hours later the mao died Tbe happening was a peculiarly sad one The family came to Sumner county from the west last fall about starved out When the storm came up Hacker aroused his wife who is about to be confined and four children and was hurrying them out of the room when the debris struck the house He being the last to leave was struck on the threshold The house was instantly flooded with water and for an hour the storm raged with unabated fnry during which the woman and children went through a time that tried their souls This morning the county took charge of the body and tbe neighbors cared for the unfortunate wife and cbildreu This morning fully five hundred boomer outfits passed through tbe city bound for Oklahoma via Hunnewell As a geueral rule the wagons and Rains were of the best class the boomers ruddy and strong and imbued with the idea that Oklahoma was a land flowing with milk and honey For a week past the stream of white covered wagons steadily moving south has been very large The Wellingion Oklahoma colony numbering about fifty under the leadership of Landes leave this city today ADVICE TO OKLAHOMAITES-Milwaukee Wis April 12-A gentleman residing in this city has received a letter from his brother-in-law who lives twelve miles from the Oklahoma border The writer says that the president should hare declared tbe territory open the day after the issuance of the proclamation and continues: were at that time in the neighborhood men enough waiting to occupy its every home Many of them were the followers of the late Captain David Payne who labored so long and faithfully to accomplish the work that the proclamation does Many of these men will be cut off and rained now As it is there are now in tbe neighborhood of the territory ready to move at a notice live times the nnmberof people necessary to settle it and every wagon road converging toward thisjpoint from Missouri Nebraska Colorado Texas and elsewhere is groaning under the harden of wagons Everyone is going in tbe direction of Oklahoma cross lots when he can This is merely the van of the anny that is to come Notwithstanding all warning and reason tbe great mass of tbe waiters have a desire to haug around the frontier a day or two as they will try to be on hand just as the gate swings open The result as it may reasonably be calculated will be a never-ending series of bitter and bloody battles in comparison to which county seat rackets and race wars are but child's play Another element is the western rustler who has been through the mill and has been raised as it were on the county seat fight and rocked upon the billows of land contests He does not care about homesteads hut he will be there He will be satisfied with a few of the best lots in all of the best towns and he be satisfied unless be has them He want anything that involves trouble but if trouble comes that is just what be has been looking for aud he will welcome it as an old friend In fact the mau who fs now selling his farm or other property and picturing to himself a quiet peaceful home in Oklahoma is the fellow that 1 am writing these liues the man I want to wake up I would tell him to come with the idea of staying but with means of returning There is bound to be lots of KANSAS MATTERS AT THE CAPITAL Washington April 17-The following fourth-class postmasters have been appointed iu Kansas: Cloverdale Chautauqua county Charles Shaff vice McCoy removed Edgerton Johnson county Garrison vice James Fisher removed Fontana Miami county A English vice Campbell remove! Greeley Anderson couuty A Mascho vice Sutherland removed Haskell Anderson county Burnham vice Huggans removed Labette Labette county A Lamm vice SL McCain removed: Lakin Kearney county Mrs Parcells vice Mrs Boylan resigned Opolos Crawford county Gould vice Stoner resigned Rossrille Shawnee county A Shcmjin vice Frisbmao resigned Staver' Labette coanty Deboit vice Monroe removed Lask editor of tbe Parsons(Kan) Sun is here as a candidate for postmaster in his town The present Democratic incumbent is Frank Frye who was appointed in December 1885 to succeed Samuel Fletcher resigned Postmaster term does not expire until January 13 1890 but it is expected that he may be induced to resign The salary of the Parsons is 12200 WHISKY DEALERS FOILED Caldwell Kan April Oklahoma excitement is at its height here today It is almost impossible to get along the streets as the crowd is so dense Five hundred wagons was the estimate placed on the arrivals of today while reports of those to come tomorrow will double the amount One town site company will leave here Friday morning for Lisbon which will consist of at least 500 men Tbe Rock Island stage line outfit consisting of 160 horses with forty-five stages left Yesterday for Pond Creek to get in readiness for the rush Captain Woodsou says he will search every outfit to make sure that there is no liquor of any kind taken into Oklahoma If he does he will preveut no less than a dozen men who are CAmped here with all Way from a ten gallon keg to ten barrels of whisky who intend opening saloons iu Oklahoma A bauk was organized here today by prominent capitalists which will open for business on the 22d at Lisbon There are plenty of town lot chemes hatching aud colonies of old soldiers are forming at several points to get homesteads and me the shorter time of their residence to secure title and then turn part of tbe land iuto towns The heavy rains of last night have made the streams worse than ever and unless they subside there will be great difficulty la reaching Lisbon from here place and mumy arm into corners or ont again into tbe cold Tbe boomers are descending upon tha territory by diverse methods The Santa Fe railroad is prepared to transport as many as apply for passage The Rock Island will ran a line ot stages from its southern terminus into the promised land A Land of cowboys are said to be backing their horses against the United States cavalry and preparing to make a ran for it before the longed-for day arrives Two huge rafte will receive as many settlers as can crowd aboard them and drift down the swollen bosom of the Arkansas river to a point only eeveu miles distant from tbe border Boomers who hare gathered in the vicinity of Kan from the region north of Oklahoma bare applied for permission to cross the Cherokee strip in order that they may not be caught at a disadvantage on the glorious 22nd It is understood this privilege has been granted under proper conditions and by this time uo doubt joy reigns iu Caldwell The first attempts to break into Oklahoma were natural enough however unlawful The territory held out sufficient inducements to men of an adventurous spirit to warrant energetic efforts to become its first settlers but the rush that has followed the proclamation which makes snch efforts legal is irrational and iu some ot its aspects absurd There is no reason to snppose that I lie new domain is is superlatively fruitful or that a majority of those who are now latent on absorbing it are qualified to become pioneers' Many are leaving more behind than lies before them and if the present anticipations of serious conflicts between opposing in tenets are realized not a few are destined to a miserable experience In any rase there is sure to be a huge crop of disappointments this firstseason From this distance or indeed from any distance it would be ridiculous to send advice and warning Men who are in the mood which characterizes the Oklahoma boomers are not to be deterred by any consideration except necessity and scarcely by that Moreover there is much that is admirable in the' restless aggressive independent spirit which inspires such movements It is tbe same spirit operating under novel conditions which has possessed and civilized the continent KILLED BYiTHE ELEVATOR Kansas City April William Walter while washing the floor of the eighth' story of tbe New York Life Insurance1 building today put his head into the vator shaft The elevator in descendli tore his face away and he died at 3 OKLAHOMA IOLA Kan April of the Oklahoma Times Oklahoma City on tbe 22d by A tlf Scott of the Register of this ph-ro The Times will be Republican in politfi-n and will be printed from a complete steaiur plant IMPORTING WORK PEOPLE Washington April The secretary of the treasury recently received a letter inquiring whether the tranfer by manufacturers from any foreign country to tho United States of their plant machinery work people and interests or any part thereof with a view to permanent settlement would in any way conflict with tha statutes relating to alien contract labor and also whether such of their machinery as has been in use would be entitled to free entry Iu response the secretary called attention to the provisions of section of the act approved February 20 1885 which provides it shall be unlawful for any person company partnership or corporation in any way whatever to pay the transportation or in any way assist or encourage the importation or migration of any alien or aliens any foreigner or foreigners into the United States under contract or agreement parole or special express or implied made previous to the importation or migration of such Alienor aliens foreigner or foreigners to perform labor or service of any kind in the United The se retary said that ns no facts are stated wnich would exempt the importation of the referred to from the provisions of the act it would seem that their transfer iu the inauner proposed would be a violation of the law In answer to the inquiry as to the free entry of the machinery referred to the secretary peal from their action which would bring said there is uo law under which free entrj t's vpplictin and this ol-T-rT-ru P-'3 0r its adjudication of the case Vultd AiXiawTIed district land office I enclose for your further information copies of the circulars of January 1 1889 and April 1 1889 Respectfully STOCKSLAGER Commissioner Washington April 12 1889 To Hon Ingalls United states Senate Dear I have the honor to receive by reference from you and herewit return a letter addressee! to you by Mr Sommers date at Oklahoma Station I the 29th ult In reply I haye to state that tbe act of March 2 1889 to which Mr Sommers refers provides as he states that no one shall be permitted to enter or acquire any right to any of the Oklahoma lands to be disposed of thereunder who violates i provisions by entering upon and occupying the same prior to 12 noon of April 22 1889 the date fixed in the proclamation of March 23 1889 for said lands to becomo open to set-t lenient Tbe statntes makes no exception to this provision I am inclined to think however that when a person was already within these lands at the date of approval of the act by the proper authority his presence there should not be regarded as a violation of this provision of the act Tbe primary jurisdiction to act upon applications to enter rests with the district land officers and Mr Sommers may present his application for entry to them with proper proof of his allegations Should they refuse to permit an entry he may ap- LONG WANT IT Boston April 17-Fx-Governor Long ben asked if he had read the Washing-t in dispatch stating that he was likely to be tendered the chairmanship of tbe Cher-ole commission which ex-Governor Robins declined said he had read the but that whs all he knew of the mat er lles-id: should not want it If offe-ed me" THE RUSH WESTWARD Kansas City April As he day for the opening of tho Oklahoma nds draws nigh the capacity of tbe unlcf depot in this city it taxed more and more Tbe settlers come from all over try Today thirty Italians Garden were among tbe Tiie arrivals are about ever Fe ai tween rsa rf -which reach the eastern an offices respectively FINAL OKLAHOMA OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS Entries on the 22d will be Numbered Consectively and the Lowest Have Priority Actual Settlers Will Have the Preference in all Final as to Town Sites NEW FACTS FOR SETTLERS Washington April Henry Capp the Washington land law specialist states that efforts had been made to induce Secretary Noble to postpone the opening of the Guthrie and Kingfisher land offices until several days after April 22 and these efforts have been without success and the offices would be opened as advertised The object was to enable settlers to get located on the lands and have their rights adjusted on the settlement basis lie further said that there were two legal methods of initiating a homestead one by An entry at the local land office the other by a personal (ettlenient on the the one prior in lime prior in right Where one man ihould settle on the land at the same moment that another claimant should make entry at the local office a conflict would be the result but the settler in Mr opinion would get the land over the man Who should file at the land office Secretary Noble will have a large force it Guthrie and Kingfisher to preserve order and assist the land officers Under the peculiar circumstances of the rpening of Oklahoma the entries on tbe fcJd inst will be numbered consecutively is handed iu to the register and if possible will not be treated as simultaneous Mr Capp recommends that entryineu at the land offices get there as early as they inn A system of tickets for entrymen on the 22d has been suggested and may be adopted Soldiers can file their declaratory statements by agent but all others must appear iu per-on at the land Dlliee except those actually living on their laud who are prevented by distance sickness or other good enuse from going to the land office Claimants who visit ther land only once in six months or even once a week have but little chance of getting a title Bona fide residence to the exclusion of a home elsewhere is required but absenCes for good reasons will be permitted A married man should have bis family with him on the land at the earliest moment His residence elsewhere is a suspicious fact which must be explained to the satisfaction of the land department Town site speculators have no show under the present law Claims of companies and corporations will not be recognized Town site Applications can be made only in trust for the inhabitants actually living on the land as town lot applicants XTnder the present law town site entries can not be made nt all Applications willbereceived by the local officers uoted on the records for reference and forwarded to Washington for consideration Not until congress provides additional legislation will any town site entries be permitted It will be severul days yet before tbe commissioner of internal revenue will have ready for the public the regulations regarding revenue collection in Oklahoma tfttpd a few darn -agolt is hja nnrpnaa md so v- tv a OTWST II CUliCtOT eral clerks either from Kansas or some other ad jaceut district The missioner finds one obstacle in the way so far as whisky licenses are the law is quite stringent regarding the sale of spirits where there are Indians and the legulations are such that the commissioner dors not feel at liberty to go ahead until he has an opinion from the attorney general and he nHS therefore referred the whole question to the department of justice for an interpretation ef the law The commissioner says that there is no question whatever about tobacco licenses in Oklahoma He hopes to have the whole matter straightened out and the regulations given to the public before the end of the present week The department of justice will also render a decision on the application for national bank charters in Oklahoma TROOPS FOR THE LANU OFFICES Washington April 1 secretary of war has forwarded to Brig Gen Wes ley Merritt Fort Leavenworth Iian commanding tbe department of the Missouri an order to place troops at the disposal of the government officers in Oklahoma on the 22d of April As there are no police authorities in the territory to be opened to settlement and the United States marshal's forces will be very limited it has been (Itemed advisable to have a few troop? at each of the land offices on the dav of opening to preserve order No particular trouble is anticipated nor is it believed that troops will be necessary but as a precautionary measure it was deemed best to place a few soldiers at each of the two towns Guthrie aud Lisbon It appears that the matt was fully discussed at be last cabi net meeting and Saturday the secretary of the interior and the attorney general united in a request to the war department to order troops to both the land offices The order therefore has been issued and is on the way to General Merritt nt Fort Leavenworth He is expected to transmit the order to Colonel Wade in command ut Fort Reno the military post nearest Oklahoma Colonel Wade upon communication with United States Marsh il Needles and the officers of the Guthrie and Lisbon land offices will detail the number of men deemed necessary for each of the two points It is calculated that ten men with an officer will be sufficient for each datail their only purpose being to aid the marshal and bis deputies in maintaining order at the land office Tbe plan is to have the settlers form in line each taking Ins turn in making hisfiling before the regis terof the land office The soldiers will assist in keeping the line and preventing a rush and consequent disorder and confusion A patrol ot troops will also probably lie stationed along tbe northern border rf Oklahoma to prevent any trouble mIi- night arise when the rush for Guthrie Hi Lisbon begins at noon on the 22d Should any general trouble occur at Oklahoma on the 22d or a subsequent date troops will be at Fort Reno in readiness to moe at a notice There are four troops of the Fifth cavalry and two companies of the Thirteenth infantry at Reno and there are 1500 soldiers within a few ride of Oklahoma at tbe various pests in Kansas and the Indian territory Most of the troops in the territory belong to the Fifth cavalry and the details for the Oklahoma land office will probably be made from those troops of the Fifth stationed at Reno One troop of the Fifth at Fort Elliott Tex has been ordered up to the Oklahoma country and it is likely that a troop from Fort Supply will be brought over to tbe neighborhood of Rena Washington April A new postoffice bas teen established at Kingsfisher stage station Indian territory through the efforts of Representative Peters of Kansas It will be known as Lisbon The land office at that (point and district will also be known by the same name Mr Peters bas taken much interest in the office just established and bas been pushing Robert McCanse of Cimarron Kan for the postmastership Yescerday his efforts culminated in the appointment of Mr McCanse to the office Assistant Postmaster General Clarkson wanted to know by what right Mr Peters claimed the plans for a Kansas man and the congressman's reply was: the right of discovery" as he clsimed that there wan no one there now who could be appointed Mr Peters expects to haye a mail route established from the end of tbe Rock Island railroad to Lisbon in a short time The railroad company propose running coaches from the terminus to Lisboa AT OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma City I April Passengers coming south through Oklahoma City are not permitted to stop off at all but are compelled tocontinue on through' this future great metropolis to PurcelL Many efforts are made by passengers to be allowed to remain over but the soldiers On duty are inexorable as their orders are Yery strict but as soon hs 12 noon the22d inst arrives there will be such a scramble from all sections of the border tor this future city as the globe has never witnessed before It is estimated that 10000 people will be here within ninety days There Is a troop of cavalry camped here This is a beautiful aud fertile section of country with an elegant site for a city Three new railroads are coming in here just as rapidly us they can be built the surveyor) and'kdVance' workers being now engaged at this end of the line THE STRIP NOW OPEN TAJ "weil Kan Aprl i ilium-1 iiiEjMW-oPerinissioa to cross the Cherokee strip to the border of Oklahoma was received here Saturday The troops now on the state line have orders to move on the 19th to the south line of the Cherokee strip and hold the boomers in check until the gates swing open Tremendous rainfalls west may change the plans of many as the rivers will probably be more than bank full next week At South Canadian City on tha Kiowa branch the bridge over a mile long across the South Canadian has been badly damaged by the high water Four spans hare been carried away A coutry wagon bridge jnst west of it is a total wreck The damage is estimated at $25000 The water from this downfall will just about reach Oklahoma next week and many streams will be impassable for several JURISDICTION OVER NO LAND Paris Tex April An examination of the law creating a federal court at Muskogee and establishing a court iu this city with jurisdiction over a portion of the Indian Territory develops the fact that No Land has been made a portion of the Indian Territory and that tbe court at this place has jurisdiction over criminal offen-es by non-residents No Land has not heretofore been in the jurisdiction of any court and is therefore overrun by desperadoes thievts and all manner of lawless characters It is said that there are fully 200 moonshine distilleries in existence in that countrv and a force of deputy marshals will leave here shortly to investigate affairs and ferret out criminals The Indian country over which the Paris court has jurisdiction is about 700 miles long and about 100 wide 'ihe first court convenes here next Monday and there are already a large unmber of cases awaiting investigation bv the grand jury IleExplains Officially tlie Chances of the Settler and those of the Filer The Postoffices at Guthrie and Kingsfisher will be In Operation the 22d THE LAW MADE CLEAR Washington April Commissioner Stockslager Las made public a letter concerning homestead entries in Oklahoma addressed to Mr Halstead Furcell I It runs thus refcreuce to a memorandum ot five questions received from you under (late of tne rth inst' I have to state that it is not usual to answer hypothetical questions but in view of the anomalous conditions affecting the public lauds in Oklahoma I will state ns follows viz: A person desiring to become an actual settler under the homestead laws may initiate his claim of entry at the district land office niter prcpcrlv selecting mid examining the land desired in which case he is allowed six months from date of entry within which to establish bis actual residence oil tnc land or if Ae so elect he may initiate his claim by actual settlement on the laud which may consist of some act or nets connecting himself with that particular tract claimed Said act or acts to be equivalent to au announcement of such his intention and front which the public generally may have notice of his claim Thereafter he is Allowed three months within which to make his rlnim of record by entry at the district lund office Which of tliuse two methods should be chosen is a matter fur the election according to the circumstances and his own judgment of which is most desirable and Of bona fide settlers or claimants the one whose settlement or entry i3 prior in time ill have superior right wlieu inception of the claims is simultaneous that is at the same time The legal right is equal and the question cannot decided according to equities and the land awarded to the party having superior equities if any if none then it has been the pi act ice to put the land up between the claimants and to awrd the right of entry to the one bidding highest for the privilege The act cf March 2 1889 enacts that until said lands are opened for settlement by proclamation of the president no person shall he permitted to enter upon and occupy the same and any person violating this provision shall never be permitted to cuter any of said lunds or Acquire any right thereto The proclamation of March 23 calls attention expressly to this provision and directs that 1" lie strictly enforced (see circular of April 1 189 copy enclosed) 1 am not prepared in advance ot a cise arising to give an opinion as to hat particular net or acts will be considered a violation of law iu this OKLAHOMA POSTOFFICES- Washington April The postoffice department officials are making active preparations for the immediate erection of two poBtoffices in Oklahoma one at King flslior and the other at Guthrie Several posofiee Inspector are now on the grouyft examining proposed mail routes Into tua country aud between all important points For the present all mails will enter the country from the north over the Atchison Topeka Santa Fe and from the south they will lie carried by regular government contractors It is expected that the mail facilities will equal the needs of the settlers Mail for the land office towns and the principal points will probnbly go forward on the very day or at least on the day following the oue on which the proclamation goes into effect Assistant Postmaster General Clarkson mill today that probably twenty-five post-offices would be established iu the new territory within the next thirty days If no lietter accommodations can be had postmasters will supply themselves with tents or whatever else can be made available for shelter WHERE DO THEY COME FROM ANTHONY Kan April From the appearance of things hero western Kansas and eastern Colorado must be emptying into Oklahoma through Anthony Hundreds npon hundreds of covered wagons are moving through the pass few day? and contrary to expectation the settler? are pretty well fixed mere are out rew wagons but that are leading either an extra team or a milk cow or two Numbers have quite a bunch of stock and several droves of work mules and horses re going through The household effects and the people themselves show uo signs of reported poverty in fact if these people succee in getting land at all in the crush they will lie able to live and farm in comparative comfoit Their livestock is in noticeably good condition There is every evi deuce that the population along the west side of Oklahoma will be the strongest ns the railroad rush will he more transient aud less prepared to stay than those in the grand to movement by wagon CHARGED WITH MURDER Kyle Tex April Deputy Sherif Sain Townsend and Jailor Danforth San Marcos arrested one Ed Lynch on the traiu here this morning charged with murder committed ir Philadelphia some months ago He will be taken to Sau Marcos and jailed tonight to awAit instructions from authorities at Parsons Kan The telegram that caused his arrest was front that uoint MERRITT WANTS INSTRUCTIONS Washington April In anticipation o' trouble in the Oklahoma country General Merritt who has a large force of men under his command 1ms telegraphed to the war department for special instructions Orders were telegraphed General Merritt and while the nature of ihe orders was not disci se 1 to the press it is believed that he is authorized to exercise his own judgment ns to when and how he is to use troops at his command RAILROAD MEN AT LAWRENCE Lawrencf Kan April 17-Mr Newman Erl president of of the Kans is City Wyandotte Northwesieru railroad an i I) lirinkerhuff division superintendent-of the Union Pacific railroad were in tho oily today looking o'er the lmwrenca Emporia Southwestern railroad They held consultation at tue lesident directors today regarding the purchase and extent ion of the road It is highly probable that a transfer will be made and it will result favorable to the general interests of the city THEY ARE A FAILURE Washington April Vtecent reports of the maneuvers of the British naval fleet contain some matter not entirely reassur-iog with respect to some of aur new vessels In hese maneuvers aboult six vessels of the Archer type participated The result was a disagreeable surprise to Sir William UeJ the chief constructor of the admiralty The significance of tins report to naval olficeis here lies in the tact that the uew gunboat Yorktown is patterned afu Archer and wdl carry thesinieeahbre and weight of ordnance Failure Iihs al-o attended the efforts ot the British constructors to build a twenty-knot ship ot which the navy department here is attempting to build two under rectUm of au act of congress A Tbe Absolute and Official Require of Those Seeking Iloines in Oklahoma Many Clerks and Extensive Preparation will Enable the Land Official to Expedite MR STOCCSHAGER TALKS- Washington April The commissioner of the general land office has made public tbe following letters as being of general interest to persons contemplating settlement in Oklahoma: Department of the Interior General Land Office Washington April 12 1889 To Wilson Esq: Your letter of the 4th inst addressed to the honorable attorney general iu reference to the Oklahoma lauds which are to be opened to settleuieir under the act of congress of March 2 1SS9 has been forwarded to him by this office for answer In reply I have to stnte that the lands in luestion have to be disposed of to actual settlers under the homestead only A party desirng to become an actual settler under the homestead may initiate his claim by eutry at tbe district laud office after properly examining and selecting the land desired iu which case he is allowed six mouths from date of entry which to establish his actual residence on the land which must consist of some net or acts connecting himself with the particular tract claimed said act or acts lo be cquivolent to announcement of such as his intention and from which the public generally may have notice of his claim Thereafter he is allowed three months withiu which to make his claim or record by entry in the Commissioner" ONE HCNPRED THO USA In speaking of the g- gration non setting toward Oklahoma Commissioner Stockslager today said that from newspaper estimates and from information received through official and personal sources he was of the opinion that fully 100000 persons would enter Oklahoma within a mo tb after the 22d of April these 100000 persons" said the commissioner are only about 10000 homesteads which may be entered under the proclamation Therefore for each quarter section open to entry there will be at least five or six applicants Never before in the hLtorv of the country has there been a parallel The inevitab result of this tremendous influx the commissioner thinks would be a great many coutests and probably some personal conflicts A further result he feared would be the spreading of this immense surplus over theadjoininglndian lands from which it would lie difficult to dislodge them without much trouble and possibly some bloodshed If the commission appointed to treat with the Cherokees for cession of the Cherokee outlet could complete their labors with'n the next few months so that the new tract might be open to settlement before congress again meets this might and probably would relieve the pressure Otherwise he feared matters would become complicated and the equilibrium restored with difficulty However the commissioner has no doubt that the precautions now being taken to preserve order in Oklahoma and to keep the intruders from the adjolniug lauds will be amply sufficient for tbe purpose of the newly appointed registers and receivers of the recently crea ed land offices at Guthrie and Kingfisher stage station who with their clerks and two special agents of the department will meet on April 17 and together they will proceed to heir posts of duty Every facility will be exercised by tbe ocal officers to applicants iu making their ''lings and every effort made to disnatch the business of the office with expedition In order to save the time of the receiving officers they will be supplied with rotary consecutive numbering stamps instead ot making their indorsements with a pen The order in which an application is received is indicated by the number stamped upon it and will determine aud settle the priority oyer applications bearing a higher number A force of clerks in the general laud office has been hard at work since the proclamation was issued preparing plat books blank blanks ana supplies of all kinds for tho new office and everything is said to be iu readiness St Louis April News comes from Oklahoma that all the cattlemen in that territory except one have driven theircat-tleontand that he is getting his herds away as rapidly as possible Some fifty or more families of negroes left Fort Smith Ark for the vicinity of Guthrie Oklahoma where they ana numerous other colored people will establish a colony Caldwell Kan Mr John Campbell contractor and builder of this city was awarded the contract for building the land office at Lisbon and the building will be ready for business on the 22nd ot April The Rock Island is getting everything ready for travel and freight that is awaiting it on and after the 22nd The homeseeker and people generallyare happy They learned from Secretary Noble that they had the same right as the cattlemen to travel through the Cherokee outlet Even the heavens are contented for we bad plenty of rain and the crops never looked better and with the opening of the Cherokee strip what a harvest for the Kansas farmer there will be AN EFFORT TORUN CARS Minneapolis April The street car company made its long deferred effort to start cars this morning Seventy-five men all the company has succeeded in hiring was divided among three lines and at 6 cars were started loaded with policemen There were large crowds jeering at the new men but no aerions disturbance occurred The police arrange- amiGiL several tUfUt3" 71 2 Mriken however persuaded about a third of the new men toquit and1 at noon it looks doubtful wheUter the' gmgmj can get enough men to operatej i line of Tlie Tlionssnda being Daily Augmented for tbe Final Charge on Oklahoma the 22d The March Across the Cherokee Strip Begun 'The Military Drawing Back ON THE INCREASE On the Border a pm Boomer boomers everywhere Tho white tops of their wagons or tents appear npon every available camping ground On all the highwaya leading aouthward are seen their wagons Yesterday the actual number of wagons that passed down oue street of Are kausas City alone was 247 aud today aa the time for the opening of the territory approaches the number increases From Winfield down to Arkansas City the ro id lies near to the railroad and salutations are almost continually exchanged between the boomer aboard the train and the boomers in their wagon A large colony alighted from the Santa Fe southbound this morning they came mostly from the eastern states not all prosperous The boomers os a class differ in no respect from those elsen here along the borders Some are apparently in very comfortable circumstances hare good teams and wagons others are miserably poor and how they will lire even if admitted to the promised land is a mystery A traveling man said today that he was several times asked by boomers for money with which to buy something to eat There are no doubt many of them poor and the result may be as some anticipate that there will ere loug be suffering in the There is indeed a sad if not a tragic side to this movement as presented here on tbe border Au old man and woman neither of which were scarcely less than 60 were encamped in the bottom They had come farm in Marshall county and were liouud for the great Oklahoma Both perhaps will be dead before they have proved up their claim Here too was a sulky looking man and woman and around their old wagon and poor horses played five children With not even the certainty of securing a claim he undertakes to carry all these dependent upon him into a new and unsettled country knowledge of the country Some of the settlers haye a good clear idea of what is before them aud the kind of land they will see at the end of their journey others were never in the territory and their only knowledge is the varying and oftcu conflicting accounts which they have read Should they secure the fiuer claims they will no doubt be satisfied if their lot however falls among the sand plains aud black jack of the Cimarron will they? THE OLDER BOOMERS Then here comes out the fact that on the border bave waited for years iti tents hundreds of men whose agitation did so much to secure the QPCy'jp -of -Oklahoma Their rr is exhausted teir stock has come old and worthless or perhaps died in the many years of waiting They will fall behind and be left entirely in the great race for land It is stated here and generally believed that among these older agitators the secret league baud is strong and firm and that the society is growiug every day iu strength 'ihe members take an oatnto protect the claims of each other Will they do it even to the extremity of using tbe law or fire arms as they are pledged? If so will the new men with their fresh teams and new life stand back and givo these men what they demand? The Eagle representative spent tbe afternoou walking through the camps and speaking to the would-be ttlers In the bottom below Arkansas City are the tents of those who came here perhaps years ago in the earlier agitations They have made comfortable if not pleasant homes for themselves and will uo doubt leave them with no little regret One of these said that it was his intention to go by rail to his claim and afterwards move his family and household goods upon it He was perfectly familiar with the country and knew exactly where his claim was located In the Walnut Creek valley is perhaps the largest of the camps there are here about 13J wagons The wagons are too strung for miles along the banks of tbe Arkansas river NOT ALL BY WAGON The railroads are bringing in their full quota not being allowed to alight from trains in Oklahoma many of tbe settlers and prospectors come to the border to await the22d Many however pass through to Purcell and the Chickasaw nation travel over the Santa Fe through the territory Is now quite large made so by the oumlwrs of sight seers prospectors and settlers moving from Purcell to Arkansas City and back again iu their impatience READY FOR FINAL MOVEMENT The destination of all tbe boomers congregated here is of course the eastern part of the country or that in the same district as the Guthrie land ofiice Captain Hays who is guarding the line here says that he will permit the boomers to cross the line into the Cherokee strip ou the 19tb They can move even at the very first hour ot that day if they so desire Without doubt there will be a great rush to be at the head of this procession Yet perhaps little will be gained as they will sll be held in check upon the south line until noon the 22d inst SOME EXCITEMENT CAUSED This announcement has created quite a stir among the prospectors here and It is thought the large majority of them will take advantage of the opportunity and that midnight tomorrow will witness a grand rash into the strip The campers realize that all cannot cross the border at the same place and there will be a scattering along the border for miles What a sight this moving caravan of white topped wagons will make aa they slowly wind across tbe Cherokee stripl It will take about two aud a half days to make the journey Captain Ha vs will be assisted in guarding the line by a detachment of iroopi from Guthrie As a result of this great influx of bovn ere settlers and prospectors ArKossi City presents an unusually active appear ate? Tbe streets are crowded with peo Irom morning to night and buaioeai appears very good OKLAHOMA New York Tribane The last scenes in the Oklahoma comedy are full of incident and action and public interest lu tbe performance is steadily rising Just such a situation never existed anywhere before Around the approachable borders of a jealously guarded tmiton are eaiberiug from near and far singly and in groups companies and caravans a multitude of peoplo each of whom is intent upon snatching at a given moment the best pieces of land in sight mHn cculd be suspended above the operations with power to take a bird eye view of what lav below him he would witness an extraordinary spectacle It would probably resemble tbe scene In a public hall to which an audience more numeroa tnan the desirable is suddenly admitted Some persons drop into the nearest vacant places others make a oee line for a particular point mentally £hn advance: others harry hither and thither in an aimless way being jnst too late for their first few choices wherever fo and at last find themselves lishea without knowing exactly bow while some Are left wandering np and down the aisles ia aearch of a nstl 2 JUMPED TO HIS DEATH Kansas City Mo April About 7 this morning as train No 24 on the Southern Kunsas road was pulling out of the dpot a man rushed forward and jumped aboard When the train nenred the Chicago junction at Twelfth and Santa Fe streets Conductor Parsons started to go through tbe train The man who had jumped abourd was evidently trying to steul a ride as when he saw the conductor coming he seemed frightened and jumped off In jumping off lie swung around toward the under part of the train and his head struck the truck with terrible force lie lay there apparently dead and the conductor stopped the traiu and telephoned to police headquarters Dr Qiun went down with the patrol wagon and found that the skull wus rue tu red and his left collar bone broken He was taken to police headquarters and had his wounds dressed and he was then sent to the city hospital in the ambulance but he died on the way out there Before he died he said liis name was William Murphy that he was a married man and lived on Ninth street He was about 55 years old Washington April George Robinson of Massachusetts Otis Humphrey of Illinois and Alfred Wilson of Arkansas the members of the commission recently appointed by the president to negotiate with the Cherokee and other Indian tribes in the Indian Territory for the cesoioi of certain lands under tbe act of March 2 1889 met here today and received their commissions A conference was held with the secretary of the interior at which the work to be undertaken was informally discussed The written instructions are very elaborate and contain a complete history of the government's treaty relations with these Indians from the earliest times HOW THE TRAINS RUN Kansas City April A Topeka special says that according to time cards prepared by the railroads there will be very little business done at the two laud offices in Oklahoma on April 22 The first regular south bouud train on the Santa Fe leaves Arkansas City at 2 and will be followed by all the specials needed which will run as sections of the first train This will bring the first train to Guthrie at 4:30 too late for land office business From the south the Santa Fe will start a train from Purcell at 11:40 a This will arrive at 4 allowing halt an hour for filing claims before the office closes The Hock Island expects to do a little better for those intending to settle in the western half of the territory Its stages will reach Kingfisher from the end of the railroad by 3 unless the streams are swollen or roads unusually bad At all events the prospects are that very few claims can be file I at either office before Tuesday April 23 Washington April A new postoffice has leen established at Kingsfisher ttnge station Indian territory through the efforts of Representative Peters of Kunsas It will be known as Lisbon The land office at that (point and district will also be known by the same name Mr Peters bos taken much interest in the office just established and has been pushing Robert McCanse of Cimarron Kan for tbe postmastorshlp Yescerday bis efforts culminated in tbe appointment of Mr McCanse to the office Assistant Postmaster Geueral Clarkson wanted to know by what right Mr Peters claimed the plsos for a Kansas man and the reply was: the right of as he claimed that there was no one there now who could be appointed Mr Peters expects to liuye a mail route established from the end of the Rock Island railroad to Lisbon in a short time The railroad company propose srunniug coaches from the terminus to Lisbon Caldwell Kan April 15 tbe 19th is the day set for the settlers to move on to Oklahoma A grand spectacle will be presented as Captain Woodson with his comnany will lead the van through the Cherokee strip People are arriving from California Washington Territory Nebraska and in fact from all over this country by rail and wagous and all are enthusiastic over the great prospects for Kansas Wellington Kan Apiu White covered wagons bound for Oklahoma are passing through all day long Pawnee Bill was here this morning and states tbe soldiers have all been withdrawn from the state line and are now on the Oklahoma Une Settlers are permitted to go right to the borders of the promised land His colour is now camped around Hunnewell and will start for ranch Thursday morning There are 3000 people with him WILL RESIST THE TRUST St Joseph Mo April At a mass meeting of Nodaway county farmers at which there were 104 present resolutions were unanimously passed opposing the binding twine trust refusing to buy any twino this year from said syndicate if tha price exceeds 12 cents for manilla and 10 cents for sisal per pound and pledging themselves to stand shoulder to shoulder to carry the resolutions into effect Hon On Cox was chairman FOR OKLAHOMA-Denison Tex April A special car passed through the city today en route for luthrie Oklahoma The car is designed 'or the snrveying party of the Denison Choctaw Coal meet th Alister throng lions to OklahomaY 1 I WANTS HER SENT BACK Kansas City April 17 Calvin Spicer a farmer living near Raytown this) count) appeared before the county coart1 today and that tribunal to send his niece Ada Spicer who is a beautiful year-old brunette to Carlton Orleans county New York He claims the girl) was seduced by a wealthy fanner ofj Orleans county and that since her arrival1 here six months ago she gave birth to child He wants her sent back to Carlton to prosecute her betrayer The coart has the matter under consideration A VIGOROUS PROTEST Kansas City April The following resolutions were passed by the Commercial exchange today: Resolved That the Commercial exchange of Kansas City respectfully but earnestly protest against the passage of the local inspection bill as an unwarranted assault upon the vital interests of this city Resolved That a committee be appointed to proceed to Jefferson City and protest against the proposed measure In view of the vacancy iu the interstate commerce commission it was Resolved That the Commercial exchange of Kansas City respectfully requests the president of tbe United to select a competent roan from west of tbe Mississippi river to fill said vacancy: to the end that the peculiar problems and interests of this vast area tuny be represented on said commission by a member familiar with them by association Resolved That our sister exchanges west of the Mississippi river be invited to unite with us in this just and reasonable request POLES STILL FALLING I New York April The wires came down with a swish and a rash upon the cobble 6tones on Broadway this morning faster than the rain drops Inverydirec-tion as far as tbe eye could reach were gangs of men hacking and cutting as If 'their lives depended upon it Crowds of curious people watched the! crowds work and they cheered every time a pole crashed across the thoroughfares The contractors had their hands full in keeping venturesome pedestrians and drivers of vehicles from being crashed under the falling poles Broadway pie sents a queer appearance in the absence of tiie mass of wires Everything looks here and rather deserted but greatly improved There will be no stop now and tbe route 'will be quickly cleared for the companies are helping amazingly by taking down their own wires and poles i Tonight tbe upper portion of tbe citv from Fourth street to Fifty-ninth street is still shrouded in darkness on ecconnt ol Mayor tsar on overhead wires Fifth avenue was entirely black from Twenty -eighth to 1 4 -ninth from Fourteenth to Ffty-uil aud also principal e-c that ('LiWicu acre are burning REGISTER PALMER DEAD if SiLLIf-Kan AprU lL-ColongL Smith Palmer United States land office register died at his residence in this city at 955 last night He came to this state several years ago and was prominent as a contractor on the Santa Fe railway and at onetime county commissioner from the Brookville district On moving to this city he engaged in the flour and feed business but afterward established the Palmer marble and limestone yards He stood high in Masonic circles and was a member of Isis temple He was well known as an aggressive Democrat and numbered his friends by the hundreds At one time lie was urged as good gubernatorial timber iu central Kansas but thought best to give the race to others of his choice In September 1886 he was appointed United States land office register at Salina and had since held that office with satisfaction to the people and to the Democratic administration He had been a great sufferer the past few years from kiduey trouble and for more than six months he has been confined to his house and last Sunday afternoon his physicians performed an operation for the removal of stone iu thejbladderi The stone when removed weighed two and one half ounces and was nearly the size of a egg He gradually sank from that time until tonight when his suffering ended in death The funeral will be conducted under the auspices of the Knights Templar HABEAS CORPUS PROCEEDINGS Waco Tex April In the federal court today John Gray who bas been in tbe McLennau county jul since last summer on a charge of detaining the United States mail on the stage ruuning between San Angelo and Ballinger got out a writ of habeas corpus This case came up be fore the grand jury iu the federal court at the November term of and it was proveu beyond a doubt that tbe offense alleged to have beeh committed was done in the western district of Texas and therefore no indictment was found The marshal of the western district was notified but he never came after his prisoner Upon hearing the argument this afternoon udge A McCormick ordered the prisoner released Upon leaving the court room however Gray was arrested on a capias from the district court of Tom Green county charging him with robbing the passengers on the Sau Angelo and Ballinger stage Another writ of habeas corpus was gotten out which will be heard tomorrow by Judge John Dickenson of the district court of Mclennan conn tv NORTHERN WHEAT PROSPECTS St Paul April The Pioneer Press in the moruing will publish 230 detailed reports representing all the wheat sections on the Manitoba railway and covering about half the wheat prodneed in Minnesota and Dakota From these reports it seems that 190 stations report good to excellent condition of the ground thirty consider it good while only ten report it not good The per centage of crop planted is equal to or above last year and the acreage will also exceed last season only thirteen sections reporting any decrease while 102 have increased acreage It has rained within the past week and the dry sp-ll is broken A WAYWARD CRIME Marine City Mich April On Monday evening last James Williams and wife taken suddenly very ill with symptoms cf poisoning They are still in a dangerous condition This morning Matilda Williams the 14-year-old daughter of Mrs by a former husband admitted to the physician in charge that she had put a spoonful of on in the tea of each 1 he girl had cast her fortunes with a cowboy combination and was brought home against her will She saw no way to continue on the high road to fame that she had sought other than by relieving herself of her parents and acted accordingly RESPECT FOR USHER Washington April 17-Out of respect for the memory of Hon John Usher secretary of the interior from January 18 1863 to May 15 1865 who died on the 13th inst Secretary Noble has issued an order declaring that the interior department aod all Its bureaus be closed ou Thursday April 18 the day of the funeral at Lawrence Kant and -that the department building be craped la mourning NO NEWS OF THE DANMARK New York April The steamship City of Richmond of the Iiunan line which arrived from Liverpool this morning brought no news of the ill fated steamer Danmark The officers of tbe City rf Richmond did not see anything of the wreckage of the Danmark and did not hear anvthing of the reported loss until told by the pilot off Sandy Hook The Alsatia of the Anchor line was reported as leaving the Rock of Gibraltar on April 1 and as she passed near the spot where tbe Dauniark was seen it is thought likely she may have fallen in with her boats The Alsatia carries fruits for Mediterranean ports and is large enough to accommodate all who were in the abandoned steamer FOURTH-CLASS POSTMASTERS Washington April From 100 to 150 fourth-class postmasters are now being appointed daily Of these about one-third are to fill existing vacancies another third are appointed in the place of postmasters removed and the other third succeed postmasters who have served about four years Whiie fourth-class postmasters are commissioned to serve during the pleasure of the postmaster general it is believed by the postoflice department officials that good sendee does not demand tbe retention of a postmaster save in exceptional cases beyond be four years period While the good of tbe service it is said will be tbe first consideration in the matter of changes in fourth-class postoffices there is reason to believe that the comorssions of postmasters ao have serve 1 four years vil be deemed to have expired Washington April Ex-Governor Robinson of Massachusetts has declined his appointment on tbe Indian commission A new commissioner will be appointed with as little delay aa possible This will delay the departure of the commission for the Indian Territory THE PENSION CLAIMANTS Washington April Assistant i retary Bussey today Issued the folir circular letter to pension claimn' attorneys: reference to motions for 1 of penion claims that tx already ad judicalLed ou tary of the inbrior the departed now as beretofclre that the right cumbeut to review or to it: deydion doe questions involTlcir more dirr: judgment but extetuiVt only to matters of fact arising from culatlon or to palpablotlTirsri to cases of rejected' fesL--' which material testimony is gtat' discovered and produced is dtbm by this as by forme" (rations to be essential to tb- ment of well defined legal PJar to patting an end some litigation of ViJv case or claim a former artjudicatfoo iealI a review of ter of dupute tUf honor refuse fodo loogrftodJngsnd Of th 4oU i9r aterzerv1 lihl icge 7' ifcef ft 1 AN EDITOR LOCATtb A1 bUfHKlC Kansas Citt April li-W Thomp-sou recently managing editor of the Kansas City Times and for thirteen years con with the New York Tribune hai joined the Oklahoma cohorts and will lo cate at Guthrie A DRENCHING STORM Arkansas Citt Ham April 17-A ter-rible wind aud rain storm passed over hero last night which played havoc with tho tents Women and children were drenched and badly frightened A S' ivY I "7: A- 'I.