"BOOMING" NEW TERRITORY IN AMERICA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4559, 7 June 1889, Page 3

"BOOMING" NEW TERRITORY IN AMERICA.

A REMARKABLE MOVEMENT. (San Francisco Bulletin.) Tho movement now m progress upon the lands recently thrown open for settlement by Congress m Oklahoma, I.T , is one of (he moat remarkable m the history of the country. The deep seated deiireof the .JngloSaion to possess lone), has given me to a land craze of most magnificent proportions. Oklahoma comprises tho north west portion of Indian Territory, a tract of country traversed by a multitude of streams nnd many large rivera. The portion thrown open to eettlement is the south east corner of tho proposed territory, 2,000,000 acres, or 12,500 quartersections. Tho President hns appointed a commission to purchase of tho Indians 6,000,000 acres more, which is now rented from them by soverat largo cattle syndicates, and throw this vast tract opon to settlement. For weeks the settlers have been gathering about the borders of tho territory. Although tho Atchison, Topeka and Santu Fe railroad runs through the coveted land, it has not been permitted to transport any person into the territory except with a permit from Generil Mcrritt. Henco it Ins not been ensy for thu settlers to reach the borders of the promised land, but they have assombled on tho outskirts of the territory nnd along tho lino of railroad m vast numbers. Two weeks ago it was estimated that 15.000 persons were camped round Coldwoll, on tho northern cilgn of the territory, awaiting tho signal to rush upon the land, nearly all of which had been already spied out ar.d selected for occupancy, and will be squatter! upon immediately. Many of the settlers have provided themselves with fleet horses upon which they will ride to their claims like, tho wind. One colony will lloat down the Red Fork of tho .Arkansas River upon a huge raft. It is estimated that between noon on Monday and Tuesday morning 100,000 persons will enter tho Oklahomo, but these newspaper piper estimates certainly seem to bo extravagantly large. Undoubtedly tlio crowds entering will include all tho traders, money-lenders, storekeepers nnd others who do not intend to locate land, but who hops to profit m eomo way by the eicitoment. Counting out thes?, thore will be, if we accept the current figures, from five to six settlors to every section. A» all the boomers who crossed tho Cherokee outlet on Thursday were armed to tho teeth, the fear tbuf. somebody will get hurt m the scramble appears to have some foundation. It is extremely improbable that the old boomers will permit what they call the " tenderfoot," or now arrival, to interfere with their claims. Such immigration us that to Oklahoma was never before witnessed m tho West. A primitivo feature of the immigralion is the fact that, nearly all the settlors w^ro accompanied by their families, having sold out all their earthly possasaiom m. Kansas or Missouri and invested only m a " prairie schooner." Ono dispatch records that amidst tho confusion caused by 2000 waggons which were struggling over the Pouca trail on Thursday, m ono of fhe " schooners " a baby girl wns born. Tho settlers pnusad long enough to give her three checra and namo her Oklahoma. THE ADDITIONAL TEEBITOBV, Tho Cherokee Indian Commission i« already m Oklahoma, and durinc tho next 60 days will negotiate the purchase from tho Indians of the 6,000,000 acres comprising tho Cherokee outlet. The Commission is empowered to offer theCherokees Idol 25 cents an acre for tho land. Tho only opposition to tho purchato will come, it is belicvod, from the cattle Byndicntes, which arc grazing their herds on the land which it is proposed to buy It is belioved that tho commission will reach a satisfactory conclusion with the Indians, and that the 6,000,000 acres thus squired will be thrown open to settle™ during tho coming summer. Thcso, together with tho 2,000,000 recently purchased, constituto tho best portion of what will m future bo known as Oklahoma Territory. Boforo tho close of tho present month it is estimated that 50,000 persons will have sought homos m Oklobninu, which is now a howling wilderness. With the additional 6,000,000 acres addeH, the population may bo trebled beforo tho ond of tho prcsont year. THE " lIOO3IBKS " EKTBK TIIE I'EOHISBD LAND. All tho morning on the 22nd April, the boomers were completing thoir preparations. Those who had determined to go by train crowded on board tho cars of tho Kansas Southorn Bailroad, and whon the passnnger coaches were Oiled, gladly cot on tho flat and freight cars tho railroad officials had brought thero to accommodate the overflow. The men brought their horses to the banks of tho Canadian river nnd had bonts ready to tike them across as soon as treolvo o'clock struck. When the clock struck guns wero fired and whistles blown, and immediately train; started across tho bridge and horsemen embarked for tho opposite shore. Fast horaos wpro m domand, some selling rjs high as fiOQciols to parlies who expect to imko fast time and solcct choice claim?. At precisely 12.3 o'clock the bugle sounded tho command for tho soldiers to rally on tho colours. This was the signal agreed upon, acd immodiutely tho thousands commenced a mad rac6 over tho prairies. Tho hurjo of qne man stumbled and fc|l, b,roalfjng f h° man's nepk. A man m a bugi^y Qred a shot gun m ardor to inoito his homo to fltmator exertions, and killed a nciehbour boomer. Tho four or flvo hundred horsemen woro soon out of sifll.t from tho lino. On April 23rd the rush at tho land ofllco at tho now township of Outhrio was terrific. The building was surrounded by a mob of howling men, which was constantly augmented by arrivals of horsemen galloping m from every quarter. Land Agent Lily and his j force of assistants woro unable to give attention to a hundredth port of the business forced on them. The dotaohment of troopers which had been detailed around the building with a view of keeping the mob m lino waj completely worn-out. No one who has never seen a western town take form and shape can eomprobond how Suiclly a full-rigged city" with a obm can to putln running motion Qulhrio alroady has its Main street, its Harrison street, its Guthrio avenuo, and its Oklahoma aronuo, nnd yesterday it wan it wildorno»s where the anlolopo sported and Hie jackrabbit tlnpped its oars m tho sun. In the aftoroojn ut I o'clock t'ua ttrnt municipal oleuUon qunurrecj. The pleetjop no^ce appeared, yesterday m the dklahopa lioralA, a daily paper published at GutUrie on the (Jr^t <'ny r-f iv,

existence. A council was elected at the came timo. Nearly 10,000 votes were polled, as thcr> are about that many men m Guthrie with tlio intention of becoming citizens. The Bank of Oklahoma opened for business at Guthrie, with a capital stock of 50,000d01. Mr W. Levy, a Wichiti banker, 19 president. The new city is flooded with business cards of all descriptions, representing every line of trade and business, every profession and every occupation imaginable. Two young ladies, Louisa and Amelia Jennings, oume all the way from California to take a claim, and engage m the dressmaking business. Yesterday afternoon and dming Iho night thero was much suffering m the vicinity on account of the scarcity of water. Water sold freely around tbe depot last night for 5 cents per class. Wild estimates of the numbor of peoplo at Guthrie were telegraphed list night. A liberal Mtimntu U 6000. Thore wcro some queer scenes m tlio Btreet yesterday. A number of men would get tngnthor, ngree lhat.a street ahould run m a < ertain direction and lots would be staked to face it. Men adjoining would declare that those fellows had staked directly m the street, und that their lota faced the street. Thus no man knows for a certainty that he has a lot. Nevertheless, many cites wero sold, ono man paying lOOdnl. for a supposed business site. Trouble ii feared over this point. In this Btate of uncertainty every one is good natured and hanging on to his claim.