First Day

The First Day

Wichita Eagle, April 24, 1889 (Wichita, Kan. 1886-1890)
TEEMING WITH LIFE THE NEW TERRITORY FILLED WITH ENERGETIC MEN. A Monster Meeting at Guthrie in the Interest of Bona Fide Settlers. Unfair and Illegal Entries to be Thoroughly Investigated and All Rights Adjudicated. Practical Schemes Proposed by the Law Abiding to Protect the Legal Settler. The First Fatal Encounter Between Disputing Settlers on the North Canadian - One Instantly filled. A Vast City of Tents at Guthrie - Three Thousand Estimated Now on that City's Site. Constant Struggles Going on for Supremacy in Town Lot Claims A Bitter - Feeling Against the 'Eight 0'Clock" Crowd - Scenes and Incidents of the Day at the Already. Far Famed City. Special dispatch to the Daily Eagle. Guthrie, Ok., May .23. The sunset last evening, the first one to glow on the young territory of Oklahoma and the new born city of Guthrie, was as glorious as are the unprecedented achievements of the new territory and new city, and they are the brightest on which old Sol has ever shown. Yesterday at noon one long building stood on the hill which is the most prominent point in Guthrie. Ever since that hour hundreds of men have been as busy as possible for human beings, and the result is that last night there were no less than 10,000 enthusiastic Oklahoma boomers to enjoy sleep beneath not less than 2,000 tents. During the night and today this work has been, rapidly pushed and tonight the number of tents is fully 3,000. Improvements of a more substantial character are are on foot and being completed as rapidly as the building material can be hauled into the town. The Santa Fe railway is crowded to more than its capacity with freight trains loaded with outfits, supplies and material of all kinds destined for this and other points in Oklahoma. With the single exception of a head end collision between a stock train and a freight this morning a few miles below& this place, in which no damage was done except to the two locomotives, there has not been the slightest mishap. The general appearance of the town, as viewed in any direction from the land office site, is that of a large military camp. The utmost good order sobriety prevail and it is asserted without contradiction that there has not been a case of drunkenness in Guthrie since she was laid out. The festive three shell man and others of his ilk are on the ground, but the sentiment is so strongly against any gambling or other robbing schemes that the gamblers are doing nothing. Only two robberies are reported to date, both of those having been on trains and for $70 and $230. For a time it looked as if there might be trouble over the lots in this town, but this will probably be averted for the present at least. People coming in from the country say that there are many contested claims but only one killing has occurred. That was yesterday at noon; a man by the name of Martin went in at noon to locate on a claim near the big timber on North Canadian river, twenty-five miles north west of Purcell. He found in possession a man named Alferd, and in the row which ensued, Martin was shot twice and instantly killed by Alferd. Martin's wife and two children are in the territory still. Alferd has been arrested. Many stories are told of how men who had their minds set upon securing choice locations had been disappointed to find on reaching the land that the claim was already taken. One man at Purcell bought a four hundred dollar thoroughbred running horse and trained him to make a ten mile run. Noon of the twenty-second came, the rider sprang into the saddle, put spurs to his Kentucky thoroughbred, lashed him into a foam and made the ten miles quicker than he had hoped. When he arrived there stood an old boomer with a yoke of oxen. The explanation is simple; the old man had made a sneak on the soldiers. These instances will result in much litigation, bad feeling and possibly bloodshed. The scene in and around Guthrie are full of life and exciting interest. Long lines of people constantly stand in front of the land offices, the post office, the express office and even the restaurants and so-called hotels. All of which are in tents. Mining camp prices prevail, but these will come down in the course of a few days when some of the many stocks of goods now on the cars can be unloaded. Well are being sunk as rapidly as possible and good water is obtained in large quantities at from thirty to fifty feet. There is plenty of good water in Deer Creek, about quarter of a mile from the station, but water in town sells at five cents a quart. Lemonade stands have a bonanza. Within two weeks it is asserted there will be no less than two thousand frame structures in Guthrie, as there are now that many said to be loaded on cars ready for putting up in a few hours. A number of prominent persons from all states are here and the talent found in this new territory will make politics lively in the near future. Today a number of those who did not get either lands or town lots to suit them are going back. Opinions vary as to the country agriculturally considered. Those who got what they want could not now be driven out. With the others it is different. A town meeting was held on the afternoon of the 22nd and Hon. C W. Constantine. of Springfield. Ohio, was chosen chairman. Mr. Constantine is reported here to have been one of Senator Payne's lieutenants in his famous senatorial canvass. Mr. Ed. P. Greer, of Winfield, Ka., was chosen secretary. The meeting was adjourned until 6 p. m., when over five thousand persons were present. Addresses were made by Hon. A. G. C. Bier, of Garden City, Ka., E. C. Lewis, Washington Territory, and Dr. Hill, of Oregon. On motion it was decided that all lots should be platted twenty-five feet front by one hundred and forty feet deep. All streets to be eighty feet wide, alleys twenty feet. A committee of one from each state and territory, selected by representatives from each respective state, was chosen to prepare resolutions governing the manner and method of platting the town site, the lands to be applied for for town site purposes and to provide police regulations. All states were represented. This committee made its report at an adjourned meeting at 9 o'clock this morning, where there were not less than three thousand earnest and determined men. When the meeting was called to order three ladles requested that, before any further proceedings be had, a prayer might be offered. This was accorded and Rev. W. H. Peak, of Winfield, a minister of the Christian church, was honored with having made the first prayer in any public meeting held in Oklahoma. Dr. Hill of Oregon, chairman of the committee on resolutions, read the report consisting of lengthy preambles and resolutions. The first resolution requests the secretary of the interior to set apart for town site purposes as follows; in township 16, range 2 west, the east half of section 8, the town of Guthrie. The north half of 17 south Guthrie. The south half of 5 as north Guthrie, the west half of 9 as east Guthrie and the east half of 9 as southeast Guthrie, making five half sections, all of which was laid out and occupied. There are in all about ten thousand lots clear of streets, and it is claimed by those well posted that fully nine-tenths of these lots are already located upon by bona fide residents for either business or residence purposes. The United States laws permit the selection of two lots, but the scramble was so great that very few persons were able to procure more than one each. The second resolution provided that the blocks should be three hundred feet square. The third one provided that a committee to be selected by the meeting and consisting of one member from each state, should engage three civil engineers to plat these lands. The committee on resolutions was charged with this duty and was also made an executive committee for general purposes. The fourth resolution authorized this general executive committee to make police regulations and to appoint a sufficient police force. The committee was granted further time on additional resolutions. Hon. Thos. Berry of Kansas offered the following resolution: "Resolved. That all persons, who, in good faith and legally have taken lots, be allowed to take their relative positions under this survey." This resolution was considered by far the most important one adopted, and occasioned a very warm and lengthy discussion, but finally passed without a dissenting voice, although a number of efforts had been made to table it. The opponents of this movement were the "street jumper" as they are termed, because when they found they could not get such lots as they want will locate in the streets. This practice was growing rapidly and there was being engendered a very bitter feeling which in a very short while promised to bring about "considerable bloodshed, but was fortunately averted. The question of which direction lots should face was left to the executive committee. Affairs began to get pretty lively by this morning when the lot jumpers began to get in their work. This, however, was soon stopped by vigorous and prompt measures. Complications are constantly arising. The speculative idea as accepted in all new towns is rife here. A man in line at the land office today sold his position in the line for $10. Relinquishments on lots have sold all the way from $5 to $500. The true inwardness of things is beginning to be understood. From current and pretty generally authenticated reports it is learned that what is called the Topeka, Kan., crowd came into Guthrie as early as the night of the 21st and were up bright and early taking lots, although no one was allowed in until noon of the next day. These parties, together with the people connected with the land offices, began as early as 8 o'clock in the morning locating the most desirable lots, and the time noon came they had secured nearly 500 in the vicinity of the-land office, which in this town occupies a position that corresponds in importance with the court house square of a western county seat town. These charges of favoritism and collusion by the officials of the land office are made freely and openly, and those who abided the legal time being in a large majority, assert that they will overthrow the entries made by "the 8 o'clock crowd" as the others are called. Factions have arisen too, as to where the principal business street shall be. There are now three or four so-called Main streets. A Topeka, Kan., crowd laid out one running east from the corner of section 6. When the "legal time" crowd, as those who waited for the legal hour call themselves, came, they laid out one two blocks farther south but also running east. The latter at the some time laid out another street at right angles to their main street. These parties are principally from Wichita, Arkansas City, Winfield, Wellington and other Kansas towns. They have succeeded in keeping these two streets free of what are called "street jumpers." They are fellows who, when they they cannot get such lots as they want try to cut another fellow out of his corner lot by simply staking off another lot along side of his, but farther into the street. This practice was tried on the two streets named, and this morning found them pretty well filled with stakes. The main street had been clearly defined by lines of stakes as far east as a mile and a half and the lot holders on them called a meeting and organized a committee of one hundred whose duty it is to see that the streets are not so obstructed. This committee at once started along these streets and as each "street jumper" was found they politely, but firmly told him to get out of the street. It he did not go direct and go quickly, they simply picked him up bodily, including his traps, and roughly pitched him into the street, with orders to not obstruct that street again. In a remarkably short time these two streets were a plainly marked as if nothing bad happened. They also stand together in case one of their crowd's lot is jumped. When a "street jumper," or a "lot jumper" get in their way at all they give the alarm by yelling, "Ya hoo! Ya hoo," several times and their comrades come in swarms, the intruder is immediately surrounded and either told to get off and stay off or he is thrown off, as the exigencies of the case may require several of these quite exciting scenes were witnessed this morning. The lot jumpers and street jumpers are treated about the same. One young fellow who had quite the air of a dude in dress, not loud, but neat, had his lot, a good corner one. jumped three times this morning. Each of the first two times he argued the other fellows out of it. Having to go to breakfast, he found upon his return that a big burly, of the regular western type, sombrero, revolver and belt full of cartridges, had gone on his lot and was digging away perfectly oblivions of all surrounding. Everybody carries either a 44-calibre revolver or a Winchester. The young fellow walked up to the jumper and said in a very mild tone, "my friend, this is my lot and I want you to let it alone." The answer that the jumper did not care a d___n what the young fallow wanted, as he himself claimed the lot. The young fellow cooly said, "if you have any legal claims to this lot bring on your witnesses. If you can show a better right to it than I can you may have it. If not I intend to keep it." The big fellow did not stop digging nor look up as he asked, "How are you going to keep it" But he did look up when the slender, dude-like, young fellow said. "I am going to keep it with this fellow" shoving the muzzle of a 44 under the nose of the big one. He added, "I am no 'tenderfoot,' and if you're not off of this lot inside of sixty seconds you will die on this lot. The other one looked first at the 44 and then at the face of the man who held it. When the sixty seconds were up, he had sneaked off the lot and has since bothered no one. He had made his boasts about "bluffing the dude off that fine corner." One young fellow when he got to town found himself the possessor of a team and wagon and 50 cents in money. He located on a good corner lot and stuck up his wagon top to hold his claim. This morning he struck a job at $5 a day in draying. He asked some of the men on lots adjoining his, to "keep an eye" on his lot? He had not been gone long when some claim jumper came along and staked off a lot in the street on the side of his lot. The "yahoo" cry was set up and the crowd, after having ordered him to get out of their street and been met with a refusal, started to pitch him and his traps out of the way but he called out, "let me go, and I'll get off." He did so, promptly. In the contemplated town site as petitioned for by the citizens' meeting there will be reserved proper plots of ground for churches, schools and public parks. Four blocks will also be reserved to be known as Capitol square. PICKED UP IN GUTHRIE. A good illustration of the percentage of Kansans in Oklahoma was given here Monday evening. When the chairman of a meeting assembled for the perfecting of the town plot, asked all Kansans to withdraw to a certain knoll and elect their man for a committee about three-fourths of the crowd responded. Monday, those who had come unprovided were without a resource for food, drink or sleep. There was but one public place at which victuals could be obtained and the supplies there soon gave out. All afternoon there was a steady line at the Santa Fe water tank, but towards evening this was refused the people and a soldier stationed to guard it. All available vessels were brought into use. Bottles, cans, pails and canteens were at a profit. People do not use the river water probably from the supposed medicinal qualities. Today the scarcity of water is not so great. Several enterprising boomers are pursuing a profitable business in lemonade and water. Another man has also ice upon the place, but the two commodities are not combined unless by some private party. A greater part of the immense crowd here last night slept out in the open air with no covering other than a blanket or an overcoat. Others sat upon their lots all night to guard it from the depredations of night prowlers. Those who happened to have a tent and bedding, usually had the difficulty of contending with the projecting tufts of grass, if they were tenderfeet. Today, however, quite a number of eating places were erected, several supply depots commenced business and food could be procured without much difficulty. The number of tents put up today is five fold that of yesterday, but on account of the confusion at the baggage and express offices, many are unable to get possession of their tents and will probably pass another night in the open air. There are a groat number of queer equipages here, at least queer for this country. Several Kansas City 'busses arrived last night which have been on the road for two weeks. John Green, a former Wichita hackman, has a cab on the grounds. Two or three veterinary surgeon's and patent medicine men's wagons were also visible. The Indians seem to have but very little curiosity in this establishment of a colony almost in their midst. There are no Indians here; a couple were seen yesterday near town; they rode away toward the east and were possibly scouts. Today the first gamblers made their appearance in Guthrie. The soap man with the prize dodge, who for some time past, has been plying his trade in Kansas towns, was one of the first on the scene. The three card monte and the shell man are also conspicuous. These have all located their stands some distance in the eastern part of the town, so, in case of a wrangle, there will be no interference of the officers. Today in one of the passenger coaches on the north bound train between Purcell and Guthrie during a short stop some one suddenly cried out that that car would be side tracked and would not go any further. Of course there was a rush for the door, and after the excitement had ceased and the report discovered to be a mistake, an old gentleman from Texas found his pocket book and $280 missing. Upon being questioned he remembered having been tightly seized around the arms by some person behind him, at which time he was filched of his pocket book by an old and well known game. The gentleman left the train at Guthrie, where he hoped to find some acquaintances, as all his money went with the purse. But the above is an exception to the rule as there is very little pilfering about Guthrie. There are no intoxicating liquors on sale here and an intoxicated man has not been seen. A great number of interesting tales are told of the efforts of men to get across the border to pre-determined places in advance of others on noon of the 22d. Right across the river and west of here is a very beautiful piece of land which a great many seem to desire. Quite a number have been staking it out in lots all day. It is aid that a carpenter from Oklahoma City who claimed the right by being a resident of Oklahoma on Monday, at one minute after 12 o'clock stepped across the line of this claim with three witnesses and took possession, but he now has several companions on the same piece of ground who will be liable to contest it among themselves. Another story is related by a young Texan who had had his eye on a claim some miles north of Purcell. In order to make the most rapid time he purchased a fleet horse, giving $400 for him for the occasion. At 12 o'clock sharp, away he sped across the border far in the lead of everybody. He did not once quit his break-neck speed until he had reached the desired land and when he reached there what should he be hold but an old man deliberately plowing up the land in question with a pair of oxen. "Look here old man," he inquired "how does it, come that you could get here before me, with those old oxen? How did you get here?" "Waal," the old man replied, "I guess I been on this here ground nigh onto two weeks already." There are a great number of cases where the boomers settled on the land before the stated time. There are four long necessant lines of men at Guthrie, one at the land office, another at the postofiice, another at the express office and still another at the baggage room. These contain about fifty men each and are formed the first thing in the morning and break up the last thing at night. There was a string of fifteen or twenty men in front of the land office this morning as early as 4 o'clock. At the baggage room everything is confusion, and it is almost impossible to procure anything in the present state of affairs. At the express office it is not much better. At the postoffice there must be at least four or five thousand pieces of mail and there is only one man to attend to them.

The First Day

Wichita Eagle,
April 24, 1889
(Wichita, Kan. 1886-1890)

TEEMING WITH LIFE

THE NEW TERRITORY FILLED WITH ENERGETIC MEN.

A Monster Meeting at Guthrie in the Interest of Bona Fide Settlers.

Unfair and Illegal Entries to be Thoroughly Investigated and All Rights Adjudicated.

Practical Schemes Proposed by the Law Abiding to Protect the Legal Settler.

The First Fatal Encounter Between Disputing Settlers on the North Canadian - One Instantly filled.

A Vast City of Tents at Guthrie - Three Thousand Estimated Now on that City's Site.

Constant Struggles Going on for Supremacy in Town Lot Claims A Bitter - Feeling Against the 'Eight 0'Clock" Crowd - Scenes and Incidents of the Day at the Already. Far Famed City.

Special dispatch to the Daily Eagle.
Guthrie, Ok., May .23. The sunset last evening, the first one to glow on the young territory of Oklahoma and the new born city of Guthrie, was as glorious as are the unprecedented achievements of the new territory and new city, and they are the brightest on which old Sol has ever shown.
Yesterday at noon one long building stood on the hill which is the most prominent point in Guthrie. Ever since that hour hundreds of men have been as busy as possible for human beings, and the result is that last night there were no less than 10,000 enthusiastic Oklahoma boomers to enjoy sleep beneath not less than 2,000 tents. During the night and today this work has been, rapidly pushed and tonight the number of tents is fully 3,000. Improvements of a more substantial character are are on foot and being completed as rapidly as the building material can be hauled into the town. The Santa Fe railway is crowded to more than its capacity with freight trains loaded with outfits, supplies and material of all kinds destined for this and other points in Oklahoma. With the single exception of a head end collision between a stock train and a freight this morning a few miles below& this place, in which no damage was done except to the two locomotives, there has not been the slightest mishap. The general appearance of the town, as viewed in any direction from the land office site, is that of a large military camp. The utmost good order sobriety prevail and it is asserted without contradiction that there has not been a case of drunkenness in Guthrie since she was laid out. The festive three shell man and others of his ilk are on the ground, but the sentiment is so strongly against any gambling or other robbing schemes that the gamblers are doing nothing.
Only two robberies are reported to date, both of those having been on trains and for $70 and $230.
For a time it looked as if there might be trouble over the lots in this town, but this will probably be averted for the present at least.
People coming in from the country say that there are many contested claims but only one killing has occurred. That was yesterday at noon; a man by the name of Martin went in at noon to locate on a claim near the big timber on North Canadian river, twenty-five miles north west of Purcell. He found in possession a man named Alferd, and in the row which ensued, Martin was shot twice and instantly killed by Alferd. Martin's wife and two children are in the territory still. Alferd has been arrested.
Many stories are told of how men who had their minds set upon securing choice locations had been disappointed to find on reaching the land that the claim was already taken. One man at Purcell bought a four hundred dollar thoroughbred running horse and trained him to make a ten mile run. Noon of the twenty-second came, the rider sprang into the saddle, put spurs to his Kentucky thoroughbred, lashed him into a foam and made the ten miles quicker than he had hoped. When he arrived there stood an old boomer with a yoke of oxen. The explanation is simple; the old man had made a sneak on the soldiers. These instances will result in much litigation, bad feeling and possibly bloodshed.
The scene in and around Guthrie are full of life and exciting interest. Long lines of people constantly stand in front of the land offices, the post office, the express office and even the restaurants and so-called hotels. All of which are in tents.
Mining camp prices prevail, but these will come down in the course of a few days when some of the many stocks of goods now on the cars can be unloaded.
Well are being sunk as rapidly as possible and good water is obtained in large quantities at from thirty to fifty feet. There is plenty of good water in Deer Creek, about quarter of a mile from the station, but water in town sells at five cents a quart. Lemonade stands have a bonanza.
Within two weeks it is asserted there will be no less than two thousand frame structures in Guthrie, as there are now that many said to be loaded on cars ready for putting up in a few hours.
A number of prominent persons from all states are here and the talent found in this new territory will make politics lively in the near future.
Today a number of those who did not get either lands or town lots to suit them are going back. Opinions vary as to the country agriculturally considered. Those who got what they want could not now be driven out. With the others it is different.
A town meeting was held on the afternoon of the 22nd and Hon. C W. Constantine. of Springfield. Ohio, was chosen chairman. Mr. Constantine is reported here to have been one of Senator Payne's lieutenants in his famous senatorial canvass. Mr. Ed. P. Greer, of Winfield, Ka., was chosen secretary. The meeting was adjourned until 6 p. m., when over five thousand persons were present. Addresses were made by Hon. A. G. C. Bier, of Garden City, Ka., E. C. Lewis, Washington Territory, and Dr. Hill, of Oregon. On motion it was decided that all lots should be platted twenty-five feet front by one hundred and forty feet deep. All streets to be eighty feet wide, alleys twenty feet.
A committee of one from each state and territory, selected by representatives from each respective state, was chosen to prepare resolutions governing the manner and method of platting the town site, the lands to be applied for for town site purposes and to provide police regulations. All states were represented. This committee made its report at an adjourned meeting at 9 o'clock this morning, where there were not less than three thousand earnest and determined men. When the meeting was called to order three ladles requested that, before any further proceedings be had, a prayer might be offered. This was accorded and Rev. W. H. Peak, of Winfield, a minister of the Christian church, was honored with having made the first prayer in any public meeting held in Oklahoma. Dr. Hill of Oregon, chairman of the committee on resolutions, read the report consisting of lengthy preambles and resolutions.
The first resolution requests the secretary of the interior to set apart for town site purposes as follows; in township 16, range 2 west, the east half of section 8, the town of Guthrie. The north half of 17 south Guthrie. The south half of 5 as north Guthrie, the west half of 9 as east Guthrie and the east half of 9 as southeast Guthrie, making five half sections, all of which was laid out and occupied.
There are in all about ten thousand lots clear of streets, and it is claimed by those well posted that fully nine-tenths of these lots are already located upon by bona fide residents for either business or residence purposes. The United States laws permit the selection of two lots, but the scramble was so great that very few persons were able to procure more than one each.
The second resolution provided that the blocks should be three hundred feet square.
The third one provided that a committee to be selected by the meeting and consisting of one member from each state, should engage three civil engineers to plat these lands. The committee on resolutions was charged with this duty and was also made an executive committee for general purposes. The fourth resolution authorized this general executive committee to make police regulations and to appoint a sufficient police force. The committee was granted further time on additional resolutions.
Hon. Thos. Berry of Kansas offered the following resolution:
"Resolved. That all persons, who, in good faith and legally have taken lots, be allowed to take their relative positions under this survey."
This resolution was considered by far the most important one adopted, and occasioned a very warm and lengthy discussion, but finally passed without a dissenting voice, although a number of efforts had been made to table it. The opponents of this movement were the "street jumper" as they are termed, because when they found they could not get such lots as they want will locate in the streets. This practice was growing rapidly and there was being engendered a very bitter feeling which in a very short while promised to bring about "considerable bloodshed, but was fortunately averted.
The question of which direction lots should face was left to the executive committee.
Affairs began to get pretty lively by this morning when the lot jumpers began to get in their work. This, however, was soon stopped by vigorous and prompt measures. Complications are constantly arising.
The speculative idea as accepted in all new towns is rife here. A man in line at the land office today sold his position in the line for $10. Relinquishments on lots have sold all the way from $5 to $500.
The true inwardness of things is beginning to be understood. From current and pretty generally authenticated reports it is learned that what is called the Topeka, Kan., crowd came into Guthrie as early as the night of the 21st and were up bright and early taking lots, although no one was allowed in until noon of the next day. These parties, together with the people connected with the land offices, began as early as 8 o'clock in the morning locating the most desirable lots, and the time noon came they had secured nearly 500 in the vicinity of the-land office, which in this town occupies a position that corresponds in importance with the court house square of a western county seat town. These charges of favoritism and collusion by the officials of the land office are made freely and openly, and those who abided the legal time being in a large majority, assert that they will overthrow the entries made by "the 8 o'clock crowd" as the others are called.
Factions have arisen too, as to where the principal business street shall be. There are now three or four so-called Main streets.
A Topeka, Kan., crowd laid out one running east from the corner of section 6. When the "legal time" crowd, as those who waited for the legal hour call themselves, came, they laid out one two blocks farther south but also running east. The latter at the some time laid out another street at right angles to their main street. These parties are principally from Wichita, Arkansas City, Winfield, Wellington and other Kansas towns. They have succeeded in keeping these two streets free of what are called "street jumpers." They are fellows who, when they they cannot get such lots as they want try to cut another fellow out of his corner lot by simply staking off another lot along side of his, but farther into the street. This practice was tried on the two streets named, and this morning found them pretty well filled with stakes. The main street had been clearly defined by lines of stakes as far east as a mile and a half and the lot holders on them called a meeting and organized a committee of one hundred whose duty it is to see that the streets are not so obstructed. This committee at once started along these streets and as each "street jumper" was found they politely, but firmly told him to get out of the street. It he did not go direct and go quickly, they simply picked him up bodily, including his traps, and roughly pitched him into the street, with orders to not obstruct that street again. In a remarkably short time these two streets were a plainly marked as if nothing bad happened. They also stand together in case one of their crowd's lot is jumped. When a "street jumper," or a "lot jumper" get in their way at all they give the alarm by yelling, "Ya hoo! Ya hoo," several times and their comrades come in swarms, the intruder is immediately surrounded and either told to get off and stay off or he is thrown off, as the exigencies of the case may require several of these quite exciting scenes were witnessed this morning. The lot jumpers and street jumpers are treated about the same. One young fellow who had quite the air of a dude in dress, not loud, but neat, had his lot, a good corner one. jumped three times this morning. Each of the first two times he argued the other fellows out of it. Having to go to breakfast, he found upon his return that a big burly, of the regular western type, sombrero, revolver and belt full of cartridges, had gone on his lot and was digging away perfectly oblivions of all surrounding. Everybody carries either a 44-calibre revolver or a Winchester. The young fellow walked up to the jumper and said in a very mild tone, "my friend, this is my lot and I want you to let it alone." The answer that the jumper did not care a d___n what the young fallow wanted, as he himself claimed the lot. The young fellow cooly said, "if you have any legal claims to this lot bring on your witnesses. If you can show a better right to it than I can you may have it. If not I intend to keep it." The big fellow did not stop digging nor look up as he asked, "How are you going to keep it" But he did look up when the slender, dude-like, young fellow said. "I am going to keep it with this fellow" shoving the muzzle of a 44 under the nose of the big one. He added, "I am no 'tenderfoot,' and if you're not off of this lot inside of sixty seconds you will die on this lot. The other one looked first at the 44 and then at the face of the man who held it. When the sixty seconds were up, he had sneaked off the lot and has since bothered no one. He had made his boasts about "bluffing the dude off that fine corner."
One young fellow when he got to town found himself the possessor of a team and wagon and 50 cents in money. He located on a good corner lot and stuck up his wagon top to hold his claim. This morning he struck a job at $5 a day in draying. He asked some of the men on lots adjoining his, to "keep an eye" on his lot? He had not been gone long when some claim jumper came along and staked off a lot in the street on the side of his lot. The "yahoo" cry was set up and the crowd, after having ordered him to get out of their street and been met with a refusal, started to pitch him and his traps out of the way but he called out, "let me go, and I'll get off." He did so, promptly. In the contemplated town site as petitioned for by the citizens' meeting there will be reserved proper plots of ground for churches, schools and public parks.
Four blocks will also be reserved to be known as Capitol square.

PICKED UP IN GUTHRIE.

A good illustration of the percentage of Kansans in Oklahoma was given here Monday evening. When the chairman of a meeting assembled for the perfecting of the town plot, asked all Kansans to withdraw to a certain knoll and elect their man for a committee about three-fourths of the crowd responded.
Monday, those who had come unprovided were without a resource for food, drink or sleep. There was but one public place at which victuals could be obtained and the supplies there soon gave out. All afternoon there was a steady line at the Santa Fe water tank, but towards evening this was refused the people and a soldier stationed to guard it. All available vessels were brought into use. Bottles, cans, pails and canteens were at a profit. People do not use the river water probably from the supposed medicinal qualities. Today the scarcity of water is not so great. Several enterprising boomers are pursuing a profitable business in lemonade and water. Another man has also ice upon the place, but the two commodities are not combined unless by some private party. A greater part of the immense crowd here last night slept out in the open air with no covering other than a blanket or an overcoat. Others sat upon their lots all night to guard it from the depredations of night prowlers. Those who happened to have a tent and bedding, usually had the difficulty of contending with the projecting tufts of grass, if they were tenderfeet. Today, however, quite a number of eating places were erected, several supply depots commenced business and food could be procured without much difficulty. The number of tents put up today is five fold that of yesterday, but on account of the confusion at the baggage and express offices, many are unable to get possession of their tents and will probably pass another night in the open air.
There are a groat number of queer equipages here, at least queer for this country. Several Kansas City 'busses arrived last night which have been on the road for two weeks. John Green, a former Wichita hackman, has a cab on the grounds. Two or three veterinary surgeon's and patent medicine men's wagons were also visible.
The Indians seem to have but very little curiosity in this establishment of a colony almost in their midst. There are no Indians here; a couple were seen yesterday near town; they rode away toward the east and were possibly scouts.
Today the first gamblers made their appearance in Guthrie. The soap man with the prize dodge, who for some time past, has been plying his trade in Kansas towns, was one of the first on the scene. The three card monte and the shell man are also conspicuous. These have all located their stands some distance in the eastern part of the town, so, in case of a wrangle, there will be no interference of the officers. Today in one of the passenger coaches on the north bound train between Purcell and Guthrie during a short stop some one suddenly cried out that that car would be side tracked and would not go any further. Of course there was a rush for the door, and after the excitement had ceased and the report discovered to be a mistake, an old gentleman from Texas found his pocket book and $280 missing. Upon being questioned he remembered having been tightly seized around the arms by some person behind him, at which time he was filched of his pocket book by an old and well known game.
The gentleman left the train at Guthrie, where he hoped to find some acquaintances, as all his money went with the purse. But the above is an exception to the rule as there is very little pilfering about Guthrie. There are no intoxicating liquors on sale here and an intoxicated man has not been seen.
A great number of interesting tales are told of the efforts of men to get across the border to pre-determined places in advance of others on noon of the 22d. Right across the river and west of here is a very beautiful piece of land which a great many seem to desire. Quite a number have been staking it out in lots all day. It is aid that a carpenter from Oklahoma City who claimed the right by being a resident of Oklahoma on Monday, at one minute after 12 o'clock stepped across the line of this claim with three witnesses and took possession, but he now has several companions on the same piece of ground who will be liable to contest it among themselves. Another story is related by a young Texan who had had his eye on a claim some miles north of Purcell. In order to make the most rapid time he purchased a fleet horse, giving $400 for him for the occasion. At 12 o'clock sharp, away he sped across the border far in the lead of everybody. He did not once quit his break-neck speed until he had reached the desired land and when he reached there what should he be hold but an old man deliberately plowing up the land in question with a pair of oxen. "Look here old man," he inquired "how does it, come that you could get here before me, with those old oxen? How did you get here?" "Waal," the old man replied, "I guess I been on this here ground nigh onto two weeks already." There are a great number of cases where the boomers settled on the land before the stated time.
There are four long necessant lines of men at Guthrie, one at the land office, another at the postofiice, another at the express office and still another at the baggage room. These contain about fifty men each and are formed the first thing in the morning and break up the last thing at night. There was a string of fifteen or twenty men in front of the land office this morning as early as 4 o'clock. At the baggage room everything is confusion, and it is almost impossible to procure anything in the present state of affairs. At the express office it is not much better. At the postoffice there must be at least four or five thousand pieces of mail and there is only one man to attend to them.

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