The First Day

The First Day

Wichita Eagle April 24, 1889 (Wichita, Kan. 1886-1890)
MUCH EXCITEMENT. The Town Site Problem Causes Great Discord—The Situation, Guthrie, Ok., April 23.–In defiance of the fact that no town was supposed to exist until noon yesterday, the several hundred interlopers held an organization meeting at 10 o'clock. H. A. Pierce, one of the Topeka crowd, secured the presidency, but when he attempted to foist his plat upon the meeting he was beaten amid cries of "Down the Topeka outfit." The railway runs southwesterly past the town and it was proposed to lay out the streets on direct angles with the track but a plat with north and south and east and west sections was adopted. This was proposed by George H. Clayton, of Arkansas, brother of Congressman Powell Clayton and of the lately assassinated congressional candidate. It was decided that a town lot shall be 30x140 feet and that the streets shall be eighty feet wide except two 100 feet intersecting avenues which were named respectively Mumford avenue for Dr. Mumford, of Kansas City, and Harrison avenue for the president. Meanwhile the whole town site was homesteaded repeatedly. Forty applications under this right of public domain were filed at the land office and some beautifully complicated law suits will follow. it iooks only fair that those who were here in advance of the authorized hour and who grabbed tho land for the corporations that back them should be disposessed and the whole town site placed in the fair and even reach of all. It is almost certain, however, that for all its present prestige, for everything is going to Guthrie, there can never be a town of any importance there. The surrounding country is sterile, and with the exception of small pieces of bottom land can grow nothing but buffalo grass and cactus. The adjacent stream is small and alkaline and well water is deep and scarce. The temperature bounds from fighting cold to withering heat and there are long periods of drought and occasions of floods and huiricans. As the sun went down little tents and unsheltered men dotted the region over an area large enough for an eastern metropolis. There is covering for about one thousand people on a liberal estimate and the nights after warm days are absolutely chilly. Whether It rains or not great suffering would be endured by the thousands of unsheltered, Arkansas City is filled up with great crowds from northern trains that will descend upon Guthrie in the morning. A break out of here will be sure to be the event of the next few days, as there are many thousands more here than can be supplied with food and shelter. Mean while the rush continues and the excitement is at a very high pitch on the Oklahoma boundary. Lieutenant Foster who started the pilgrims Saturday coming via the Arkansas City trail estimates that at least 40,000 out fits and 10,000 people ranged along the border of his trail started at the sound of the bugle. Lieutenant Waite, nephew of the late Chief Justice Waite, started those entering at the Caldwell trail. Colonel Ware started those on the Hunnewell trail, he being in charge of this territory. Captain Hays started those entering by the Black Bear trail. It seems like a fairly tale but there is scarcely a doubt that from 20,000 to 30,000 entered by these trails while the six trains that came in from Arkansas City to Guthrie brought at least 6,000 people. The wagon road runs within 100 yards of the railroad all the way. The Cimarron ford on the Cimarron river is just three-fourths of a mile from where the railroad crosses that stream near the old site of Camp Russell. All along the route were to be seen deer, antelope, prairie chickens and quail. Two deer were within 100 rods of the train and at least fifty shots were fire at them from the car windows and those on the roof without. The prairie chickens and quail that were near enough to the train to sight were treated to a similar salute When the train crossed the last stream, Cottonwood creek, just before entering Guthrie, the passengers began jumping off and rushing up hill on the east side of the track towards the land office where a town site is to be laid out. One fellow became so excited that he jumped through a car window. When the train stopped at Guthrie station there was an indiscriminate rush of men and boys running over each other to get to the land office first or squat on a claim. The scarcity of water will cause suffering until wells are dug unless the water in the Cottonwood creek can be filtered. An enterprising real estate man had a carry all at the depot when the train arrived and offered to carry people to his lots over on the east side and sell lots at $1 a piece. The crowd around the land office is too great to be numbered, and those who did not get in to file their claims last night slept where they were in the line to be on, hand this morning. Five miles each way from Guthrie station town sites are staked off and there was not a section between there and Alfred that did not have one or more quarter sections staked off. People here are dumbfounded and look at the vast multitude crowded into the country in silent wonder. Returning on the train hundreds of prairie schooners were passed still winding their way to the promised land. As Guthrie was found already staked out when the first train got there some ugly rumors were at once started reflecting on the United States officers and the officials of the Santa Fe road. It is claimed that the directors' car of that road has been at Guthrie for several days, and they as well as the government officials connived with men hiding in the brush an the wet bottom, shielding them from the scrutiny of the soldiers, that these officers on both sides had the town laid out quietly and had an understanding with these brush hiders so they all rushed in and staked off claims before any train arrived, although the regular train from the south which arrived about 12:40 p. m. was not allowed to carry any boomers when it reached Edmunds at 11:58 and laid there until 12:25 a party of surveyors got off, said to be railroad men. When people at Edmunds saw this they rushed out and began staking off claims also. Persons who arrived on the regular train from the south say that hundreds of claims were staked out at Guthrie when they got there. A sixty room house will be shipped from Kansas City and ready for Business by Saturday. There were many amusing scenes while staking lots. A number of men would get together and argue that a street should run in a certain direction. Lots would be staked to face it. Men adjoining would declare that these fellows had staked directly in the street and that their lots faced the street. Thus the greatest confusion reigns and no man knows for a certainty that he has a lot. Nevertheless many sites were sold. One man paid as high, as $100 for a supposed business site. Trouble is feared over this point, which is the only thing that will breed trouble. In the state of uncertainty every one is good natured and hanging on to his claim. Kansas City, Mo., April 23.–The Star correspondent sends the following to his paper: The first homestead filed at Guthrie was by Mark S. Cohn, of Fort Smith, Ark. The first soldier to file a declaratory statement was Benton Turner, who was a private in company I, Sixth Illinois cavalry. During yesterday three town sites-Guthrie, Oklahoma City and Edmunds, three homesteads and 21 soldiers' declaratory statements, were filed at 12:15. William Johnson, heading the title procession at the land office, laid down a rough chart of Guthrie and filed it as a town site. This was the first paper presented. Four clerks for the land office from Washington arrived yesterday, two for Kingfisher and two here. Land Register Dillie stated this morning that the Kingfisher land office would not be open until Thursday. A WATER FAMINE. After 4 o'clock yesterday and all night there was much suffering for water. The railroad company refused to let the settlers take from the railroad tank for fear of exhaustion. The water in the Cotton wood is red with mud and a water famine seems imminent. Hawkers went about the depot last night with buckets of water charging 5 cents a glass. The water was poor but found a ready sale. The engineers were besieged by thirsty people for drinks from the engine tanks and many were accommodated. Up to midnight not a quarrel on the Guthrie town site had occurred. The citizen's 4 o'clock meeting adjourned to 6. The great anxiety of every one was information about the size of lots. There was great indignation over the fact that people had gone on the ground before 12 o'clock, and it was the general sentiment that all such should be singled out and debarred. This would throw out many prominent men. for judge Clayton, of Arkansas, held a Guthrie meeting before 12 o'clock. There is also great indignation over the hundred or more deputy marshals who used their authority as a cloak to get on the ground, and resigned at noon. They all have a lot. They are to be singled out and complaint lodged against them. A resolution was adopted to the effect that every invader should be complained of and efforts at once made to drive them out. The feeling is very strong in this matter. After criers had gone over the town a great crowd gathered on the highest elevation of the town to attend the meeting. Fully 2,000 people were present. Ex-mayor Constantino was selected to preside. Addresses were made by half-a-dozen or more prominent men from different parts of the country, and strong feeling was manifested against the premature settlers, which will very likely lead to the forfeiture of their claims. Preliminary steps were taken toward surveying the land and laying out the streets of Guthrie, etc. Wild estimates of the number of people at Guthrie were telegraphed last night. A later estimate is 6,000. A great prairie fire raged east of the city last night, and with the camp fires spread over the city made a beautiful sight. A squad of General Merritt's soldiers guarded the land office all night. In view of the scarcity of water one man last night procured a hogshead which he filled with water, whisky and syrup, and did a rushing business, selling it for cider at 10 cents per glass.

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

MUCH EXCITEMENT.

The Town Site Problem Causes Great Discord—The Situation,

Guthrie, Ok., April 23.–In defiance of the fact that no town was supposed to exist until noon yesterday, the several hundred interlopers held an organization meeting at 10 o'clock. H. A. Pierce, one of the Topeka crowd, secured the presidency, but when he attempted to foist his plat upon the meeting he was beaten amid cries of "Down the Topeka outfit." The railway runs southwesterly past the town and it was proposed to lay out the streets on direct angles with the track but a plat with north and south and east and west sections was adopted. This was proposed by George H. Clayton, of Arkansas, brother of Congressman Powell Clayton and of the lately assassinated congressional candidate. It was decided that a town lot shall be 30x140 feet and that the streets shall be eighty feet wide except two 100 feet intersecting avenues which were named respectively Mumford avenue for Dr. Mumford, of Kansas City, and Harrison avenue for the president.
Meanwhile the whole town site was homesteaded repeatedly. Forty applications under this right of public domain were filed at the land office and some beautifully complicated law suits will follow. it iooks only fair that those who were here in advance of the authorized hour and who grabbed tho land for the corporations that back them should be disposessed and the whole town site placed in the fair and even reach of all. It is almost certain, however, that for all its present prestige, for everything is going to Guthrie, there can never be a town of any importance there. The surrounding country is sterile, and with the exception of small pieces of bottom land can grow nothing but buffalo grass and cactus. The adjacent stream is small and alkaline and well water is deep and scarce. The temperature bounds from fighting cold to withering heat and there are long periods of drought and occasions of floods and huiricans.
As the sun went down little tents and unsheltered men dotted the region over an area large enough for an eastern metropolis. There is covering for about one thousand people on a liberal estimate and the nights after warm days are absolutely chilly. Whether It rains or not great suffering would be endured by the thousands of unsheltered,
Arkansas City is filled up with great crowds from northern trains that will descend upon Guthrie in the morning. A break out of here will be sure to be the event of the next few days, as there are many thousands more here than can be supplied with food and shelter. Mean while the rush continues and the excitement is at a very high pitch on the Oklahoma boundary.
Lieutenant Foster who started the pilgrims Saturday coming via the Arkansas City trail estimates that at least 40,000 out fits and 10,000 people ranged along the border of his trail started at the sound of the bugle. Lieutenant Waite, nephew of the late Chief Justice Waite, started those entering at the Caldwell trail. Colonel Ware started those on the Hunnewell trail, he being in charge of this territory. Captain Hays started those entering by the Black Bear trail. It seems like a fairly tale but there is scarcely a doubt that from 20,000 to 30,000 entered by these trails while the six trains that came in from Arkansas City to Guthrie brought at least 6,000 people. The wagon road runs within 100 yards of the railroad all the way.
The Cimarron ford on the Cimarron river is just three-fourths of a mile from where the railroad crosses that stream near the old site of Camp Russell. All along the route were to be seen deer, antelope, prairie chickens and quail. Two deer were within 100 rods of the train and at least fifty shots were fire at them from the car windows and those on the roof without. The prairie chickens and quail that were near enough to the train to sight were treated to a similar salute When the train crossed the last stream, Cottonwood creek, just before entering Guthrie, the passengers began jumping off and rushing up hill on the east side of the track towards the land office where a town site is to be laid out. One fellow became so excited that he jumped through a car window. When the train stopped at Guthrie station there was an indiscriminate rush of men and boys running over each other to get to the land office first or squat on a claim.
The scarcity of water will cause suffering until wells are dug unless the water in the Cottonwood creek can be filtered. An enterprising real estate man had a carry all at the depot when the train arrived and offered to carry people to his lots over on the east side and sell lots at $1 a piece. The crowd around the land office is too great to be numbered, and those who did not get in to file their claims last night slept where they were in the line to be on, hand this morning. Five miles each way from Guthrie station town sites are staked off and there was not a section between there and Alfred that did not have one or more quarter sections staked off. People here are dumbfounded and look at the vast multitude crowded into the country in silent wonder.
Returning on the train hundreds of prairie schooners were passed still winding their way to the promised land. As Guthrie was found already staked out when the first train got there some ugly rumors were at once started reflecting on the United States officers and the officials of the Santa Fe road. It is claimed that the directors' car of that road has been at Guthrie for several days, and they as well as the government officials connived with men hiding in the brush an the wet bottom, shielding them from the scrutiny of the soldiers, that these officers on both sides had the town laid out quietly and had an understanding with these brush hiders so they all rushed in and staked off claims before any train arrived, although the regular train from the south which arrived about 12:40 p. m. was not allowed to carry any boomers when it reached Edmunds at 11:58 and laid there until 12:25 a party of surveyors got off, said to be railroad men. When people at Edmunds saw this they rushed out and began staking off claims also. Persons who arrived on the regular train from the south say that hundreds of claims were staked out at Guthrie when they got there. A sixty room house will be shipped from Kansas City and ready for Business by Saturday.
There were many amusing scenes while staking lots. A number of men would get together and argue that a street should run in a certain direction. Lots would be staked to face it. Men adjoining would declare that these fellows had staked directly in the street and that their lots faced the street. Thus the greatest confusion reigns and no man knows for a certainty that he has a lot. Nevertheless many sites were sold. One man paid as high, as $100 for a supposed business site. Trouble is feared over this point, which is the only thing that will breed trouble. In the state of uncertainty every one is good natured and hanging on to his claim.
Kansas City, Mo., April 23.–The Star correspondent sends the following to his paper:
The first homestead filed at Guthrie was by Mark S. Cohn, of Fort Smith, Ark. The first soldier to file a declaratory statement was Benton Turner, who was a private in company I, Sixth Illinois cavalry. During yesterday three town sites-Guthrie, Oklahoma City and Edmunds, three homesteads and 21 soldiers' declaratory statements, were filed at 12:15. William Johnson, heading the title procession at the land office, laid down a rough chart of Guthrie and filed it as a town site. This was the first paper presented.
Four clerks for the land office from Washington arrived yesterday, two for Kingfisher and two here.
Land Register Dillie stated this morning that the Kingfisher land office would not be open until Thursday.

A WATER FAMINE.

After 4 o'clock yesterday and all night there was much suffering for water. The railroad company refused to let the settlers take from the railroad tank for fear of exhaustion. The water in the Cotton wood is red with mud and a water famine seems imminent. Hawkers went about the depot last night with buckets of water charging 5 cents a glass. The water was poor but found a ready sale. The engineers were besieged by thirsty people for drinks from the engine tanks and many were accommodated.
Up to midnight not a quarrel on the Guthrie town site had occurred. The citizen's 4 o'clock meeting adjourned to 6.
The great anxiety of every one was information about the size of lots. There was great indignation over the fact that people had gone on the ground before 12 o'clock, and it was the general sentiment that all such should be singled out and debarred. This would throw out many prominent men. for judge Clayton, of Arkansas, held a Guthrie meeting before 12 o'clock. There is also great indignation over the hundred or more deputy marshals who used their authority as a cloak to get on the ground, and resigned at noon. They all have a lot. They are to be singled out and complaint lodged against them.
A resolution was adopted to the effect that every invader should be complained of and efforts at once made to drive them out. The feeling is very strong in this matter. After criers had gone over the town a great crowd gathered on the highest elevation of the town to attend the meeting. Fully 2,000 people were present. Ex-mayor Constantino was selected to preside. Addresses were made by half-a-dozen or more prominent men from different parts of the country, and strong feeling was manifested against the premature settlers, which will very likely lead to the forfeiture of their claims. Preliminary steps were taken toward surveying the land and laying out the streets of Guthrie, etc.
Wild estimates of the number of people at Guthrie were telegraphed last night. A later estimate is 6,000.
A great prairie fire raged east of the city last night, and with the camp fires spread over the city made a beautiful sight.
A squad of General Merritt's soldiers guarded the land office all night.
In view of the scarcity of water one man last night procured a hogshead which he filled with water, whisky and syrup, and did a rushing business, selling it for cider at 10 cents per glass.

Return toClippings Index