Volume 18 , Issue 38

1889, Pushing Toward The Frontier

While people were pushing toward the frontier, The Atlanta Constitution, dated 22 April 1889, Monday, on page 1, gives us a brief sight into the Indian Territorial Run of 1889 with the following headlines: "Pushing Toward The Frontier." The trains were loaded down with Oklahoma people.

Found on Newspapers.com

Kansas City, April 21 (1889) - On April 21, 1889 was the last chance for persons bound for Oklahoma country to move in time to reach that country by noon the next day, the union depot was thronged with as motley a crowd as ever assembled in it. The Santa Fe, in addition to two regular trains, sent out a special of eleven coaches, representing nearly every line entering the city. The Rock Island also sent out an immense train.

Innumerable cases of pocketpickers had occurred during the past week, both in the depot and on the trains. It was ascertained that three or four sharpers had been working a very smooth game. They would board an Oklahoma train, gain the confidence of a car load of "boomers" and finally suggest the organization of a colony. The sharpers would produce their pocketbooks and suggest a common fund and the actual settlers would follow suit. The common fund idea invaraibly failed of consummation, but the pickpocketers improved the opportunity by noting the size of each man's purse, and its place of concealment. The sharpers would ride out a hundred miles or more, and by that time would have succeeded in reaping their harvest. No arrests had been made, though.
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---