Volume 9 , Issue 37

OkieLegacy Centennial Moment

The Run For Homes... Seventy-Five thousand In The Scramble. The Strip Is Opened At Last. The Horses Beat the Railroad Trains, Because of the Terrible Crash -- The Crack of 100 Carbines -- The Signal -- The Stampede For Land -- No Casualties of a Serious Nature Reported -- Scenes and Incidents.

These headlines appeared six days after the famous Cherokee Strip Land Run of September 16, 1893 in Vol. 1, No. 1 of this northwestern Oklahoma Territory newspaper, The Alva Pioneer, dated Friday, September 22, 1893, in Alva, M County, O. T.

Do you have any Ancestral Land Run stories that you would like to share with us? Send them to NW Okie - mcwagner.lk@gmail.com.

Where were your ancestors 114 years ago? Were they a part of the Cherokee Land Run of 1893? Did they make the Run by train, covered wagon, horse, bicycle or on foot? Were they a Boomer or Sooner?

Here is the "Rest of that news story 114 years ago: Arkansas City, Kansas, Sept. 18, 1893 -- "At high noon today 100 United States carbines cracked in the dry air and with exulting yells 30,000 men and women, all American citizens, rushed into the Cherokee strip -- almost the last section of the public domain that will be thrown open to general settlement.

"The following figures show the number of people who made the run:
* From Arkansas City -- By train, 8,000; by horse, 22,000.
* From Orlando -- 25,000.
* From Caldwell-By train, 3,000; by horse, 7,000.
* From Stillwater -- 10,000.

"The view of the rush at 12 o'clock from the observatory on the Chilocco school was full of exciting interest. Just before the hour, with a field glass the long line of horses and men densely packed for 200 feet back could be seen. At high noon the sharp crack of a revolver was distinctly heard, and immediately following came the reports of the carbines. A hoarse yell went up, softened by the distance, and the line got in motion.

"Horses were seen to shoot out from the pack and dash across the prairie. Then a dense cloud of dust obscured the line for a moment, but a brisk wind from the west cleared it away, and the men and wagons could be seen scattering as the slowest were left behind. Now and then a wagon would go over with a wheel knocked off.

"A horse was seen to rear in the air as he was struck by a wagon tongue and fall back. His rider was up in an instant and bent over his horse. Then he arose, and from his gestures it was plainly seen that he had been left at the post.

"The last of the rushing hosts were not long in disappearing over the hill into the swale at the south line of the Chilocco reserve, the rear being brought up by a throng of men and women on foot and a few teams on a walk.

"The whole thing was spectacular, but it was soon over, too soon.

"The trains did not pull out of the Santa Fe station until sometime after 12 o'clock when the jam then was awful. At least 15,000 people including, most of the population of Arkansas City, were there to board the trains. Special trains from Wichita, Winfield and other near points came in loaded with sightseers.

"The way the trains were run was a bitter disappointment to town lot seekers, as any wagon which left in the rear of the line could have beaten them to Ponca.

Great recklessness was displayed in jumping on and off the trains by the crowd eager not to get left, and there were many narrow escapes. No casualties happened, however, and after considerable delay the first section moved out slowly. Most of the people who went in on the trains carried blankets and provisions and some of them small tents. All will have to sleep on the ground tonight, as they will not be able to get back, all of the regular trains having been laid off.

"The crush to get on the trains was awful. After the cars were full people climbed to the roofs and soon covered them. They clung to the steps, invaded the engine and even crawled upon the trucks. Inside the cars the jam was frightful, people were crushed in and the pressure at the doors could not be stopped. The efforts of eh deputy marshals did not avail much after the first few had shown their certificates. The trains left hundreds of disappointed people behind who were unable to get a foothold. At the edge of the strip a horde of people were waiting to board the rains but there was no room for them. The Santa Fe sold 8,000 tickets for the trains, most of them for Kildare.

"Camped along side the track at the state line were about 200 men. They had walked out to take the trains there this morning. When they could not even secure foothold they threatened to throw ties under the cars.

"The town is literally deserted, banks are closed and most of the stores are in possession of the proprietors, all the clerks having gone to the border to make the run.

The Alva Pioneer newspaper on September 22, 1893 reported that Sooners were reported shot. Also... there was mention from Guthrie, Oklahoma, on September 18, 1893 that four (4) Sooners were shot and fatally wounded September 17, 1893 by soldiers. AND... there were guards on duty at Guthrie with about 100 men armed with Winchesters who were guarding the city from bandits said to be preparing for a raid."
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