1889 - The Schemers Paralyzed
The town site schemers were surprised to discover that morning of 22 April 1889 placards posted about town bearing this inscription regarding the late order made at the regular meeting of the Oklahoma Legion:
"Resoled, that we again pledge ourselves to protect our brother members in their long respected rights on sealed claims and al town sites, and jumpers shall be dealt with in a summary manner. "Oklahoma Legion."
As the town was full of the gentry named in the notice much uneasiness had been caused. There had been any number of attempts to discredit the existence of the "Oklahoma Legion," but that it did exist and would wield a tremendous power was conceded by many.
In Purcell the night of 21 April 1889, the strain on the waiting thousands of boomers seemed almost unbearable. The situation in Purcell told the story for the whole southern border of Oklahoma. It was estimated that outside of Oklahoma that night that over 30,000 were camped in the darkness waiting for tomorrow's permission to "Go up and possess the land."
The excitement was intense but no trouble had occurred. The streams were now falling and the indications pointed to fine weather for tomorrow, 22 April 1889. The Emporia colony was 500 strong. It left that afternoon for the promised land under command of Captain George Cooper.
A Wichita, Kansas, special said: "The first train south on the Santa Fe, consisting of fifteen coaches, arrived that day, and there was not standing room in the coaches. People filled the spaces between the cars and clung to the steps. One enterprising boomer rode in on a cow-catcher."
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