Daily Tobacco Leaf Chronicle

THE INVASION

Of the Cherokee Strip By Thousands of Boomers.

Troops Sent After Them to Hold 'Em in Check,

But They Have No Retarding Effect on the Movement—The Invaders are Armed and it is Not Likely They Will Be Ousted at All—Stampede of Cattle on Sight of the Thousands of People.

Claims Staked Out.

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan., March 17.—"On to the strip." That was the signal for the invasion of the Cherokee outlet by the anxious boomers, who have been gathered on the border of the strip! It echoed around the outlet from midnight until dawn Friday morning, and when the sun rose over the promised land, the invasion had fairly begun. All day the long lines of canvass-covered prairie schooners, with their many crews, drew their lengths into the coveted land.

Twenty Thousand of 'Em.

It is estimated that from the different points of entrance fully 20,000 people have passed the border and half that number staked their claims. The strip is invaded.

The invasion came with a rush. No one expected it, not even the settlers themselves. The tenants of the strip, the Cherokee Live Stock association and the agents, were taken entirely unawares. Chief Mayes, of the Cherokee nation, had placed at the disposal of the former a contingent of Indian police to drive out occasional settlers, but this was entirely too insignificant a force to oppose the invaders, and they were powerless to cope with the stream of immigrant invasion.

Troops Useless.

The government, so far as known, had taken no precautions to arrest a possible movement of the settlers, and it was not until early Friday morning that the military appeared upon the scene. Capt. Burbank, in command of a small force of United States regulars at Oklahoma City, marched his force into the strip Thursday night to stay the progress of the boomers, having been so ordered by telegraph. So far as known the force had no effect in retarding the movement, although nothing of the movements of the military has been heard since Thursday night. At least everybody that started from here got there.

Stampede of Cattle.

On entering the strip the cattle grazing there looked upon the unusual scene with alarm, turned tail and fled, a stampede ensuing which the cowboys in charge were unable to either check or control. The cattle fled five or six miles before the invaders from the north, where they were met by the boomers who were coming in from Oklahoma. Between those two fires they were driven east and west. Arriving on the strip the settlers disembarked from their schooners and staked their claims.

THE CALDWELL BOOMERS

Refuse to Follow an Army Captain's Advice—A Proclamation

ST. LOUIS, March 17.—The following was received from Topeka Saturday morning: The boomers who made Caldwell their rendezvous have arranged to move on to the strip next Sunday in accordance with a proclamation issued by their captain, J. W. Nyce, mayor of Caldwell. Capt. Burbank, U. S. A., has been at Caldwell endeavoring to persuade the colonists to delay their march until the government shall give its formal consent.

The colonists, however, are determined and Capt. Nyce says they will move Sunday if they have to fight their way through. Capt. Burbank has only a small troop at his command and has telegraphed for reinforcements, which, it is reported, are now on their way from Fort Leavenworth by special train.

They're Well Armed.

TOPEKA, Kan., March 17.—Friday night it was estimated that 20,000 people have entered the Cherokee strip, and that all the troops that can be concentrated there cannot drive them out, as they have gone armed with Winchesters, shotguns and revolvers, and propose to stay.

Sprung Up as if By Magic.

PONCA, I. T., March 17.—A correspondent who left Guthrie Friday morning, with a band of boomers found on arriving here Friday afternoon a city of 5,000 people which had sprung up as if by magic. It is already doing a thriving business with hastily improvised hotels and grocery stores. Gamblers are here in full force, and every description of gambling device is on the ground. Numerous fights have occurred, but no serious trouble has arisen, although everyone is heavily armed.

Proclamation from the President.

WASHINGTON, March 17.—The president has issued a proclamation ordering intruders on the Cherokee strip to leave, as the lands still belong to the Indians and not to the United States. The Oklahoma bill, now pending in congress, does not affect the status of these lands.