Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-30
OKLAHOMA

| vpterestfne Letter of an Interior Departe-
ment Inspector to Secretary Noble ON
A9atrs I'm Guthrfe-A Much Governed
City.
WASHINGTON, May 26.-Inspector Pick
Ier. of the Interior Department, who is
stationed in Oklahoma Territory, has sent.
TO Secretary Noble the following letter:
For about ten days there has been steadily
increasing feeling here among the people
| against the City Council OF Guthrie rms coun-
| oil Voc worry irrepularly chosen to begin with,
and as the people understood, Tor the purpose
merely of putting the machinery OF the CITY IN
motion. The mayor was selected py u commit
| tee of seven, chosen by mass meeLns' anu d.
| committee OF one from each State ana Ierrl-
| tory became the council, something in excess
| of thirty when chosen, but now numbering
| about fifteen. Grave responsibilities were
| forced upon them, and generally they nave as
| sumed and settled them in credltaole man
| ner. They have preserved order. surveyed the
| town cleared the streets practically, ana IN
these matters they are commenced ny al.
| They have, however, assumed other powers,
| and undertaken to act in various matters tnat
| are very generally and very emphaticaiy con-
| demned They have appointed an attorney at
ST. 500 per year, and an advisor or the council In
arbitration. at a salary in excess OF tnis' d
! board of five arbitrator on settling the right
| of possession to lots. some being members OF
the council, at ten dollars per day each; assess
! ing each claimant ten dollars before his case
could be heard. and returning only the ten DOL
| lars to the party succeeding, ana Keeping the
| remainder, there sometimes being five or six
contestants for the same lot; have granted. or
pretended to grant a franchise for ten years to
| a COMPANY to supply the city with water, build
n bridge across the stream, grading streets, ana
| in like manner taking many such steps that the
| citizens loudly protest they were not chosen TO
dc; and. further, collecting large taxes-an &C.
cuna1ion tax for a business Of five dollars per
month a survey tax. recorders tax on lots,
etc.; enacting harsh ordinances, with heavy
and severe penalties for violation or these Or
dinances, and recklessly using money In pay
ing officials, and surveying the town in VIOLA
ton of the resolutions OF the peoples meeting,
in order to save their own lots.
Further il is claimed against this council
that they Of those who came In on the
SUNDAY before the 22d and seized all OF the
best lots and that the city government has in
all matters protected the interests OF these
men. The mayor, Mr.. Dyer, OF Kansas City,
came on Sunday. This charge has been made
the more emphatic from the fact that the City
Council mistrust their boards OF aroitration;
that in considering who is entitled to a lot the
board can not take into consideration the time
of settling before or after twelve O'CLOCK,
but that priority of settlement on Monday, the
22d, regardless of the hour, entitled the party
to the lot This the people considered in di.
rect conflict with the Presidents proclama-
ton. In the last few days the council selected
two other boards of arbitration OF five each, at
a compensation of five dollars per day EACH as
claimed by some, and ten as claimed by others.
The council has likewise transacted much Of
its business with closed doors
The lawyers have formed q bar association,
and are the first to take action looking to an
election of city officers and to the drafting OF
charter to govern them. petition was circu-
lated yesterday asking the council to call an
election to divide the city into wards and to
have the registry OF the voters and asking that.
the election be held Monday May %, every
body practically signing the petition. Inde-
pendent of this petition the citizens held a
large mass meeting last evening on the gov
ernment acre. They were very much in earn
est and very determined. After speeches by
different parties they passed q resolution GUST
ing the mayor and City Council, appointed q.
committee to notify them, and also had
passed n resolution appointing committee OF
seven to call a city election, ignoring the pres
ent mayor and council.
At this time there had grown to be consider
able excitement, the friends of the old council
were the outside deriding this action, which
only tended to incense the great majority OF
the crowd. At the juncture above described in
this large meeting of last evening, however,
when a few men were pushing an adjournment,
leaving the resolution in effect to GUST the pres
ent council, there were loud calls for me. from,
/ think both sides sentiments. / finally
took the stand. told them an humble rep.
resentative of the Interior Department de-
sired to say that the desire of the Department.
and the Government was that they should have
q good and economical. as well as honest adj
Government was determined to stand by the
men who obeyed the Presidents proclamation,
SO far as it was in its power to do. then told
them that in my judgment it was mistake to-
not petition the mayor and council to call
the election; that it would most likely result in
two fcting city governments and great dis
order and confusion. well great danger to
the public good. That they must admit that
the council had done much to be commended,
and that was confident an election would not
hp rpfr nod yvttI, fl,op, fhoff hnvyx
entitled to a speedy election by ballot; that
they were entitled to a sworn statement from
the present council as to all moneys collected
and paid out; that their incoming administra.-
ton should define the fees of all officers and
boards: should be economic, and should be very
careful in regard to granting to individuals
valuable franchises of the city without due con-
sderation.
Mr.. Dale, an attorney of Wichita. Kas.,
followed, advising the same and at the close of
his remarks motion made to reconsider
the vote declaring the offices vacant. but the.
chairman OF the meeting and about half dozen
others were in favor OF the action already
taken, and declared the motion out of order,
and amid great confusion and no little excite
ment, the meeting was about to be adjourned
against the almost unanimous desire of those
present to carry out my suggestion. They
again called for me, and. quickly mounting the
stand. 1 very earnestly appealed to them to act
coolly, and asked them IL the resolution
they had passed prevailed, what would
become of the city without officers.
and without government until they elected
others. To this rather alarming condition the
Few ultra ones seemed to take heed, and the
motion again made to reconsider carried, and
committee was appointed to present petit.
lions to the mayor to call another election, and
then the meeting adjourned in good humor ALL,
think, deemng the action taken for the best.
1 do not think such an emergency will arise
again The council will grant the elect on,
and in fact, Just before the close of the meet
ing. sent word that the election would be-
called for June 10 This, however, is too late q.
date TO suit the people, and think when we.
confer with the council on this point they will
fix an earlier date.
The meeting was unanimous, however that.
II the council refused to call the meeting that
then the citizens would call it.
Major Picker says it is q very interest,"
ing study to watch this, pure democra--
cy. evolve government and set their ma
chlnery in motion; but it will be done.
peacefully, orderly and without trouble,
II hquor does not enter; and the United
States marshals and deputies are to be-
commended for their vigilance in this di--
rectlon. New people are still arriving,
and the town, as does also Oklahoma City,
continues to grow as rapidly as at the
beginning. 1t is simply wonderful.
Serious Rear-End Collision.
RICHMOND, Va. May 26.-The north.
pound train on the Richmond g. Peters.
ourg railroad ran into the rear end of a.