St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-18


In Twenty Years - Towns and
Settlements Which Have
Sprung Up as If by Magic -
The Climate and its Advan-
tages.
TO the Editor Of the Globe
Since returning from tour of obser.
vation through Oklahoma and portion
OF the Indian territory, | have had so
many inquiries regarding those coun-
tries as to climate. soil, natural re-
sources. improvements and people. that
have thought brief description of
that region would be Of interest to many
readers of your valuable paper.
A. q. WEDGE.
DETAILS OF THE TRIP.
Leaving st. Paul on the 18th day of
May last. over the albert Lea Route''
to Colu:nbus Junction, thence by the
''Great Rock Island Route" via Kansas
City. the writer was one of an excursion
party Of twenty-three. under the escort
of Charles Peterson, the hustling land
and emigration agent of the '.Rock IS
land" for Oklahoma and Texas.
In thirtY-seven hours from starting
We entered the territory just south of
Caldwell, Kan. in that part of it known
as the ''Cherokee Strip" which is about
sixty miles wide. north and south, by
500 miles long, east and west. and was
only opened for settlement on Sept 16,
1893. and now the little homes of the
settlers are dotted all over the prairies,
and thrifty villages along the railway.
having populations of from 400 to
5000. are fully as frequent as
in the older portions of Mime
sofa. Very soon after passing the
border, we leave the arid and, thirsty
fields of Missouri and Kansas behind
us. and the luXuriant grass and crops
show abundant moisture; as we pro-
coed South the crops seem to grow bet.
ter and more advanced. Leaving the
passenger train at Enid, in order to
obtain better view of the country and
towns. the local freight was placed at
the disposal of our party. and for 100
miles we stopped at every station from
twenty to forty minutes, giving US all
opportunity of seeing towns and coun-
try in ten hours equal to four DAYS of
ordinary travel; and in forty-eight
hours from starting we halt at the city
of Ell Reno, the county seat of Canadian
county. LOCO miles from our starting
point.
This city has population of about
5,OO0-with good residences, fine hotels,
large brick blocks, four banks. eight
churches, and good schools. They also
have ample waterworks and an electric
light plant. All kinds of business are
we'll repl esented, and On every hand
are evidences of thrift and enterprise.
The business streets are FROM 81 to 100
feet wide, aud from morning until night
they are filled with farmers teams,
while the stores are crowded with Gus
toners. All business is conducted upon
cash basis, and prosperity awards the
willing worker on every hand In
travelling through the country for
more than one hundred miles, good
crops, principally wheat. corn, oats,
barley and flax, gladden. the
eye in every direction. On every quar-
ter section is an actual settler. Around
the farm houses are orchards of peach,
apple and other fruits. The lands are
all fenced. Over 80 per cent is i'll grow
ing crops. Thousands of acres OF wheat
will yield over thirty bushels per acre,
and the poorest pieces seen not less
than from fifteen to twenty bushels.
Taken as whole, this country is a
marvel; having witnessed as pioneer,
the Northwest lin the states of indiana,
Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota
and Dakota), during forty years OF its
early history, l am convinced by actual
observation that Oklahoma shows today
greater development of it's material
resources, both in towns and country,
during five years, than any portion of
the Northwest did In twenty years of it's
first history.
South of Oklahoma lies the Kiowa
and Comanche country. 1900, 900 acres,
which has already been acquired by
treaty, and only awaits the will of the
president to proclaim its opening; and
the Chickasaw reservation, some $780,
900 acres, which is now in process of
treaty before the special Indian COM
missionefs and the Indians. While
stilbsouth lies Northern Texas with the
thousands of acres of as fertile lands
as the sun ever shown upon, for sale at
reasonable prices.
The principal towns along the line of
the "Rock Island" are Enid, Hennesey,
Kingfsher. Ell Reno. Minco, Chicka-
sha, Duncan. and Just over the border
of Texas, Ringwald.
The classes of people are the active,
Intelligent, industrious pioneers from
the older STAKES, who are here for per-
marlent homes. Law and order are
maintained, and strangers are welcomed
with cordial hospitality. The climate
is mild, winters of short duration, the
lowest temperature of the past winter
reaching eight degrees below zero, and
then only for day or two; large herds
OF stock keep in good condition on the
ranges, and farmers winter the cows Oh
the winter wheat; as new country it is
more healthy than much of the North
west. and l know of no country today
that. taken altogether. offers as many
inducements as this for the willing
workers among the farmers, tradesmen,
professional men and mechanics; all
such are invited to examine for them
selves; the expense is very slight; the
albert Lea" and Brock Island'' routes
offer every convenience and spare no
expense to make their excursions pleas
ant and agreeable. But [ have already