Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-01-20

extent sap the retail trade of the
great cotton-producting country.
The general supposition here is
that the Frisco will come west
from Sapulpa over what is known
as the Jones franchise. This survey
passes through Chandler, the capi-
tai of Lincoln county. Chandler
is a thriving town in the very cen
ter of the cotton n-growing district.
Under present conditions most of
the trade that naturally would Gen.
tralize there goes south to Shaw
nee. where the cotton can be ship.
ped over the Choctaw road to the
Gulf. Chandler's isolation ha;
made the town an inferior trading
point. but when the Frisco reaches
.here it will afford a direct line in
30 St. Louis. Chandler now buys
her goods in Chicago and Kansas
City, except such as are purchased
in Oklahoma City and Guthrie
There will be a new order when
the railroad comes. Chandler
hopes to rival Shawnee, and pre-,
dictions are made freely that the
.I.5OO inhabitants will swell to
5000 in a year or two. These
calculations are based on some,
thing more substantial than the
visions of boomers.
II. 5 Gillstrep. Of Chandler, ha;
given the possibilities of that To-
cality much study, in view OF The
coming Of a railroad.
The people OF Chandler have
been waiting patiently for year;
for some road to have foresight
enough to tap our country" he
said. 1--WE have the richest anc
most productive land in eastern
Oklahoma. 1t is more thickly
populated than any other section
of the territory. | mean by this
that our rural population is more
numerous and evenly distributed
than IN any other locality. We
have not the town population tC
pull our total mp to that of coun
ties likes Oklahoma and Logan
but our country Is settled by ;
splendid lot of farmers, and wher
you combine good farmers and
rich land you are sure to have
good country. The Frisco Is just
Iheroad we want. 1t will give
our country an outlet into St. Lou
is. which we have been wanting.
Al. the cotton raised in our cOun
t,y should naturally be shipped
Into St. Louis, and the goods tC
bay for it purchased there This
has been impossible, however
under existing conditions.
"As things are now, we have to
haul our cotton to a railroad by
wagon and get our goods in the
same way. Our railroad points
are principally supplied through
Chicago and Kansas City. Now
there will be a change. We vii
be directly on The line of a bi!
railroad and can get into st. Louis
in eighteen hours or less. The re
suit of the Frisco extension viii
be that all our cotton will be ship
ped from here and the towns along
the Frisco, and the goods to pay
for them purchased in the St. Lou
is market. In fact, the people o.
this country feel that their inter
ests are indelibly interviewer wit!
those of st. Louis.
"At a rough estimate Lincoll
county will raise 100000 bsles o
cotton this Y ar. Twenty-Five dol
lars a bale is low price. Thi
means 50, 100000 paid out in tn
county for this single product
The cottonseed will amount t
at least Sl50,000 more. So you Sc
the trade of this country is worti
coming after.
"A delegation of business mel
from Chandler viii visit St. LOui:
soon to endeavor to enlist capita
to establish a cotton compress a
Chandler, and also a cottonsee'
oil plant. There is not now a cot
ton compress east of the Santa F
railroad until YOU get to SOutI
McAlester.
"And our coun ry is not half de
veloped. 1t is underlaid with Goa
and valuable mineral, which only
requires transportation facilitie
and capital TO develop. Such
country is worth the attention G
any large jobbing point. l believ
that the building OF the Frisc
through to Ell Reno and on west
will give St. Louis, with smal
efforts on her part, the bulk of tn
Oklahoma trade, which has bee
up to this time taken by othe
points. Freight discrimination
must cease in favor of other points
and st Louis commercial house
will no longer be confronted by
handicap.
1t is worth recording ;hat where
ever a man may go in the India
Territory and Oklahoma, none bu
kind words are said of ST. Louis
| Even the merchant who tells yo
that he buys in Chicago or Kan
sas City, will in the same sentenc
say that his preference, unde
eoualized conditions, would be ST
Louis. T. +. MILLARD.
if, as overshadow.d, the neV
court bill fixes Vinita as the "sea