The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-24
Oklahoma Letter.

"u'eou, OhAa., jan. ~ lSUl.
We are enjoying pleasant winter on
one storm IN three months and il was
a white sleet. Go: my lovely red gar
den plowed holiday week; it was neither
RED pant or flowers, just simply red
ing great many homeseekers or spec
ulators here, but you cannot speculate
much with the natives. They have all
been tried in the st,tes. In Oklahoma
City the 9Th OF January, one real es.
tate agent sent out seven teen convey
ances and phoned to Edmond for all
there. One of our boys on the train 90
ing to Ell Reno saw forty-two land seek.
ers. This country is ON too big boom
to last. A colony from Missouri leased
40 quarter sections of land north of us
and we leased 800 acres more, all Indian
land. The Indians are all land poor.
White Wolf was here last week begging
for scraps of meat. / asked him how
much land he owned and he held IN
seven fingers, that was seven quarter
sections Of fine land. They are here
nearly every day to swap for "chuck"
as they call something to eat. Also
several come here who participated in
the Custer massacre. One was covered
with scars and was blind; said he was
taking white mans scalp when white
man filled him full of shot. A good
word for Blaine county and this sketch
will close. There is the greatest diver
sification of crops raised here of any
place ever saw: wheat, rye, oats, corn,
caffircorn, cane, hay, broom corn, cot.
ton, caster beans, peanuts, sweet pota-
toes, etc., all Of which command good
prices. But think cotton raising is
somewhat of a detriment to education
as picking time comes in the fall when
the children should be in school and
not many are able to hire it picked. In
some of the public schools in the Ter
ritory school is held on Saturday and
not on Monday. The students feel
more inclined to study and have better
lessons, but great many ways of the
Oklahomans seem and look odd to me,
their talk also. Thanksgivinga and Xmas
dinners are kept by several families tax !.
ing turkey, chicken, and baskets of din
ner and all meet at a neighbours and
have good time in each neighborhood.
! was invited to a Christmas gathering
but not feeling inclined to cook and
prepare my own dinner did not attend,
but Mrs. Smith sent me one-half gal
lon OF large yellow peaches. | had a
good nelghbor at home in Iowa by the
same name it made me feel little home.
sick. l saw beautiful hedge of Sham.
rock growing here, just twig broken
OFT will grow and it makes lovely orna-
mental shrub. But tine wild flowers
here produce no fragrance-nothing on.
ly beauty: In the town of Geary since
last fall one large brick building and
about fifty half houses lone story have
been built. No side walks in the town
only in front of the business houses.
The awnings extend clear to the side
walk and then fail to keep the sand out.
s. ?. Strong stopped off here on his way
to California to visit his aged mother.
j. D. Strong took him to Geary to take
the train and coming home his horses
ran away, tore the buggy to pieces, did
not find the team until the next day,
but were uniDiured after having run
through four wire fences and scattering
the harness over u section or two Of
land. Horses do we'll here If they get
enough to eat and little care taken of
them. Hogs thrive and multiply Is to l
here. j. D. sold 5000 and Fred $3.50
worth since they came here and have so
head left. They are not much trouble
to care for, plenty of acorns, and eat
like people do-six times day.
5. P. Strong stopped on his way home
from California. He found all We'll but
his youngest brother who is very feeble.
l.. X. Strong is in Ventina county. Saw
the Teale's, Murphy's, Leeper's, al! well
but looking as did and gray as he is
He said they had good rain the week
he left. No boom left in California
Will close with one eye filled with sand
i KATE STRONG.