The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-05-10
RETURN OF
EDITORIAL.
ASSOCIATION
Had a Very Pleasant Trip
Through Oklahoma.
THEY LIKED GRANITE
And Some Remained Behind
to See More of II.

The excursion of the Seventh districr
Editorial association into Oklahoma ant
the Kiowa-Comanche country was neces
sary brief. but highly successful and
pleasant It terminated yesterday after
noon with the arrival in Wichita Of tn.
last Of the party. save a few who stayed
over in the new country and other place:
in the territory.
To the Rock Island road for its courtes-
/ les and kind treatment all around; to the
/ citizens of Granite. Chickasha and Enid
! and to Gerald Volk. secretary of the asso-
citation, are due thanks in the superlativs
degree for what they did it'd eeih oreutl
! degree for what they did for the editors
No one who went on the trip but had
reason to thank abundantly the above
for their little pleasant outing.
BY the brief trip through the country
( soon TO be opened to settlement, the Kan
/ sas editors have acquired a considerable
amount Of information which win be
useful to those who contemplate settling
there in August. There are a great many
/ Kansans in whom the spirit Of expan-
/ sion exists. and who wish to go to this
new country. Many a country paper next
week viii be filed with descriptions OF
it, such as could be otained in the some
what hurried trip.
There is little doubt now that the coun-
try viii be opened on time. which is Aug
ust s. It was learned. at Granite, Mount
ain View, ana other places on the border
OF the Kiowa-Comanch country that the
surveys have been completed in that
county, and are about completed in the
Wichita, or Caddo reservation. The allot-
ing agents are fast following the survey
ors, and the Indians being placed or their
allotments. From all / can gather, the
surveying and allotments viii be COM
pleted in June or July at the very latest.
a personal investigation, though OF
necessity hurriedly made, confirms this
fact Whether, of course, there viii be
| delays on the part of the government,
is a mere venture, but I do not see
why the country should not be opened
BY August l to August 10.
1t is the best guess that the manner
of opening will be by lottery. This seems
to be generally accepted, both within
and without the country. The lottery
system has its advantages, which have
been fully exploited from Washington
and locally. It seems satisfactory to
all Oklahomans. those contemplating
entry and otherwise. to whom 1 talked
on the late trip. OF course there are
those lovers of excitement and the soon
ers who wish to see the old-time horse
race but they are in the minority,
seemingly.
rrT.-
day afternoon, they had with them rep
representatives. of the Commercial club Of
Granite, P. Y Brinton, W. WV. Marsh
and John Hawk. These gentlemen very
kindly greeted the guests of their town.
and explained the country and everything
asked them all the way 20 Granite
about a hundred miles. Upon the arrival
in Granite at $50 p. m, carriages were
in waiting. Many citizens, Mayor Rider,
members Of the Commercial club, the
newspaper men and others, gathered to
welcome the Kansans The latter were
first taken to the famous sulphur springs.
about mile around the mountain, where
waters highly charged with sulphur and
said to be exceedingly medincinal in their
properties. were drunk, and relished by
some: not so with others. The springs lie
Just at the base of the mountain. and IN
a little elm grove. Carpeted with soft
grass. green and pleasant, this place wiz
soon be made into little summer resort
by the people of Granite. who are i'm
mensely proud of their springs.
Leaving the Sulphur springs, the party
was next taken to the oil wells for
Granite and Greer county are sufficiently
adjacent to the Texas oilfelds for the
citizens to believe that they too can have
gushers Their contention seems TO be
more or less just, for in a wen which has
been bored 500 feet, there are many in
dicauons that oil will shortly be found.
This property is promoted by a stock
company and the town IS confident Of
/ success. If oil comes Granite win boom
more than ever.
Granite IS a booming little town. OF a
population OF over two thousand. It was
founded August S, 1890. and is therefore
/ only about eight months old. It lies in a
/ low valley, a perfect garden spot. just
! at the base OF an immense granite mount
ain. from whence the town takes its
name This granite is Of a magnificent
/ type and better than, or equally as good
as. so il is said. the product Of Vermont
It is OF an intensely hard character, and
the lack Of up-to-date machinery and
facilities has kept # from being used
much until of late. Now there is a bic
mill which works on the stone. and turns
out beautiful specimens Of the product
( The town IS evenly laid out. and there are
very many pretty little houses and some
I excellent business blocks. though the ma
jorItv Of the buildings are frame. Until
( lately there has been no brick kiln. and
I it cost too 1nuch TO have the brick
! brsught IN. Brick VIII be used here
/ after. though for as the result OF the
/ fire Tuesday morning. which wiped out
enc eide OF an entire block. the eity
/ council. @ few hours later, In special ses-
sion. passed an ordinance providing that
! no rlore frame buildings should be erect
/ cd in the business part Of the toWn.
/ Leaving Granite Wednesray morning
j the editorial party started or its home
ward journey. About half Of the parts
( cane Girect To wichita. The other hall
made more exploration. A. c. white
/ man and Mrs. Whitemar, OF the -
! Crosse Republican. and J. x CoChrar
/ ard 1Ers. cochran. ~ the Pratt Reguoii-
can. stayed ln Granite; thence went q
Manrum ana further looked into the all
facert country. J. 2. JunEi7 and Ars
3 Eunlcn. Sterling Bulletin. A. 2 D1F1.i
/ Iaman Review and his brother, br. L51.
vafs ~ fIutchirson. left fae train q
Mountain View ard dr1ve 70 Ec-t 81
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