The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-04
Scene Shifts From Ell Reno to
the New Town.
ARE GETTING LUMBER IN
And Provisions Is at Present
the Great Task.

county. has already assumed a population
Of over 1000 Blocks OF streets have
been formed, to which names already
have given. The postofice has been es-
tablished and IS in working order. doing
q tremendous business. No building to
any extent has been done.
Everything is in readiness for the sale
of townlots Tuesday. Excitement and
anticipation are at fever heat. Specula-
tors and legitimate buyer alike are bid
ding the time when under the auspices of
J. 3. Hampton. townsite commissioner
for Lawton. the lots will be knocked off
10 highest bidder How much viii cor
ner lots bring2" and how high win you
COR are the questions floating arounr
everywhere.
Meanwhile all is activity. From over
the dusty trail to the east, leading from
Rush Springs Indian Territory, probably
comes the greatest percentage of influx.
II is Is miles over and those who come
by rail largely leave the Rock Island at
this place and take stage or private con-
veyance to Lawton. From NARROW, ten
miles below Rush Springs, leads another
and a better trail. 1t is less dusty and
there are no streams to ford, as from
Rush Springs Then the stage men and
conveyance people from Marrow are not
as enterprising or thrifty their neigh
bors up the road The NARROW people VIII
carry YOU across for as low as 3, while
from Rush Springs, s. or as much more
as they can get. is the regulation price.
From the end of the spur of the Rock
Island running from Anadarko, from
Richards, comes another aggregation.
This is one of the lesser-patronized
routes You save time by going south
from Chickasha and over from NARROW or
Rush Springs than by taking the Rock
Island from Chickasha west TO Anardar-
ko and then down as far as the spur viii
carry you.
Away over from the hills on the west,
Granite-ward and Mangum direction,
come the dusty white covered schooners,
bearing the unemployment TO add to al
ready-congested embryonic Lawton city
These are the people who have been
hanging on the edges OF the new country
for months. some Of whom registered at
Fl Reno. some at Lawton; some success
full. some unsuccessful: many to try the
fortunes of the new city on to the south,
from over the Texas line. comes another
crowd Thus is Lawton surrounded and
ike Rome Of ancient fame. ali roads lead
to the capital city Of Comanche county.
OF course the great trouble here is the
lack Of any sort of proper accommoda-
tons But to the people who have lived
through their Fl Reno experiences, and
the times along the border of the new
country, such little things do not count
Slowed away in tents, on the ground I'M
der wagons out in the grass anywhere
and everywhere. lie the first families of
Iawton The leading hotel. sO-called.
consists Of a big. long tent with flaps rails
cd 10 let fin the air. with row on row of
cots. and reasonably clean. Here is
where the elite of the rush puts up
The masses sleep wherever and whenever
they can.
There is much regret among those who
come by railroad that the Rock Island
was unable to complete its spur from
Anadarko TO I.awton. Months ago this
was started from its point OF beginning,
and it was the intention of the road TO
have it IN running order by the first Of
August or the sixth. i'm any event. But
labor could not be got for love or money.
Every attempt was made 10y the road to
get men and the fact II had so much
trouble has kept the road from being
built It now runs TO Richards. several
miles north Of Lawton. and this is as
near rs il viii Set for some time. The
road has secured the consent of the de
partment of the interior to extend its
branch from Lawton southwest = miles.
new town viii be located at the ter
minus. bur the name has not yet been de-
cided upon Meanwhile. the Rock Island
handles its main Lawton traffic from
Rush springs or NARROW
The townsite commissioner. as the
Eagle announced promptly on his ap-
poiutment. is Dir. J. b. Hampton. Mr..
Hamilton is "a gentleman whose connec-
ton with the department If the interior
leads him 90 be thoroughly capable of SUE
peryisius The sale OF lots and establish
lnent OF the townsite. He had charge
of The registration here prior 90 the El
Reno drawing Mr. Hampton has been
very friendly go newspaper men.
one of Tie first buildings TO 50 up viii
Zee the First National hank OF Lawton.
Ot This bank Dennis Flynn Is vice presi-
dent tt viii DO business about tomor-
row. and on tho day of the auction. VIII
simply Zee overwhelmed Besides Mr..
IYynn. Governor Jenkins and secretary
a. the territory. Grimes are directors.
Frark Evans. assistant attorney Tor the
Rock Island. is also interested. The
Bank Of Iawton viii be ule style NJ an
organization in which Charles $. Johcs
or Wichita. national hank examiner. and
number OF his friends. are interested.
THE banking business here VIII he a big
thins.
The Rock Island road has orders Tor 5i3
cars of lumher out Of wholesale points
for Iawtou. The struggle between CONE
peting lumber comrauies viii Dee some
rhing frightTul Most Of this lumber
viii come 10 NARROW. Rush Springs or
Duncan and be Ireizhted across The
tight now is 70 get this luraler 90 the
ground Just as soon as toWn loJ purchas-
Is are made that buildings MAY SO up SIS
soon as possible. III IS estimated that a
Thousand ears of lumber VIII 90 used IN
tawtou iast as soon as they can he got
here Then there are hundreds ~ cars
O. merchandise en- The road h-re.
enc ereat trouble now Is the lack of ice.
This zyin 81 ohviatei in Just about q
hcars oy shipments from III Reno to tbe
aearest point ou the railroad ana then
freiehting t here. o. course this entails
: great shriuk4se. iut the people VII he
willing 10 pay thc difference in prioe-the
necessary advance to set the precious
product Of civilization More for CON
s,imetion here than anything else there
has been organized III ii Reno another
big ice plant with $4,000 capital
Lawton Is about four miles south of che