The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-17

ed for settlement" he continued. You
viii doubtless remember the excitement
and rush incident thereto. 1t consisted Of
six small counties The people came in
there with guns on their shoulders. with
out any organizing act But they organ
lied at once and had a provisional gov
eminent of their own. This government
consisted largely of the guns that hung
or their hips. On May "A, 1890 what Is
known as the first organic act organizing
Oklahoma was passed by congress. on
the 25th day of May following the gov
ernor of the territory and three judges
arrived there and took charge of the ju-
dicial and executive branches of the gov
ernment. The first governor of the ter
ritory was Steele of Indiana; z. B. Green,
John W. Clark and A. ]. Seay Chats my
self were the judges. The territory was
divided into three judicial districts and 1
was assigned to the western district at
Kingfisher, east of, the edge of No Mans
Land. Now it is just about twelve years
since Oklahoma was opened for settle
ment. OF course, the papers were full of
the exciting scenes incident to the settle
of the progress made by those settlers in
the last half decade The people who came
into the country were poor, destitute in
many cases, hungry, starved and naked.
They had no homes. no money to build
with. but they digged themselves holes
in the ground called dugouts. and lived
in them. They had nothing In the east.
they were the poorest OF the poor; most
undesirable settlers. apparently They
had not sufficient funds TO even buy seed
to raise a crop. 1 know that in 1891, when
was governor. the legislature appropri-
eted 5000 with which to buy seeds for
these poor people to raise garden sass
and truck. They were destitute. or as
nearly so as they could be. Many Of them
had no way to put the seeds in the
ground when they got them, but they
were determined fellows and they were
there to make for themselves the homes
they could never hope TO attain in the east
and they succeeded. Neighbors who had
teams helped their less fortunate fellows.
Things began to grow. trees were planted.
houses were built over the dugouts, and
the latter were used as cellars.
1t was not an easy fight. but enter
Prise and energy and determination are
always winners. and always will be. Now
note the result In Oklahoma today We
raise corn, wheat oats. barley. kafir
corn, sorghum, alfalfa. broom corn. cot
ton, two crops OF potatoes. sweet pota-
tees the biggest melons l ever saw. can
teloupes, small fruits. grapes, apples.
peaches, plums. and apricots. not only
for home consumption but for shipment
As well Those poor fellows who took
Donations of seeds to raise garden truck
ten years ago ere now prosperous ranch
men, who drive into the prosperous towns
in their own buggies and have comforta-
lie bank accounts upon which 10 draw
in time OF need
"Ths territory is dotted with many fine
little towns Some of them exercise rnu-
ncipal ownership OF the gas and water
and electric plants. We have mills some
manufacturing. schools. churches. tele-
graphs telephones. fine roads. excellent
newspapers; and the railroads are grid
ironing the entire country And on July
ls. not yet two months ago. she had sixty
three national banks. with deposits aR-
gregating Sl5.o00.0o besides about 1z
territorial banks. with a capital Of from
S5.00o 10 S390a0 and 5000
Oklahoma has done herself proud. SIR.
and II nobody VIII pat her on the back
and say well done why. egad. her ozn
proud sons VIII do # themselves. SIR"