The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-09-18
GOV. SEAY OUIYERS
A FEW BOUQUETS
Tells Denver People Of the
YaStneSS Of ,0kIah6ma

wv "nt ~ ~ oNdes ANANNA hlhb Oh-
lahoma. her resources and rapid de
velopment, appeared in a recent issue
of the Denver Post and will be read
with interest by ali oklahomans
Little Oklahoma pulled on pair Of
modern seven league boots twelve
years ago and since then the territory
has been literally stalking ahead Of
the car Of progress.
he speaker was Ex-Governor A. J.
seay. Of that enterprising little south
ern neighbor He is stopping at the
Albany, and has been a "lookeron in
Vienna Of Colorado politics the past
two days He SITS about the rotunda
q great part Of the time and it is sci
dom indeed one can catch him when
he is not snuggled up in a cosey cor
ner with some rare old companor Of
former days telling thrilling exper-
fences OF younger days The ex-
governor bears the honor Of having
been one of the first three territorial
judges Of the hustling, bustllng terri
tor and be unconsciously delivers
himself in a judicial manner that Is
simpy charming An Old gentleman
you'd call him, wen dressed, ye care
Jess OF dress
on April %, 1889 Oklahoma was
opened for sc tiement" he continued 4
You win doubtless remember the ex
citemcnt and rush incident thereto
Il consisted Of six small counties The
people came in here wi guns on
heir shoulders without any organizing
act But they organized a. once ald
had provisional government of their
own. This. government consisted large
ly Of the guns that hung on their hips
son May IA. 1890. what is known "a
the organic act organizing Oklahoma
was passed by congress. On The 25ta
day Of May following the governor OF
the territory and three judges arrived
there and took charge Of the judicial
aud executive branches OF the govern
meat The first governor was Steele Of
ladiaEa T. y. Green. John w Clark
adi = J. seay-thats myself
the judges The territory was divided
into three juciclal dlstric =. and | was
assigned 10 the western district at
Kinghsher. east Of the edge Of No
Mans and
Now q is just about twelve years
since Oklahoma was opened for settle
ment on courst the papers were full
Of the exciting scenes incident TO the
settlement, but there is far more 10
write about os the progress made by
those settlers the last half decade
The people who came into the country
were poor. desu ute 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 'dugoms and lived in
them They had nothing in the east
they were the poorest Of the poor;
mos undesirable settlers apparently
They had not sufficient funds even 10
buy seeds 10 raise a crop from.
know that in 1891. when was COVER
nor The Legislature appropriated S5
900 wi.h which to buy seeds for these
poor people to raise garden sass and
truck They were destitute or as
nearly as they could be. Many oil
them had no way TO put the seeds in
the ground when they got them. bu.
they were determined fellows and
they were there to make for them
selves the homes they could never
hope 10 attain in the east an1 they
sacceeded Neighbors who had teams
helped their less fortunate fellows.
Things began 70 grow. trees were
planted houses were built over the
dugouts and The later were used as
cellars
Il was not an easy fight, but enter
prise and energy and determination
are always winners and always viii
be Now. note the result In Oklaho-
ma. today we raise corn, wheat, oats.
barley saffir corn. sorghum. alfalfa.
broom corn, cotton. two crops OF po-
tatoes sweet potatoes, the biggest
melons | ever saw, cauteloupes small
fruits, grapes, apples, peaches, plums
and apricots nos only for home con-
sumption, but for shipments as well.
These poor fellows who took dona.
tions of seeds TO raise garden truck
ten years ago are now prosperous
ranchmen who drive into the prosper
Gus towns in their own buggies and
have comfortable bank accounts upon