New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-02-05
WAS BO JIN b TO RISE.

AS DO JJN D o RISE.
HOW THE TOWN Is or LExiNGToN,y
OKLA, IS GROWN. s.
1t Got It's Biggest BOOm FrOm u Fire
and rs Said to he the best Town. In
the Terrftor For ITS size-A Rec
ord OF six Years
On the north side Of the Canadian
river, like hub in al half wheel Of big
producing country, is Lexington, Okla.
Iii q town of about 4 800 people now.
There are reasons to believe it will
have 5000 or 1000 populate on in a
short time. One reason, says the Kan
5sas City Times, is because the Chero-
skee Central and, as some believe, the
Illinois Central, is headed for Lexing-
ton on its way southwest from Shaw
nee, to which point the line is a settled
matter.
81 Six years ago Lexington began to,
make a showing on the map across the.
river from Purcell, ]. T. In spite Of "a
one mile haul across the river to the
railroad Lexington grew as trading
point until it evened UP with its neigh
Dor, Purcell and, in sight Of each 9th
5er, with only the Canadian river, like
a water ribbon, between, the towns
developed. Six months ago a fire start
ed in Lexington and in five hours gut
ted the business portion of the town.
Instead of killing it that fire has given
Lexington its biggest boost, and today
it stands with frame stores replaced
with substantial brick blocks and new
ones going up actively and new bust
ness interests coming in in a manner
that leaves but one result possible.
That result means Lexington the
trade center Of the southwest Canadi-
an border and a manufac turing point
Of some note under present conditions
of the Indian Territory and some big
prospects If the present efforts toward
making Indian Territory and Oklaho-
ma one are successful. There is con-
siderable money in Lexington, and
some big money is becoming interested
in the situation. Twenty five thousand
dollars has been raised to secure the
railroad, and a Santa Fe spur from
across the river is a sub rosa PROPOSE
ton under consideratio in private
railroad councils as strenuously denied
as it is openly discussed. 81 @
Without railroad Lexington is
drawing cotton and agricultural prod
ucts and getting trade from twenty
five to fifty miles in every direction,
and it is taking more stores and bigger
stocks to handle the business. What it
will do with afrailroad is beyond con-
lecture. One hundred and fifty bales
of cotton on business street in a fore
noon looks like money to man who
knows what business is. At present
Lexington has q brick plant with ca
pacity Of 10000 bricks per day, forty
bale cotton gin and compress, big
distillery and other industries. Fruit
growing interests-and fruit Of every
kind here excels--are interesting can
ming factory men. A foundry and ma
chine shop, a gplaning mill, "a cereal
food manufacturing company and sew
eral other concerns are becoming inter
ested in the situation as presenting
particular attract .,r@#> u
4 Lexington is surrounded by as fine
an agricultural country as there is in
three to ten feet deep produces corn,
cotton, fruit, vegetables and fine stock
in fields side by side and defes drought
with good water at an underlying
depth of from fifteen to thirty feet.
Everywhere through the country fine
crops are seen, and a substantial class
of farm improvements is evidence of
the prosperity of farmers, planters and
fruit growers. 1.
Lexington has good electric light
plant, and bonds are preparing for a
WaterWOrks system to be owned by
the city. Sewers and paving are also
crOwding on the heels of waterworks
and will be taken up as conditions
require with the same active spirit
that marks the town in all its growth.
With creditable sense Of the impor-
lance of educational matters, Licking
ton has crowded school interests and
enjoys the reputation of having the
most advanced school advantages in
Oklahoma Of any town of it's size. The
best teachers have been secured, and
the enrolment is now about 900 pupils,
as bright and wideawake children as
one will find in any state. Every re.
ligions denomination is here represent.
ed, and those who do not yet have
lychurches are preparing to erect taste.
full, modern edifices. ~ d
| The past year over $3.50. 900 has been
! put in business and residence building
improvements, among which is a $15,
900 hotel building. a much needed i'm
| proyement, that will be appreciated by
the numerous travelling men who
make Lexington and who say it is one
of the. best towns in Oklahoma Of its
size in which to sell goods, owing te
the volume of goods sold and the bust
ness integrity Of its merchants, many