The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-08-06
Mr.. Ferguson Believes
in Mr.. Hitchcock

Governor Ferguson is not an enthus-
last on the idea of the Lawton council
senGsg petition to the president
asking that an investigation be com
menced at once in the department Of
the interior regarding the delay of its
lot money He believes Secretary !
hitchcock has acted in the best pos
sible manner and expresses the opin-
ion that the geological survey now
being handled by score Of men in
the Lawton vicinity is utilizing its op-
portunities to secure a water supply
and other betterments FOR these county
seats.
Il am satisfied" said Governor Fer
gusun, that whenever it is possible
for Mr.. Hitchcock to bring about those
things he will do so He told me
plainly upon the occasion Of his recent
visit to the territory that he wanted to
see these towns with water works sys-
TENS and all such, and that as soon as
possible. so far as he had anything to
do with the situation, they should have
It, I know he is in touch with condi-
tions. but it must be understood that
the department cannot act vs. quickly
as some might suppose, in matters of
this sort. There is necessarily a great
deal of red tape in the matter.
Another thing in this connection IS
to be considered and that is this. In
the early days out in those counties
hundreds of dollars we're expended in
ways which were not satisfactory to
the people. The secretary has learn
ed of this. and naturally hereafter
wants to be cautious in the way In
which he proceeds. It must be remem.
bered, too, by the people there that
some Of this delay is due TO their own
errors in the past Years ago they
undertook measures not as they should
have done, and the result has been 70
delay the attempts at improvement
which came after them.
"At the same time it must be ad-
mitted that one living away from
that southwestern country, even to us
here in Guthrie and especially to the
people In Washington. it is difficult
"a appreciate the condition of affairs
out there Without fire protection,
water works. public utilities or any
thing of that sort, no question but
that the situation is grave for them
and shoh be remedied as soon as
possible. Tie matter of improvements
was taken out of my hands some time
ago, owing to the fact that could not
be on the ground when it came 70 APP
proving them. hence the department
at Washington is in charge Of al that
work"
AT Lawton, where the government
geological surveyors have been work
ing several months. considerable feel
ing has been expressed by the citizens
over the apparent delay, the expense
and other matters connected with
the work of the corps, Chief Engineer
G. H. Matthews, Of the survey, says
the delay in the water works matter
there has been unavoidable. The ex-
aminations which the party has made
indicate to them that Dunbar Springs,
six miles northwest OF the town, gives
promise OF the best water supply al
though this cannot be determined un-
til the pumps arrive with which exper-
iments looking to the solution Of
problem are conducted.
Mr.. Matthews says those who are
kicking because the lot fund money is
being used to pay the expenses of the
geological survey party are misin-
formed This. he says, is paid for
from an appropriation OF $4,000 set
aside by the department from the geo
logical survey funds, and that there
would not be a cent OF the Lawton
fund applied to that purpose. THE
lot fund money" he said, lis in the
subueasury at ST. Louis. and all this
talk about the secretary drawing the
interest is fooilshness." He says the
question of getting a permanent sup
ply Of water is a serious one as affect
ed by the matter of abundance and
nearness to the building locations.