Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-12
MADE-TO-ORDER TOWN
Oklahoma Unlike Most From
tier Cities.
HAS MATURE LOOK
DID NOT GO THROUGH THE LOG
CABIN STAGE OF GROWTH.
Rapid Increase in Population Of the
Territory-Harvesting the Potato
Complaining Was Late.
BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence Of TIE Star and the Chicago
Record Herald
OKLAHOMA CITY, July 8, 1905.
If you did not know its history you would
suppose that Oklahoma City was an old and
of age, culture, wealth and prosperity. Very
few cities of its population have SO many
fine business blocks, hotels and handsome
residences. The city hall, which is just ap-
preaching completion, is not surpassed in
architectural appearance, conveniences or
in any of the features that are desirable in
public buildings by any similar structure in
the United States. There Is nothing better
in New York or New England, and If you
can judge of the taste of the people by the
size and the stocks of the retail stores, by
the samples of merchandise exhibited in the
show windows, by the contents of the book
stores and picture shops, you will recognize
at once that you are in highly educated
and cultured community.
Oklahoma City is what you might call
made-to-order town. 1t was not born young
as one might say. The territory never had
a pioneer period. The people did not pass
through the log-cabin and sod-hut stages
of growth, like other western cities. The
country was all ready for them when they
entered 1t, and 1t was only necessary for
them to build their homes and pillow the
ground and put in their crops; and most of
the settlers had the money to do it, That
accounts for the mature appearance of
everything that you see around you.
1t was also an advantage that many of
the leaders of this community had already
passed through pioneer experience in
other states. Many of them had come out
in prairie schooners to Kansas, Colorado
and Texas, and had served an apprentice
ship empire builders in those states, SO
ia hpV a 10 tn of he
errors and solve more easily the perplexi-
ties that always accompany the settlement
OF new territory.
Growth in Population.
The growth Of population in both Oklaho-
ma and Indian Territory has been extraor-
binary. By the census of 1900 the two COM
bined-and 1t Is natural to speak of them
jointly-had 790,391 inhabitants, more than
sixteen of the states of the Union-Colo-
RADIO, Delaware, Florida, Idaho Maine,
Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North
Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Da-
kota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wy
oning. The growth during the past five
years has been very rapid. The most con-
servative estimates give million and a
quarter population for the two territories
now, while the boomers are claiming mil
lion and a half, which would not be at all
unlikely. Five years make a great differ
ence in country like this. At least half
a million people must have come In be-
tween the 1st of July, 1900, and the 1st of
July, 1905.
The growth in wealth has kept pace with
the growth in popula ton. There have been
several successive years of prosperity, al
though some of the crops this season will
not equal the average. The wheat crop last
year amounted to more than 10, 600 0O0 BUSH
els-more than that of Michigan, Indiana,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, California,
Oregon, Washington, all of which are large
wheat-growing states. But this year, owing
to the heavy rains, it will not meet the
expectations of even a few weeks ago, and
the total will not exceed 1900, 900 bushels.
There is a bumper corn crop, however-con-
heavier than that of last year-and
the cotton crop, from present indications, is
likely to break the record. The farmers Of
Okla homa have not reduced their acreage,
landing the appeals from the cotton
planters of the southern states. 1t will be
a little larger, If anything, than ever be-
fore