Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-27
A TRIP TO THE GREAT SOUTHWEST
BY A. w. LEE

~ IA W. LEE
department and the money received
was held to be expended for court
house, high scnool, water works and
sewerage system, the balance to apply
for bridges and roads for the county.
Lawton, the capital of Comanche
county, set the pace, her lot sales
bringing nearly $5OO,000 AT that time
Lawton had no railway or town with.
in thirty miles. Think of it. this vast
sum OF money being received spot cash
IN hand under such conditions. One
twenty-five foot lot sold for $4,000 and
every lot in the 800 acres was sold,
Uncle Sam wisely plating and reserv-
ing fine sites for court house, public
schools and high school. 1t has today
over 100 stone and brick buildings and
hundreds of dwellings of from $1,000
to $4,000 in value.
1t has eight churches, six banks,
electric light plant. two ice plants, cold
storage, three cotton gins. two eleva-
tors and one mill. An $4,000 water
works and $4,000 sewerage system
fAAGVS JeAoe OSSh SoAAplSlSu anu Ddlu lOT
by the government from money real
lied from the sale of lots. Lawton is
located near Fort Still, where the gov
eminent has set aside $4,000 acres to
be used for United States war mane,l-
yers and will expend 100000 on the
same. In the beautiful Wichita noun
tains, which are not far distant from
Lawton, there is to be United States
national park and game preserve of
$4,000 acres on which 100000 is to be
expended. Lawton is in many respects
wonder and seems to have brilliant
future ahead of it.,
A Stop at chickasha.
From Lawton, the editorial trains
were run northeast past Fort Sill and
the United States military reservation
through Anadarko, Chickasha and FL
Reno to Oklahoma City Chickasha
proudly denominates herself "The
Queen Of the Washita" and the editors
were assured that 1t is located in the
midst OF the garden spot of the earth.
If they had told us that it was the gar
den OF Eden we would have believed
them just the same, for at no point
was the editorial party given a more
cordial reception. The town of Chick
asha is just across the border of Okla
homa in the Chickasha nation of the
Indian territory. Though the city is
little over thirteen years old, it's rec
ord of growth is remarkable. Five
years ago it's population was less than
1000 Today it is more than 10000.
Chickasha leads as a iobbing and man
ufacturing center, having twenty-seven
Jobbing and manufacturing enterprises.
1t has splendid schools, many churches
and excellent public buildings. The
city is supplied with an electric light
plant, complete water works and
sewerage system, a gas plant and two
telephone systems. An ordinance is
now pending granting franchise for
an electric street railway and we are
assured that within less than two
years splendid street car system will
be In operation. ChicKasha is located
on the Washita river, which Is one of
the most fertile agricultural regions of
the country, the climate being admir-
ably adapted to all farm products.
Corn, wheat and cotton are the prin-
cipal products, though fruits and all
kinds of vegetables are extensively
grown. The price of land in the vicin-
1ty Of Chickasha ranges from $40 to
$35 per acre, depending upon the loca.
ton and improvements. The land has
been allotted to the Indians in sever
atty. While there is restriction upon
their homesteads allotm ents of from
forty to one hundred and sixty acres
each, yet practically a large share of
the restrictions have been removed
and by March, 1906 nearly all the
lands aside from the homestead allot-
ments to the Indians, will be in the
market and can be occupied by actual
settlers. 1t is needless to say that in
this hustling, busting Indian Territory
town, which many of the editorial
party had never before heard of. it was
q distinct surprise to find beautiful
church structures that cost over 500
900 each, four fine school buildings
that cost over $65,OO0 and solid bank
ing institutions with deposits on Janu
airy 1 last, aggregating $1,1SS, 05O.57. 1t
was also interesting to note that Mr..
Carnegie had been there before us and
had deposited one of his pretty and
substantial library buildings on
prominent corner. Chickasha is all
right and certainly deserves the proud
name of "The Queen Of the Washita."
Oklahoma City the Metropolis.
Greatly to the disappointment of the
editorial party, Oklahoma City, the
real metropolis of Oklahoma and In
dian Territory, was not reached until
after dark. This city is the real wonder
OF. the great new southwest and with
out question is the largest city in the
world of it's age. Here, the editors
found a city of 100000 people with al
most every known modern convenience
and all accomplished within sixteen
years. 1t would seem as if only by the
miraculous power of Alladin's lamp
could the result now shown have been
accomplished The city has constructed
and under contract fourteen miles of i
asphalt paved streets. 1t has twenty
miles of street railway and a system
that has no superior in the country.
1t has eight diverging lines of steam
railways and is soon to have belt line
Il 4