The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-09
Oklahona's Capital City, Guth-
srie, One of the Flourishing
Towns That Anazes the Wis
itor by Its Spirit of Push.
METROPOLITAN IN TONE
AND A CENTER OF TRADE
Manifold Resources of the Terri
tory Tributary to It-Crops of
North and South Grown Side
by Side-Poverty Unknown.
BY HERBERT VANDERHOOF.
Special Correspondence.

GUTHRIE, Ok, Sept. 5.-Th1S Is the
capital city of Oklahoma territory, but
1t has none of the somnolent earmarks
that are generally characteristic of capt.
tai cities in the older settled states of
the North and East. Quite the contrary.
There is as much snap and ginger to the
square inch here as there is in any other
city of Oklahoma, and that is saying a
good deal. While the city has not as
large a population as Oklahoma City, it
has fully as much push, and confidently
expects in time to have as many or more
Inhabitants.
Guthrie is in Logan county, which is
one of the banner counties of territory
which may be said to consist Of nothing
else but banner counties" judged by
Northern standards. But the term means
something in Oklahoma, the territory
whose progress has amazed the world.
1t is but little over a decade ago that
the site of this city was unbroken prairie,
and land could be purchased for few
dollars an acre. Today an acre of land
in the city limits means many thousands
of dollars, and only the men with bullying
bank accounts can hope to ever acquire it.
Many people in the North have an idea
in connection with Guthrie and other
cities in Oklahoma that they are crudely
constructed places, with all the char
acteristics of wild Western settlement.
come down here and view the substantial
and beautiful city that has been erected
within a few years. Nothing like the
rapidity of city building in Oklahoma has
ever been known in the history OF the
world, and even many Of the original set
tiers here, who have been in at the birth
of many previous communities, have not
yet got over their wonderment at what
has been accomplished
An Up to Date City.
Guthrie has all the modern improve
ments that are found in all the older
communities of the North supplemented
by a glorious climate that cannot be OBJ
tanned outside of this favored section.
Its buildings are, many Of them, preten-
tious structures of stone or brick, in the
business portion Of the city, and the
beauties of architecture have not been
overlooked in their designing. In the
residence part of the city many OF the
houses would do credit to any community.
The streets are we'll paved, the gas and
electric lighting systems are excellent,
and 1t has a water works plant that pro-
vides an ample supply for domestic use
as well as for fire protection.
How much of population have you?'
asked one of the leading citizens of the
city.
1--WE have never been able to deter
mine that question accurately, he re-
piled, "because of our rapid growth. I
should say, however, that we numbered
about 10000 people,. But people are COM
ing into this section so rapidly that the
population of the city gains every day.
This rapid growth Of Guthrie may be
accounted for by it's multifarious actiVl-
ties. Besides being the seat Of the terri
torial government, which means certain
amount of fixed population, 1t Is also c
large jobbing and manufacturing center
There are two score or more concerns
engaged in the jobbing trade in this city
with a business radiating all through
the Southwest It's location is in the
most thickly settled portion Of the terri
tory, all the trade Of which IS trlbutar!
to it. 1t is also most favorably situated
to command large share of the trade O.
the Indian territory, and the influx into
this latter section is making Its influence
perceptible.
Forced Into Larger Business.
AS a rule, most of the jobbers in Okla
homa cities are also retailers, bein;
forced into the wholesale business by tn
demands of the surrounding country
Dealers in the smaller towns will com
into the cities and buy of the retailer
for the supply of their communities. l.
this way most of the jobbers found them
selves forced into a larger line of trade
and now go out after it with energy.
On the first settlement of Logan county
as was the case in most of the countle
of the territory, the settlers devote
themselves mainly to the growing O
wheat, and it is today one of the grea
producing wheat sections Of the territory
Many an early settler paid the entlr
cost of his farm, if he was not fortunat
enough to obtain one on the rush, froI
his first crop of wheat. and then had
good sum Of money left for improve
ments. Today the farmer does not con
fine himself to wheat alone. He has foun
out that it is better not to carry all nj
eggs in one basket.
It did not take the farmer long to as
certain that the rich lands of this an
the adjoining counties were also we
adapted to the growth Of cotton, and ths
while as fine wheat could be grown hel
as in the North, so also could as bount
full crop Of cotton be harvested as
the South. So, as a rule, today the o1ds
is diversified farming in this section. b
sides cotton and wheat, corn, fruit, me
ons, castor beans, broom corn, cattle, ar
hogs are raised. For fruit growing tn
has been found to be one of the be-
countries in the world, and in the terri
tory around Guthrie some of the mo
magnificent orchards in the United STATE
are found. And fruit finds a ready ma
ket and brings TenuueidllVe prizes
this section, while steady shipments a
being made to more distant markets, tt
railroads affording every facility to Il
development of this industry.
Some Mammoth Peaches.
= 'That's a pretty fine peach orcha
you have there remarked to farm
g. while driving through the country.
= Eyes; you don't often see finer peach
) than what we raise down here was
y reply. "They not only have the flavor