The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-06-22
DOWN IN OKLAHOMA
The Reporter Editor Spends a Week
in Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory--What We Saw.

THE REPORTER editor had the pleas
ure of attending the annual meeting Of
the National Editorial Association held
at Guthrie, Okla, June ~ and 8, and
will give our readers brief description
of the trip and impressions of the coun-
try traversed.
Leaving Leon on Monday afternoon,
June 5th, we went to Des Moines to
join the balance of the Iowa delegation,
taking the Wabash for ST. Louis the
same evening, that city having been
selected as the rendezvous of the party,
the delegates leaving st. Louis at 1
O'clock Tuesday afternoon over the NJ.
x. & T. Ry for Guthrie, travelling in two
sections composed entirely Of Pullman
sleepers. The ride from ST. Louis, fol-
lowing the Missouri river for more than
$50 miles was a delightful one, the river
on one side and most of the way the
train running under towering bluffs of
rock on the other, and during the entire
distance the train was never out of
sight of the river. Crops in Missouri
were looking good, the wheat fields be-
ing especially fine. Supper was served
at Sc lalia and when we arose the next
morning we were travelling through the
southeastern part of Kansas, but soon
passed into Indian Territory, the coun-
try having vastly changed in appear
ance during the nights ride. The
northern part of the territory is fine
rolling prairie but indications were on
every hand showing it had been recent
~ settled, the buildings being but
small shacks and the improvements
very meagre. Most of the land is used
for grazing purposes but some corn was
Z. being put in. Soon we struck the oil
fields and you could see oil derricks
dotting the country in every direction.
The oil industry has been great boon
to the country and many fortunes have
been made. Just at this time however
many wells have been capped as the
Standard Oil Company has cut down the
price Of crude oil to the lowest in the
history of the country and many we'll
owners are refusing to sell their oil, the
price being about fifty cents barrel.
The M. K. & I. road from Parsons, Kas.,
to Guthrie was only built last year and
as there had been very heavy rains re-
Gently the trains could run only at a
very slow pace and we arrived at Guth-
RE, the capital of Oklahoma, Wednesday
evening at o'clock, about seven hours
late.
The citizens of Guthrie had made
elaborate arrangements for the enter
tainment of their guests, the town be-
ing decorated with flags and bunting
and bands playing. The town is only
about $4,000 and as the hotel accommo-
dations were limited the citizens threw
open their fine homes and entertained
many of the visiting editors. 1t was
our good fortune TO be assigned to the
home If DIR. }. r. Hammill, former
at Marathon in the northern part OF
this state. He located at Guthrie some
five or six years ago and has built up a
fine practice as an eye and ear special
list, being assisted by his wife who il
also Il physician. During our three day
stay at Guthrie, DR.. Hammill left moth
ing undone for our comfort, placing his
carriage at our disposal and devotins
many hours of his time to showing us
over the city. He is certainly genia
whole-souled gentleman with whom il
was real pleasure to spend the hours
which were not occupied in attending
the meetings of the association.
The sessions OF the association which
were held at the fine new opera house
were we'll attended, being addressed by
prominent newspaper men from al
parts of the United States, but as the
business transacted was of interes1
only to members Of the craft we viii
not burden our readers with descrip
tion of it.
Wednesday evening the editors were
entertained at a monster reception ant