The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-12-19
THEY TRIED OKLAHOMA.
John v. K. Fisher and Family, Who Went
10 the New State Last Spring From
Thompson, Have Enough Of II.
TOO MUCH WIND; TOO LITTLE WATER.

spectlvely, / and 1 year, left Ok.
lahoma about four weeks ago, and
after a trip of many hundred
miles by rail, are back amorg g
their friends in the Elst, and
have been spending the past week
with Mrs. Fishers sister, Mrs.
A. F. Little of this l.lace. Mr..
Fisher is expected to come East
in a short time, and the family
will take up their residence at
Great Cacapon, W. Va.
Mr.. Fisher, like many others,
was attracted by the glowing
stories about the golden oppor-
tunities in the New West, and
last spring, removed with his
family from Thompson township,
this county, to Comanche county,
Okla, about 6I miles southwest
of Lawton. The fact that they
are returning is sufficient evl.
dence that they did not find the
new country a desirable place in
which to make their home perma
nently.
OF course, the failure of crops
there this season, and the unex.
pected money panic, had much to
do IN making the place less at
tractive than 1T might otherwise
have been. What money the farm
ers had in bank at the beginning
OF the pl esent panic, is practical
ly tied up. Instead OF depositors
beng able to get their money IN
full at any time, the banks will
only pay back the amount depos-
tied in sums of five dollars a week.
Hundreds of families are leav-
ing the state for their former
homes IN the East, and other hun
dreds who are not dong so, are
prevented because they do not
have the means to get away on.
While this was not the case with
Mr.. Fisher, many othe: men are
getting enough money together
to send wife and children, while
the husband waits to get enough
to get home on, or work himself
back as best he can. While wait
ing III the railroad station at st.
Louis, Mrs. Fisher noticed about
her, other women with children,
and there seemed to be some
thing IN common in the express
sion on the face of each that led
Mrs Fisher to speak to them,
and to her surprise, she found
seven wives and mothers who
were making the journey from
Oklahoma, IN circumstances SIM
liar to that of herself. AS an In
stanc Of the shrlnkage in values
since they went there last spring,
Mr.. Fisher was able to get but
$3.50 for wagon, two horses and
harness, that, last spring, cost |
HIM more than twice that sum.
A bunch of cattle, consisting of
two good cows, a two year. old |
calf, a yearllng, and last springs
calf-only brought them $50. A
neighbor of theirs, sold wagon,
two fine three year old mules and |
harness, a buggy and harness,
and a nice driving rony-all for
$3.50.
The weather during the sum-
mer was very hot and dry-no
rain falling for period of three
months, and much OF the time
they were obliged to haul every
pint of water they drank or used
for washing or other household
distance of six miles,
and then, unless you were able
to buy ice, it may be imagined
how palatlble it would be in that
hot climate.
Then, the wind-it blows and
blows and blows all the time, day
and night, and Mrs. Fisher says
the gentle breezes are about like
our March winds, without, OF
course. our March temperature.
Clothes hung out on the line to
dry on washday, must be watch 4
cd and taken down in few min
utes, or they will be all whipped
10 shreds.
And, the storms-they ar
something fierce. Very few peo,
Pile rlskputhng up building of