The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-06-12
SCHEME OF OKLAHOMA PROM.
IsEs MUCH.
WILL Be Big FIGHT ON IT
Oklahoma City. Guthrie ard Shawnee
Have no Use for Scheme For Il
Puts Them Out OF competi.
ton for Location Of Capital.

Musk0gee. Okla. June 11.-Despite
the ridicule from certain sections that
would not be benefited, the legislative
resolution calling for a vote OF the
people upon the ideal capital city plan
promises 70 become one Of the most
popular measures OF the legislature,
u the attitude Of the press Of Okla
homa can be uken ss indicative Of
sentiment. and it is usually a mighty
good index TO public opinion.
This is commonly known as the
New Jerusalem plan the name being
given by those who sought to rdicule
the measure out OF existence. Il pro-
poses the location Of the state capt
tai and all other state institutions
which can be properly located there,
at point as near the geographical
center OF the state as Il Is possible
to find a good townsite and to get
ar least one railroad At such point
the state would buy. or acquire by
condemnation, a township Of land, en-
ploy. under state commission, land
scape gardeners and architects to lo-
cate and design the ground for each
Institution, TO lay out the streets and
then place the town lots on the mar.
ket and use the funds as needed In
the building OF the state buildings
The plan is not new In Oklahoma.
The government followed it in the
sale Of the towusite Of Lawton and
10 was successful
Senator Campbell Russell intro
duced the bill in the legislature, call
ing for a vote Of the people on this
plan, and IL vas first killed by me IL
bers who were lobbying for the loca-
ton of institutions in certain towns.
But the discussion OF the matter
brought a tide OF approval, and when
Senator Russell. again introduced the
measure it passed both houses and
has been signed by the governor. II is
expected that an organized fight will
DEE made on it hy the three cities
that are candidates for the perma.
uent capital Observation-Disclosures City.
Shawnee and Guthrie; but other
towns disInterestcd will doubtless IA
yor the central location plan. While
there are possibly twenty towns can
didates for various institutions, there
are three or four hundred that are
NOT, and they are looking for economy
instead OF individual advantage.
Since the agitation OF the plan,
toWnsite men have been figuring on
it bit. The result is that the most
conservative ones say that the state,
by properly managing such a propo-
sition, can save five million dollars
the first year the lots are placed on
sale; or in other words, that much
money would be paid for town lots,
and as the town increased in size.
more and more lots would he want
el. and they would increase in price
all the time To back up the state
ment one townsIte man agreed TO
give the state million dollars for
the privilege Of such a townslte and
agree 70 locate the state capital
alone there.
The geographical center Is near the
point where corner Pottawottamio.
Lincoln Seminole and Okfuskee coun-
ties. From this point all the principal
cities Of the state, with the possible
exception oi Lawton, are within ra-
dus of 100 miles and 10 locate such
city would mean the development Of
a great intorurban electric car sys-
TEN reaching an OF these towns, and
the consequent increase in value to
every acre Of farm land touched by
such line, TO say nothing of the new
railroads that would build to such
town