The Marshall republican., 1909-05-28
An Oklahoma Letter
watonga, Okla, May 70 'o'

~ ~ 49, -
getting along down here. l left
home ON March 2 Via c. & A. r. r.
for Kansas City. Left that night
for Watonga, Okla, via {. X. /. &P.
Ry. The frat stop we made was
Mt Topeka, Kans, tthe state capt.
tall, which has made great improve
ment since 1904. From there our
course was towards the southwest
PASSING through Mcfarland, Her
riDgton, wichita, and Caldwell Kan.
Made a stop of 90 minutes for lunch
af the latter station, arriving at
$50 and leaving at $40 a. m. From
there We continued our course
south until we reached Enid pass
ing through Renfrow, MedfoId,
Jefferson, Pond Creek, and Krem-
lin.
There was one incident we notice
aed while on our journey after we
left Caldwell, was when the negroes
had to take a coach to themselves.
There were several negroes in our
coach. The porter came and tod
them that they had to move. They
resisted and told the porter that
they paid for their way and they'd
ride where they pleased, but they
didn't hesitate very long after they
found out they were riding on Okla
homa' soil. From Enid our course
was again in the southwesterly d.
.rection passing through Ringwood
-Okeene and several smaller towns
and reached Watonga at 1856 p.
m. Thus u journey was ended.
Il is quite astonishing to see how
the cities OF this state have pro-
crossed. Enid has a population of
about 10000 inhabitants, has it's
electric lights, waterworks, electric
street railways and besides a great
number of wholesale houses and
factories. 1t also has just complet
ed a live stock pavilion with a cost
EOf several thousand dollars.
Watonga is another hustling city
(which is growing it has a popu.a-
tion OF about 5000 Inhabitants. Il
has two cement mills, a flour mill
and 2 cotton gins besides several
elevators. We raise corn, wheat,
cotton, oats, alfalfa and kaffir corn
and all vegetables thrive abundant
ly. We had a backward season this
year; a heavy frost occurred here
on April 80 which froze ice 1-2 inch
thick. We had a good rain here on
Thursday which was a great bene-
fit to the growing crops. Corn is
growing fast since the rains and is
knee high now.
1 think this Is a good country to
invest; at present land can be
bought for from $16 to $40 per acre
according to location and condition
OF the soil. The soil varies here.
You can go for 2ior 3 miles and
strike nothing but sandy soil and
then you can go another Q or 8 mile
and strike a black loan which is
the highest priced land.
l had the pleasure of meeting 7.
M. Ehler of Little Rock at Oklaho-
ma City on the 18th OF May. There
wa a clay pigeon shoot at that
place the ~ and IS and T. M. came
out as usual with good luck break
ing 1865 out OF a possible 400. Okla
homa City is the metropolis of the
state with a population OF so, 900
and has of all kinds.
There is n more thing l want
to mention and that is Prohibition
o course Oklahoma is dry you car
hear the prohibition lecturers o.
Missouri say; which is a complete
failure here l notice. There has
been more crimes committed here
recently than any time while they
had the saloons. People never
heard of drunk Indians and now i,
ID q common thing to see IN I'm
drunk, which makes it dangerou,
to the white settlement, a bunch
OF Them could get together and de.
Stroy lots of liie and property
The county jails 1T filled to thei,
utmost capacity, which never wa,
before. If any one doubts thil
statement they can come and Sc,
Tor themselves and be convinced
L noticed a queer thing at Oklaho.
ma City. A man was selling booz.
right before the public and was no
molested, he sold beer at Csc pc,
PINT bottle and whniBkey at $40
per pint bottle. Idon't want to sa,
anything more ON that subject blu
ask any dry Missourian to com
and see for him sell and he surel,
can be shown.
Will have to conclude for thi
time. II this letter will be luck
to escape the waste basket / vii
write again. Wishing you contin
ned success. With best wishes Ir
main Yours reRnectf,1Ilv