Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-12-28
TELLS OF OKLAHOMA.
Rev. D. r. Faulkner Writes That He
Likes Iowa Better Than the
Southern Country

LiNSS toWo DCtlCf nan CnG
Southern Country.
"Of all that is good, Iowa affords the
best" That is the opinion reached by
Rev. d. F. Faulkner, former resident
OF WaDello and Jefferson counties, who
hearing the glowing reports of the
state of the southwest sent out by the
Oklahoma land dealers, went to that
section. Rev. Faulkner's opinion can
be cleaned from the following letter
which he sent the Courier, written
from Perry, Oklahoma:
Il have often thought would write
a short letter to my friends through
the Courier, but | never got started
Till now. hut will try to write a few
lines. although | must be brief, as |
don't like to take up too much space
IN the paper. | left Ottumwa about
five years ago because l thought was
going to much better country than
iowa, as some of my people already
/ lived In Oklahoma, but when | came
| mere the country seemed so far from
what expected of it. so started out
on travel TO search for that beautiful
country that was described to me- as
the Oklahoma-the richest Of all for
! climate and wheat raising; and the
farther | went the more disappointed
was. | saw some fine land and some
me cities in my travels, which were
ABOUT ll,000 miles. in eight months,
and came back to Perry where start
ed from, with my mind clear that the
Old state of Iowa is the best. There
are some fine corn lands here, but
most OF them are in the Usage and
Crete nations, better known as the In
dian lands. | have been all through
there and visited several Indian fam
lilies. They are real friendly: they eau
talk, some of them as good as myself
and before go any farther will say
that the uphill land in Oklahoma is no
good for corn, but will grow cotton or
cane. but the corn dries UP and don't
40 very good on the hills, and wheat
does not do as WELL Oklahoma has the
best crop of wheat this last summer
they have had for five years. and it
would not average 20 bushels to the
acre. so wheat is a failure, and is not
a sure crop any more. Cotton is IL
sure crop, but it takes too much work
TO raise it, according to what it brings.
Ihey mad fine crop of oats this year,
averaging about 40 bushels to the
acre, but it is not sure crop.
About our seasons: We have our
rainy season beginning in April and
lasting until about the middle of June,
and then it turns dry. After having
plenty of rain, storms and cyclones
the sun comes down hot and nearly
burns everything up. When we need
rain here we can't get it, Garden truck
does not do we'll on account of the
dry, hot weather. The summers here
are terribly hot. the mercury running
uD to 100 to 100 degrees. The climate
all through the year is very change
able some days in winter are hot and
some cold. The climate of Iowa is
much better than that of Oklahoma
The country generally is not very
healthy. We have some bad water.
Living is much higher than in the
north and fuel is high; coal being 81
per ton. and all other kinds of fuel
are In the same proportion The cities
are all UP to date. with street cars.
autos, electric lights, paved streets. |
Oklahoma City being one of the fin
est cities for its size l ever visited.
It's population is about $4,000, and it's
buildings are beginning to reach up in
the air, some as high as 16 stories.
This is far the finest city in Oklahoma |
and If | had any money to invest any |
place in the south, would put it in
Oklahoma City. Winter has begun here
early We have had two SHOWS al
ready and it has been frozen IN here [
FOR nearly two weeks l have only des- |
2ribed little of what have in min,
but will have to draw my remarks TO I
close. | may be able to write again
remain, hoDing to visit my friends
soon Rev. D. R. Faulkner"