The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-07-03
A Widow and a
Railroad

20 ffsA4tA4A AE tEA AAAA41 EAA ~ Da4 80
line b. 4 cross cut 81 half the dis
tanee The curve had been made 70
reach . boom town which had later
been fire swept and then abandoned.
The Widow Carter reliet o. farmer
aYed Oh the line u the rejected cut
on. II must run between two iakes
On her farm, and the isfhmus Was only
seventy feet wide
There was not = doubt on the part
of the railroad people that the widow
would sell the right of 'ay for 500
Or 40. One DAY a company lawyer
paid her call He was a man 81
nfty. about the widows age. and the
two had not talked ten minutes before
il developed that they used 10 e. %
school together as children When It
came to speaking of the right u way
the lawyer treated II as frihfng mat.
ter All other landowners On che line
had granted it for nothing, bat In Mrs.
Carriers case they would nay 500 II
she would bind herself to keep quiet
about IT.
II won't say either yes Or no today"
she replied. There's something !
want 70 remember about our school
days some Incident Of importance that
you we're connected with J guess
can think Il up tonight, and you can
come back tomorrow
The lawyer departed, thiaking the
widow a bit odd IN her ways, and ne
was back ii due time next day.
Look here Sam Davis" said Mrs,
Carter as they were seated II was
purity sure there was some incident,
and II has come 10 me- You knoW
there was a hill back Of the school
house ct Wharton
YES"
"And we used 10 slide down on sleds
and boards at recess and after schoolf'
$50 we did"
aOne noon you asked me to ride on
your sled. Halfway down the hin It
upset, and lost a big cud OF gum J
was chewing"
The lawyer laughed and slapped his
leg. but the widow had a very serious
face az she went on:
And 20 your old railroad has got
To pay me ii thousand d0llars for the
right Of way. I'm going 70 get even
for that lost gum"
"a hundred dollars Is big price,
widow It's land that you make no
use or"
"But / may decide to make use Of
II. No; the railroad rar have II for
thousand dollars, but not cent less.
1T can condemn the laDd under the
law, you understand. and 10 That case
II would get It for $40"
'sWeil, let EN- 60 ahead
she railroad company didn't care 70
20 ahead until II had exhausted other
means. Ii would raise It's figures. and
ii would send other lawyers to her.
Meanwhile the widow consulted law
yer Ia the village. He was d one horse
lawyer. but be was posted on the thing
she wanted most 10 know. In certain
states a railroad cannot secure the
right or way through d dwelling house
BY condemnation proceedings II the
owner asks an excrbitant figure the
value Ii TO be ret by three adjacent
landowners. This law applied ia the
widows case. or soon would She at
once ordered lumber to build shanty
on that isthmus. and within week
she was living IN It.
The railroad sent on another lawyer,
who offered 500 for the right Of way
Mrs. Carter was firm. Then another
lawyer and $500. Mrs. Carter was
/ fir1ner
Railroads often seize by force what
they covet and then fight It out 10
court The fdea was to do It In this
case. Mrs. Carter borrowed every shot
gun FOR mile around and was ready
for battle. She actually nred a charge
OF bird shot that entered the legs Of
three trespassers and sent them howl
ing Then the railroad people got a
minister from the village to 10 down
and talk with the widow, He saved
his breath. even II be didn't earn his
money. The Moment she understood
his errand she said.
A%VNf kdtHtA4 , W. Att y ffNAAf ~ tfrFN
into this Your business is to preach
or goodness and heaven ane angels.
Mine is to beat the railroad. You 80
right back home and leave me to run
things here"
Then the railroad offered $500.
"Just half my figureF' WIS the wo-
mans reply.
Then they called for commission Of
three to view and value, They were
three farmers aud were good friends
OF Mrs. Carter. They put the value at
$1,000, One Of their reasons was that
The passing Of traius would make the
flsh In the two lakes very nervous.
Another was that the whistles Of the
locomotives would prevent the widow
from hearing her clock strike and
might set her roosters to Growing an
hour ahend OF time
When the award was made known
the railroad company wanted TO set
lie for $1,000.
Il don't want but a Thousand said