The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-08-03


Hhich land was % Do plated ditto lots
I blocks and streets. and sold. and lhl
/ proceeds thereirom was TO constitute
fand for the erection OF the stat.
capitol Guthrie Immediately usa
luted q suit attacking the validity d
the election. and late in the year 1915
4 the supreme court Of the state of Ok
lahoma held that said election was
void because Of a mere technical or
ror ia the ballot titles but also held
mat il was within the rights 81 the
| people OF the state. either By lnitia-
Tive OF an act Of their legislature, to
locate their capital where they pleased
and when they pleased regardless Of
the 1913 provision OF the enabling act.
III the meantime, however, a state
capitol commission had been appoint
ed. plans had been selected for a cap
ltol building. and All arrangements
we're being made to carry out the pro-
visions OF the Initiated bill, except
that certain Oklahoma City citizens
further agreed to donate the tract Of
land. without the states approprlating
single dollar. The decision Of the
supreme court, Of course. rendered
null and void the work that had been
done by said capitol commission; Dut
IN accordance with that decision hold.
ing that the people had the right to
locate the capital By act Of their leg
islature, Gov Haskell called a special
session OF the legislature at Okla
homa City in December, 1910, and this
special session Of the legislature, in
accordance with the win Of the people,
as Overwhelmingly expressed in the
special election, located the capital at
Oklahoma City and selected a new
site f5f the building within two miles
Of the Lee.Huekins hotel and certain
citizens OF Oklahoma city entered in
70 contract with the state to donate
$50 acres Of land in the vicinity Of tire
capitol location, the proceeds from
which land was to constitute a fund
for the erection Of the state capitol.
These citizens, in order to facilitate
the work, incorporated themselves asI
the State Capitol Building company.
The only purpose Of this company be-
Ing to hold this land as trustee for
the state and for the various donors,
and to carry out the contract with the
state. Immediately after the adjourn
ment Of the legislature, before either
the company or the governor Of the
state could do anything, Guthrie again
filed suit attacking the validity Of
the act Of the legislature, and losing
In the state court, appealed 70 the
supreme court Of the United States,
which court rendered a decision in
May, 1911, holding the location Of the
capital at Oklahoma City valid. I'm
mediately after the decision had been
handed down by the supreme court Ok
the United States, Guthrie filed an
application for a rehearlng, which ap.
plication was not passed upon until
the 18th day Of November, 1911, when
it was denied. At that time financial
conditions In the state and in Okla
homa City were such that It seemed
impossible to sell the lands as orig.
inally planned and the State Capitol
Building company, in order to protect
the interests OF the state, delivered
to Lee Cruce, governor, deeds to the
$50 acres Of land and paid to him
100000 in cash, he to hold the same
as trustee, and he also entered into a
contract with the State Capitol Build.
ing company in consideration Of said
conveyance that he would recommend
10 the next legislature that said lands
and said money be accepted by the
state in full satisfaction of the pro
visions Of the original contract. And
1t is the opinion OF Gov. Cruce, as ex.
pressed in his letter Of July Q, 1912
to Mr. W. Il Born Of Bartlesvllle that
this Is the much more desirable and
business-like method for the state to
adopt in the erection Of the building.
Thus the situation stands today.
What Oklahoma City Has Given the
State.
Gov. Lee Cruce now has in his
hands sloO,O00O in cash. and in addl
tion thereto clear title to $50 acres Of
land adjoining and adjacent to the
capitol site, which has been appraised
by three disintorested persons repre-
senting the state, at one million four
hundred thousand dollars. for the spe-
citie purpose Of being used by the
state to build a free capitol.
THUS FOR A PERIOD OF EIGH.
TEEN MONTHS AFTER THE vOT.