The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-08-23
GUTHRIE DELAYED
CAPITOL BUILDING

VI OhAduOlnd Slly as against 81 Jul
in favor of Guthrie, located the state
capital at Oklahoma City. This was
special election held on an initiated
bill for that particular purpose. The
bill on which you voted at that time
provided that the state should appro
pirate $500. 100000 with which to pur.
chase tract of land within five miles
of Oklahoma City, which land was to
be plated into lots, blocks and streets,
and sold, and the proceeds there from
was to constitute fund for the erec.
tion of the state capitol, Guthrie i'm.
mediately instituted a suit attacking
the validity of the election, and late
in the year of 1910 the supreme court
of the state of Oklahoma held that
said election was void because of a
mere technica Terror in the ballot
title; but also held that it was within
the rights of the people of the state,
either by initiative or an act of their
Legislature, to locate their capital
where they pleased and when they
pleased regardless of the 1913 pro-
vision Of the enabling act.
In the meantime, however, state
capitol commission had been appoint
ed, plans had been selected for capi-
tol building, and all arrangements
were 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 appropriating a
single dollar. The decision of the su.
preme court. of course. rendered null
and void the work that had been done
by said capitol commission; but in ac.
cordance with that decision holding
| that the people had the right to locate
the capital by act of their legislature,
Governor Haskell called a special ses.
sion Of the legislature at Oklahoma
City, in December, 1910, and this spe.
Sioi SCoSiOA VI tuC lS6i5idIuIS, HI dC-
cordance with the will of the people,
as overwhelmingly expressed in the
special election, located the capital at
Oklahoma City and selected a new
site for the building within two miles
of the Lee-Huckins hotel; and certain
citizens of Oklahoma City entered into
a contract with the state to donate
$50 acres of land in the vicinity of the
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 as
the State Capitol Building Company
The only purpose Of this company be-
ing to hold this land as trustee for
the state and fo rthe 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
Estate could do anything, Guthrie again
filed suit attacking the validity of the
act of the legislature, and losing in
the state court, appealed to the SUI.
Ipreme court of the United States,
which court rendered 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 of
the United States, Guthrie filed an ap-
plication for rehearing, which appli-
cation 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 origi-
nally 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 trus-
Itee, and he also entered into contract
with the State Capital Building Com
pany in consideration of said convey
ance that he would recommend to the
next legislature that said lands and
said money be accepted by the state in
full satisfaction of the provisions OF
the original contract And it is the
opinion of Governor Cruce. as express
ed in his letter Of July 8, 1912, to Mr.
w. H. Born of Bartlesyille that this
is the much more desirable and bust
ness-like method for the state to adopt
in the erection of the building Thus
the situation stands today.
Grove Ships Eighteen Car Loads oil