The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1913-01-09
A Retrospective View.

Few people who now live within the
original bounds OF what was once No
Mans Land, now Beaver, Texas and
Cimarron counties, know the Anoma-
lous condition under which the origi.
nal settlers lived. II was not within
the bounds OF any state. There is no
history OF the formation Of No-Man's
Land, except the history Of the forma-
tion Of the adjacent states, which is in
mind, but is too long TO record here,
but, in brief, this area, No-Man's Land ,
first belonged to Spain, then to the
Republic of Mexico, then to the Re
public Of Texas. later the State OF Tex
as, and finally passed by purchase to
the United States, 20 become the Pub
lie Land Strip, the purchase being
made from the State OF Texas in 1850,
Texas parting with all the territory
known as free territory, which includ-
ed this strip and all OF that portion OF
the State extending north to the Ar
kansas river In blocking out Other
states In the subsequent formation of
adjacent commonwealths. this country
was left out. Prior to 1850 Texas had
Jurisdiction over this area, frr IL was u
part OF that state, but after that time
from 1850 20 1890, forty long years, il
was the Land OF No Man, To quote
from well known authority: The
only spot on American soil where there
was neither law nor shadow of author
ity, where might was right, and every
man was law unto himself. Th.
strip OF land in the heart Of the gov.
ernment, in so far as legal authority
goes, stood as it did at the dawn of Gre
ation." Yet the country was at ali
times filled with superb citizenship,
men who regarded the rights OF their
fellowmen and kept them inviolate,
because they were Americans submit
ting themselves 10 n true test which
brought out the very best that was in
them. II men occasionally turned bad
which sometimes happened, quick,
summary justice was meted out, and
IL Is mooted question whether or not
some OF the same kind Of justice would
not be satisfactory to the public needs
Of this day and time. We believe that
IL would be in some instances. In
these days and times the lawyers first
Sitry to clear criminal by honest wit
n .Rgsses, but more often with manufac-
= tu5ed testimony, and II that fails, then
,oltellYgs an attempt to get in sufficient
o eTFpys tQ,cause reversal in the SUI
preme court. II countries or common
wealtbs,ggs governed best which are
Sleast ,gaysrped, this country was at
'' least IDEAL IN that respect from 1850 to
yulSph Apd, those who were not present
or who were not acquainted with the
q citizenship, ofthe COUNTRY daring some
part Of tnat period are not qualified to
pass Judgment on the citizenship Of
that period but one writer. thorough
lY western, fully appreciatin, condi
tions, made these remarks con erning
citizen who had passed over the
Great Divide: Ellis early associations
were among the men who established
and maintained a code OF morals and
justice which has never been surpassed
by statutory enactment in any land,
In community which was without
law or legal status, they manifested
regard for the rights OF their fellows
and for social and moral ethics which
was at once the wonder and pride OF
the nation" No man would care to 30
back, however, to that period without
the authority OF courts OF justice, but
at the same time people seemed to get
along about as we'll, and maybe little
better, than they do now--at least the
inhabitants were stalwart characters.
for conditions developed the best that
that was In men, and in sense might
was right, and yet no mans rights
were trampled under foot.
From 1890 to the present time the
history OF the country is we'll within
the memory of many present iphabit-
ants OF original Beaver County, for In
that year the Public Land Strip was
added TO Oklahoma as the seventh
county in the Territory, and the coun
try was placed under the jurisdiction
OF Courts OF Justice, after being de-
prived OF the ciyilizing influence of
courts for period Of forty years. No