The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-09-26
COUNTY IS NAMED
FOR INDIAN CHIEF
>Pushmataha, the Greatest
of Choctaw Warriors, Is
Remembered.
BIG LUMBER INDUSTRY
That and Farming Are the
Chief Activities of South
eastern County.
BIG LUMBER INDUSTRY

mesit Of the Choc,aw Nation of indians,
set up about 1880, there was estab-
lished in the southeast part Of the old
Indian territory, among other districts,
the district of Pushmataha, including
the counties OF Jack Fork, kiamich,
Jackson. Blue and Atoka When the
constitutional convention began to par
eel out the territory into counties. il
was agreed that the memory of so
noted chieftain as old Pushmataha
should be preserved in permanent his
tory, for pushmataha was in olden
times and is today revered among the
Choctaw people as the greatest Choc-
taw chief who ever donned the war
paint and led his people against their
tribal enemies. Pushmataha must have
been some warrior for as he described
himself and his coming in to the
vorld-"the lightnings flashed and thc
thunders rcwrberated across the heav-
ems when all at once terrible bolt
from Jove rent asunder a giant oak
down in the jungles Of lower Mississippi
and out sprang Pushmataha, a full
fledsed warrior, with dripping scalp
m
as II may. he became an officer OF the
regular army. leading his Indian sold
iers again and again victoriously against
the enemies OF the federal government.
His statue stands today in Washing
ton city, marking his grave, erected by
act OF congress in commemoration OF
his services as friendly Indian and
great war leader. For him was the
present county OF Pushmataha named.
Death has taken almost all the old
line of Choctaw governors from the
scene Of their labors, the only remain
Ing rulers being former Governor G.
W. Dukes. who now lives quietly at his
home near Whitesboro. still possessed
Of a strong, active and able mind and
vigorods body, and the present COVER
nor or principal chief, Victor NJ. Locke
jr, who has served and still serves with
credit and honor.
Better Farms; Better Roada
The past three or four years have
seen wonderful Improvements started in
Pushmataha county. The dry, lean
years in the western part of the state
from 1910 to 1913 sent thousands Of
prospective settlers from that section
OF the state into the virgin timbered
bottom lands OF southeastern Oklaho-
ma, They have proved to be of the right
sort OF metal. Used to the varying sea
sons of western Oklahoma and its pc
riodical hardships, these newcomers
have blazed way for themselves and
made the newly-turncd rich soil bear
much fruitage. -..
The advent OF the automobile marks
the beginning Of permanent road work
in southeastern Oklahoma Where but
a few years ago, the traveller in any di-
rection simply took a due course and
followed il to his destination, now we'll
planned roads north and south, east
and west throughout the county are
tapped by numerous neighborhood
roads.
Moved Side of Mountain.
The latest beauty spot in road build
ing was accomplished by the citizens
near the famous Winding Stair noun
tain OF the Kiamichi range They lit
orally moved the side of a mountain
In order that the tourist and the home
seeker might traverse the beautiful val
leys which had previous been shut out
from the world except by pack animal.
This is Garden of Eden in truth.
Everything grows in southeast Okla
homa, and grows lnxuriantly.
Corn makes on uplands from thirty
10 forty bushels on the average and in
the rich bottom lands, 1903 bushels to
the acre is the best record that has
come to our notice, Numerous fields
Of oats yielded up 100 bushels acre
average the present season, With Dob
bins favorite food selling at 80 and %
cents bushel, the men who pinned
their faith to oats have not Jared so
badly.
The climate Of this section seems to
be peculiarly favorable to cotton pro-
duetion and the staple grown com
mands a premium. In ordinary years
the yield is rarely less than half bale
and many rich river bottom farms pro-
duee bale and half to the acre.
Lumber Most Important Industry.
The most important industry is the
lumber interest In Pushmataha coun-
ty, more than two thousand men are
employed in the various mills and log
gine camps and it is estimated that
more than one million feet OF lumber
Is manufactured every six working
days. More than 100000 of capital
Is employed in this important industry.
Three Of the largest saw mills arc en-
kaged exclusively on government work,
sending whole trainloads daily weighted
down with shipbuildng dimensions.
The smaller mills are ovcrburdened
with the local demand and cannot keep
up with the call for lnmber for pioneer
homes and the material used in build
ing operations in the nearby cities.
"a County's Most Famous Citisen.
A statement regarding Pushmataha
county would not be complete without
reference to its most famous citizen,
Victor M Locke sr., father of the pres
ent principal chief. Locke senior came
to the wildness Of the Indian PWritory
fifty-one years ago, Immediately at the
close Of the civil war. Locke was a
Tennesseean and fought faithfully for
the southern cause, and when the sur
render came, not wishing to return to
country now devastated by the hot-
rors OF war, he struck out without a
dollar to bury the dead past in oblivion
and begin life anew in brand new
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