The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-22

reported to have asked them what
they were doing on his farm and to
have told them not to cut any Of the
trees II they wanted firewood he
said they could take some OF the
down timber"
Many Kinds Of Men.
Great bony.handed men and tan
Men blown from any border land.
And men in love and men in debt,
And men who lived but to forget.
Men whose very souls had died.
Who only sought these woods to hide
their wretchedness."
There was never such an assem-.
biage of humanity in the United
States as that which met in these
Oklahoma openings, but the marvel
Of It all is that there was not more
disorder. There was a great prepond.
erance Of the natiye-born among the
pioneers Of Oklahoma but also ex-
traordinary diversity OF character and
occupation among those who we're
seeking agricultural claims.
Among the characters around the
station was one Tom Wright, who had
been captured by the Sioux when a
child, and grew up with only knowl.
edge Of Indian life and ways until
he was a good-sized boy. He could
not read nor write, but In a general
way he was well informed man. He
claimed familiar Acquaintance with
Senator Plumb, of Kansas, and lived
under the delusion that, sooner or
later, the senate would impart to him
valuable confidential information con.
cerning the opening 4 short time be.
fore the last general expulsion. q
boy came into the crowd at the post.
office door one evening mquiring:
Where is Mr. Wright?'
You mean Tom said some one.
and pointed him out
"A telegram for you said the boy.
Here YOU read II" Tom called 10
Ia mischieyous fellow. w a. Ebby.
young lawyer from Wichita. Eby read:
Dear Tom
Let no grass grow under your feet.
The country will open about the first
Of June The capital will be located
at the junction Of the Cottonwood and
Cimarrou
Yours.
PLUMB
This bogus telegram was regarded
as a great joke at the time. But the
capitol, several weeks after. was To-
Gated al Guthrie, near the Junction
OF the Cimarron and Cottonwood"
The Opening Day.
Tho great day came. On April %.
at high noon. the proclamation o'
President Harrison read, and all were
duly warned not To ENTER upon nor
occupy" any Of said land prior 70 the
time of the official opening
At uooI a cayalryman rode along
the north side of the river on the
south bank Of which host lf horse.
men and men In every kind Of vehicle
crowded to the waters edge for miles
mp and down the stream. The cayal.
ryman lifted a bugle to HIS lips and
blew the notes OF signal for the
charge The crowd dashed into the
water, the long train, loaded to the
tops OF the cars with a mass OF hu.
manitN moved across the bridge. As
the notes OF the bugler died away, the
race began In earnest Some OF the
race horses baked at crossing the
river other, stuck In the quick sand
and "a few threw their riders into the
water but the sturdy little COW ponies
went through without break, and
while distancod at first by the blood
cd mounts the hronchos with their
easy swinging gait, as q rule, carried
their riders ahead OF the others be-.
fore the end or the race.
The train moved slowly scores
jumping oli every few moments 10
stake claims rlorsomen followed the
train closely into what had been OK.
luhoma station. now transformed I'm
a few minutes into Oklahoma city. A
similar scene was enacted at Guthrie
when the train reahed there.
Two cities OF tents sprung mp as n
by magis, and began fight for su.
premacy In oklahoma
For there is neither race nor clan.
Nor breeding, nor blood nor birth.
When two strong men stand face 10
face
In the border lands of earth"
Beginning Of City Rivalry
So the strife was begun. comnetl.
tion among cities. towns aud rural
communities and all the multitude
who In this day make up the progress.
siyc citizcury OF oklahoma, compcti.
tiou co.ordiuatcd with cooperation.