The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-02-15
MARVELLOUS CITY
AMONG OIL WELLS
With A Building Boom Seldom IL Ever
Before Equalled


the readers of the Press might find
a moment of diversion if not interest
in a letter from the southland, where
there r many contrasts with our
home in the north. The first to be
noted, Of course, is the climate
While reading Of the o and cold
of the north, we are enjoying very
mild weather here.
The tail end of one or two cold
waves have reached this far south,
but lasted only a few hours. One
wave brought al inch of snow and a
10 above record, but that is said to be
the extreme. On the other hand we
have seer several days with the Their
mometer ranging from so to 60 above,
and n day, January both, the mer-
curry went up to 10. We are informed
the normal winter record is from 40
to so above.
Oklahoma has made some wonder
full strides since the days of the his
torical run" some 25 years ago when
these Indian lands were thrown open
to settlement. Those days will be re-
called by the old readers of the Press,
because the famous run over the
border from Kansas attracted the
worlds attention, including boosters
from South Dakota. Among those the
! writer can now recall were Dell Mil
Ter, Volney Hoggatt and B. d. Milan,
of Miller, who came down to join the
boosters. The territory settled up
rapidly, and some ten years ago was
admitted to statehood.
Perhaps the most noteworthy feat
ure of this settlement and develop
ment is found in Oklahoma's cities.
The capital, Oklahoma City, is now
claiming a population of $4,000, al
most equal to the old capital city of
Iowa.
But the marvel city of this age and
generation is Tulsa, where the Press
folks are visiting. The censu of
1900 gave Tulsa 1850 people, and at
the beginning of 1917, the claim is
confidently made by her enthusiastic
citizens that Tulsa contains 10000
people. Imagine If you can the little
city of Miller jumping from her pre-
sent population to $4,000 in 16 years!
One may naturally be skeptical of
such a marvellous growth, but it is
here for any one to come and see.
The reason for this extraordinary
city built in a night" is the discov-
cry a few years ago of a rich oil field
throughout eastern Oklahoma, of
which Tulsa is the center and logical
location for headquarters.
Men from all of the older fields
poured into Tulsa and begin build
ing-and today it looks like a mad
scramble to erect buildings. Scarce
ly a day of the winter is cold enough
to interfere with building operations,
and it is almost impossible to walk
two blocks in any direction from any
given point without seeing n or
more buildings going up. These
buildings are all kinds and descrip-
tions, from the 10 story block down
to the one story brick, stone, or con-
crete store or factory. Next comes
the two or three story brick fiat or
apartment house, then follows the
three, two, and one story dwellings,
block after block, on all four sides,
until the citizens themselves ask
where will it end" The January
building permits total over $100, 900.
Miles of paved streets are beauti-
for thousands of auto drivers to "step
on her tail and let 'er CO." And let
'er go is right, for Tulsa may conf
IDENTIFY add to her other claims the
boast of quicker miles by her army
of city autos each day than a like
number in any other habitat of man.
Its a speed hysteria, with its accom-
panying gamble on a collision at any
in~tersecting street crossing-and a
marvellous Providence intervening
most of the time.
The writer hasn't access at this
time to the detailed statistics of the
city and it's chief product, oil, but they
would only corroborste the tremend-
Gus growth seen upon every hand.
And second only to the oil is the pro-
duction Of gas, which is universally
used for both heat and light, every
house being equipped with gas stoves.
The one topic of great interest here.
of course, is oil, oil land. oil leases. Oil
wells. 1t is very similar to the old
time mining camp. where fortunes are
made and lost quickly. That is, we
presume they are lost occasionally.
but also like the mining camp, very
little Is heard of the fellow who
drops his wad." On the other hand
there are many successful strikes, and
men have become millionaires over