The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-09-26
PONCA CITY LIKE
DREAM Of ALADDIN
Town Grows From Prairie
to Prosperous City With
in Few Years.
OIL is RESPONSIBLE
Large Pool of Petroleum
and Gas Lies at Front
Door Of City.
OIL IS RESPONSIBLE

PONCA CITY, Okla, Sept q
Especial l)-Although the story OF Al
ladin and his wonderful lamp IS fic-
tion, II is a good story and few mo-
mentS oi study on the part Of any ono
in looking hack over the history OF the
Cherokee strip will convince even the
most Skcptcal that while the change,
wrought m this stretch OF what is now
the Sooner state are not as miraculous
as some Of the things accomplished by
the wonderful lamp vet the wonderful
improvements in this once barren
stretch oi country are nevertheless,
most wonderful
On September twentv-four years
ago-gathereG Al the line separating
the state OF Kansas and the territory
OF Oklshoma and Indian Territory. was
vast crowd OF people awaiting the
voice OF the big gun which would star,
: them on their rush into the new coun.
try Immediately after the gun spoke.
the scramble staNtcd,. and one Of the
most memorable runs" recorded in
history was made This is all history
now, but still there are many still liv-
Ing IN this community, who got thci,
start toward prosperity on that day
Cross Established.
When the crowd had finally become
settled to some degree, and the
thoughts OF those fortunate ones who
had secured homesteads, turned toward
the establishment of town on ths
railroad from which the surrounding
community might purchase their wants
and needs the city of Cross was estab-
lished This town prosprrcd and
thrved for many years, but like great
many OF its sisters finally gave way to
more prominent site, ard the city
OF Cross today is a 'itlc village Of per
haps half hundred souls, and two or.
three business houses. which are all
that remain Of the once prosperous
village of boom" days.
Ponca City Nay founded and pco-
pied by citizens who, looking into tho
future, saw the advantages to be gained
by the location OF the city on the pres
ent site, and majority OF the business
buildings and houses were moved from
Cross to this city, which was named
from the tribe oi Indians occupying
the reservation seven miles south OF
the oity'S location-the PoncaS.
Ponca City today is as much unlike
the Ponca City Il twenty years ago as
days is unlike night The city started
when brick as a building material wer.
as uncommon in the section as they are
common today The business house
were mostly frame shacks. and not
few OF them were tents. The first pa
per printed here was issued from i
building" OF the latter type the editor
writing his copy. setting the type and
running the Washington hand pres,
In tent on what is now South Second
street
Town Prospered
The town Of ponca. for sudp i, was
known for many years, continued to-
prosper and finally entered the city"
class, with population OF approx
matcly 2,5W About seven years ago
the city passed the small town class
and graduated into real Surc-enough
city with population OF 5000 people
Since the founding OF the city many
years ago it has never cnoycd the
growth and prosperity which have been
holding sway here for the past eight
months. The real cause 81 this pros
perity and growth is summed il a word
Of three lctterS-oil
II has been nearly fifteen years since
oil and gas were first discovered in the
section lying southwest oi thi, city and
until the last two years the development
OF the country was not pushed to any
great extent.
Five years ago, building era struck
this city, caused partly hy the advent
OF new industrial firms in the city. II
was in September, 1912, when the
United Sash and Door company OF
Wichita, located one OF their large
glass factories in this city hroueh,
here by the abundant supply OF chcap
fuel-thc greatest induccmcnt city
can offer manufacturing company
The company emplOycd a large forrcI