The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-10-12
Twenty-Six Years Ago the
Magic City Was a Wide
Place in the Road.
AND ONLY SO RESIDENTS
Indian Had Great Habit of
Fencing Up Main Street
in Early COS.

II used TO be that Tulsa couldn't
be seen from Seventh and Main
streets, There wasn'o enough OF the
magic city Of the southwest then TO
top tho skyline formed by the "hlll'
at Fie(h and Main part Of Tulsa
could be seon from the rise that IS
now Eighth and Main, and Twelfth
street was away out in the country.
That wac 26 and more years ago
ana probably less, Tulsa was a
fimsy excuse for an Oklahoma COW
town I'm those days. The row OF 1T
tie wooden buildings that was Tulsa
began at Second and Main and cN-
tended down across the Frisco
tracks were a few scattered houses
To the east and west hut that WAS
ALL Tho buildings that were In Tulsa
In those days could be stacked up on
the vacant lot az Fourth ana Main
and the result wouldn't he any high.
or than tho Edwards building,
Many Oldtlmcrs Capitalized Faith.
At least that IL what oldtimers
who saw Tulsa grow tell OF the VIII
lagc from which the TyOuder city OF
the southwest has sprung In little
more than score OF years, There Is
long string Of those men who saw
Tulsa start who are still here--Dr,
$ c. Kennedy was among the first
Doctor Kennedy had visiUns Of a fu-
ture Tulsa AMI has capitalized upon
his faith. Leo clinton, vice president
OF the Union National bank, was
born near Tulsa before anyone ever
thought otstopping o1etR ght on the
spot,
r. r.. Smiley. j NJ. Han and l.. W.
Hewlcy. now captain on the Tulsa
police force, were among the first 10
kick mp dust on Tulsa Streets q.
NJ Wasson, now proprietor of a lo-
cal drug store was u Tulsa pioneer.
Main street was n dusty road IN
those days. Cows graZcd at random
on "lhe main drag and had to be
chased from store fronts 10 allow
customers to enter For a few years
there was no railroad, no calaboose,
no law. one man dcfied the WIFI or
society and stretched barbed wire
across First street on Main. Indian
police from ,NuskoEec had 20 be
called In TO cut the wlfe
West Of Main there was nothing
but pasture" says Newley "Old
Doctor Chiiders used 10 fence or
First street on the west side OF Main
with barhcd wire. We would have
10 call for the Indian police At Mus
kOgee before he would take II down.
They had 10 come on horseback and
would not more than get out ~ sight
until Childers would be putting up
his fence again.
Little Trouble Occurred Back Wonder
TULSA was nFare poacc1hle ana
orderly In those days than she Is at
present. We hardly ever had any
trouble. and everyone got along fine
with his neighbOr After night we
carried lanterns to find our way
around. Some man would get funny
occasionally ana shoot a lantern out
OF your hand but that was all IN
FUN. There was lots OF shooting but
e was all IN fun,
-. NJ. Han had the first general
store at First and Main. Henry ..
Calhoun built one OF the first houses
A. Fourth and Cincinnati, and Doc
tor Kennedy had "A house Just north
OF the present Y NJ G. A. The first
hotel Was run 10y Colonel Moore he
tween First and Second on Main.
Henry STAIRS mother used TO run a
hotel on North Boston The first
Iau was built by Col f.. Calkips.
first mayor OF Tulsa. and was locates
in the alley hctweeB Main and Bos-
ton aud First and Second,
Those we're great days for Tulsa
don't guess moro than 90 people
lived here then. This was the end
" spur 81 the Frisco railroad.
Fiehifcn years ago superiutendei
the hulldlng Of the NJ. X. & T. into
Tulsa Or T. G. W Bland brought
in the first oil we'll ent near Red
Fork. and the Tulsa was OF on her
biggest boom. Since then haven't
. been able 70 keep up with the ciiys
growth"
RcwIcy claims the indian transla-
ton for the name ""ruls1' Is boch0
Polka or Tulsa township.