The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-02
PLAIN "A CTS TOLD BY
MAYOR J. \, Ian GSTON
OF HEAL D 7 ON . IN THE
HEART Of THE OIL FIELDS

From the four corners OF the earth
they came--the good with the bad
to seek for riches in this western
Golconda."
So speaks Jack Langston, really
the daddy Of Healdton, as he settles
down in his chair to tell you Of the
trials through which ne passed in an
effort TO build out here a little city
of homes and churches and schools.
In December, 1916, what is now
Healdton was a patch of black jacks
plated, streets laid out, etc, out
not one thing had been done toward
putting it in condition. ! picked UP
a bunch Of men and started TO work.
January g. 1917, was the day ad
Not half the townsite had been clear
ed away but the lots went like wild
fire. anyway. That 9Th of January was
one of the prettiest winter days !!
ever saw, but the next day it rained
and sleeted and showed and for weeks
the ground was covered so as TO make
travel impossible. | kept my men peg
ging away, however. and got things
in good shape. With the coming of
early spring. real business started.
From the four corners of the earth
they came-the good with the bad
seeking wealth in this new Golconda
In 80 days there had been buiided
here a town of near 5000
souls. Today it stands little city
of honest, God-fearing, law-abidins
people: a monument to the industry
and perseverance of those to make
ioned the future and worked to make
IT possible.
AT the outset there We're diff
upon the heels OF new oil development
the crowd that seeks each new eX
element. Among them were as good
people as ever graced Gods footstool.
There were others, too; case hardened
criminals who would stop at no crime;
who Knocked the law and who brought
into i'll repute any community they
contaminated for even the briefest
period OF time.
I'VE were out in the country then;
miles away from the county seat. Goa
ditions were ever changing, the fly-by-
night element ever drifting hither and
yon and keeping the community in
constant turmoil.
But Of all those who came, only
the good remain. The bad-the unde-
sirable--have moved on, most of
them at the suggestion of county OF
ficers who thought it best to prevent
the crime rather than punish for its
commission. This was done without
blare of trumpet of crash of cymbal,
the public noting only the absence
of the undesirables but not knowing
why that absence should be perma-
nent. so far as this county was con-
cerned. In this work we have always
had the earnest and active co-opera-
ton Of the sherifrs office Of this
county and I want to say there has
never been time, day or night.
good weather or stormy, that our
every request for assistance from the
office wasn't granted Immediately. Not
an hour or so after calling them
there was always man on the job
to take care OF any condition.
To-day the town is incorporated
has four churches, a modern high
school building. and some of the
best homes in the county There is
less lawlessness here than in any o.l
field town OF similar size anywhere.
That our people are patriotic is evil
deneed by their record of war work
That they are energetic and purpose
ful is attested by the success which
is crowning their efforts along the
lines Of livelihood they have adopted;
that they are peaceful, peaceable ami
eontented can be verified by short
stay among them. We here in the
field have much 10 be thankful for,
above oil. thankful that the ISLANDERS
being circulated about our people
for political purposes only are wholly
untrue
An dthankful. too. TO the sheriff
OF this county. Buck Garrett, under
whose administration and through
whose tireless efforts we are safe n
our lives and our property.
They came from the four corners
Of the earth-the good with the bad
seeking riches in this new Golconda.
Now only the good remain"
If this simple statement of facts
will be of service TO the man who
has for nearly four years been of
untiring service to us, | shall be
glad. Not a complaint ever filed in our
local courts but has been given prompt
attention; not a move on order ever
issued by the town authorities that
wasn't backed up by the sheriff ana
his deputies, and | feel that We out
here owe Buck Garrett a debt we can
partially pay by doing for him what
he has always done for us-help him.
j. II. LANGsTON, Mayor
u.