The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-04-18

Organization to control the county
seats. Each OF the 90 took an ailut-
ment, at various places along the
strip, and by special act OF COn-
gress immediate title was made to all
Of these. SO that when the strip was
opened and the tOwnsitos laid out
on these allotments, title could be
given at once to all purchaSers OF
lots. 1t was understood at mat time
mat this had the sanction Of the
government and that there was no
doubt but that these allotmcnts
would constitute the most important
tOwnsitcs
But Hokc Smith, for some reason,
ruled otherwise, and whom the strip
was finally opened on Sept. 16. 1898,
he had other county seat townsites
laid out, and, with very few eScep-
tions, these still constitute the coun-
ty seats as they exist today This
left the organization headed by
owen 'up in the air." and although
they went ahead with their townships
at that time, the fact that they lost
the county seats took away from
them that powerful prestige.
The owen county scat towusites in
1893 Tor this end of the strip were
Kildare for Kay county, Wharton
for Noble county, Medford for Grant
county, and what Is now known as
North Enid tor Garfield county
other prominent tOwusitcs selected
by them ia this section were Cross
which has given up the ghost to
pouca city and Parker, which has
been swallowed up 10y blackwell.
Much Of the land comprised within
the 60 allotmeuts was valuable agri-
cultural land, and eventually became
some of the best farms throughout
the entire strip.
Hokc smiths Slate.
Hokc Smiths slate FOR county seat
towns included santa re (now New
kirk in Kay county, Perry in Noble
county, Pond Creek in Grant county
and Enid in Garfield county with
Hawucc in pawnec county, Wood
ward in Woodward county and Ava
for Woods county "No Mans Land
also came In at that time with
Beaver as the county seat for Beaver
~unty.
Smith provided also that each
county seat town in the strip should
have a town square two blocks long
instead of one, the usual custom, and
at the present timo all these towns
have their two blocks long public
squares, which are known as Smith X
monuments. Enid has been the
only one, however. that thus far has
had use for more than one block for
business purposes. several OF the
towns have made good use OF these
Smith squares by converting them
into beautiful city parks, school
campuses and locations for city,
county and community buildings.
Withheld From Entry.
The special act of congress which
had lcgalized the 60 Cherokee allot-
mcnts throughout the strip had also
withheld them from homestead en-
try, SO that they could not be taken
by the men who made the run for
homes The town of Kildare, then
known for some time as Willow
Springs. because Of "A famous old cat
/ tie trail camping place at springs in
/ that locality. was on the allotment
Of chief Bushy bead, that of Cross on
the John Jordan allotment, and that
of Parker on the Charlie McClelland
allotment. II is understood that
Jordan is still living in Bartlcsville
and McClellanh IN Ninita. Also 1t
Is understood that McClelland still
owns the Parker toWnsite.
All arrangements had been made
by the organization of owen and his
associates to open these towns on
Sept. 16, with all surveys made and
everything In readiness. 1t has al