The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-04
MAIN STREET ONCE
WAS BATTLE FIELD
Bad Mer of Pioneer Days
Used to Fire Across
Business Highway
,HALL REMINIScES
Defends Arkansas as One of
City's Greatest Assets, in
His City Club Speech


Numerous incidents in the history
of Tulsa, all of them interesting and
some highly amusing. were related
al the City club luncheon at Hotel
Tulas Saturday noon by ]. NJ. Hall,
ploneer citizen. Hall came to Tulsa
IN 1889, having been the second
white man to set foot on the present
site.
The only other white man here
al that time was operating a canvas
boarding house. depending mostly
for his patronage ON surveyors who
4 were laying out the route of the
p Frisco railroad. Hall advised.
Commenting on the transporta-
tion system of early days. the
sneaker explained that the Frisco
first built TO Tulsa The terminus
was here for two years when the
line was extended to Red Fork.
That remained the. terminus for
three years. The neat extension was
TO Sapulpa.
About that time It was rumored
the Santa Fe, with its terminus at
Owasso, intended TO extend into
Texas. The Frisco. hearing this
rumor, became active and beat the
santa Fe to It," The only extern
sion made by the Santa Fe was from
Owasso to Tulsa.
However, Hall pointed out, the
Frisco was the only railroad enter
ing Tulsa for 20 years.
Fiat Car Prop Failed.
when the Frisco extended to Red
!. Fork 1t was necessary 10 construct
a bridge across the Arkansas river.
This was q piling bridge and was
none TOO substantial. Shortly after
II was finished the Arkansas went
on rampage. The bridge was
threatened. Thatit might be made
firmer. the Frisco ran train of
flat caiSsfrom ole bank to the other.
But this didn't save the bridge. 1t
was swept away. Those flat cars
are still buried in the bed OF the
Arkansas as far as ! know.
Il remember that steamboat
company operating out of Fort
Smith threatened to sue the Frisco
for obstructing navigable stream.
The case didNnot come to trial"
Hall said he had letters in his pos
session to show that II Tulsa had
possessed good water, the Frisco
shops would have been located in
this city instead OF Sapulpa. and
this would have been made the
division point. -
When Hall located in Tulsa and
with his brother opened stores in
Tulsa and Red Fork under the firm
names J. NJ. Hall & Co., and II. C.
Hall & Co., this country had more
than its quota of bad men. In those
days these two-gun men shot fiest
and taWed afterward.
Hall was we'll acquainted with the
Dalton boys.
Il knew they were outlaws" he
explained. But 1t was naturally
agreed and understood that we
ness II they would allow us TO tend
TO ours"
Fought On Main Street.
Factionak or feudal fights were
not uncommon in those days. AT
times the warning factions would
barricade themselves on either side
OF Main street and shoot at each
other until their ammunition was
exhausted. Frequently there were
number Of casualties. Sometimes
however. no one was killed or in.
jured.
On one occasion a man was killed
and nine bad men were held for hi,
murder. The nearest court in thos,
days was located at Fort Smith, ant
because of the long distance ava,
legal machinery operated slowly.
When 1t came time for their tria
II was discovered that IS witnesse
/. had been killed. No one was lef
TO testify against the nine and the,
were necessarily released. Those
10 witnesses all were killed in on
spring. Hall stated.
IN fhOaa dayQb ha ranalIaA
was best for witnesses to mind thei
own affairs."s
Then he related the story of hi
own narrow escape. A Chihama
had been killed by one of these ba
men and his wifes seeing the shoot
Ing. took away from a small bo
the knife with which he was whit
Jung ana placed 1t near the 'Chink'
nody to establish a self-defens
motive for her husbands deed.
Remark Was Overheard.
the husband was arrested. Ifa
had witnessed the transfer of tn
tnlfe and remarked to one of HI
friends that the bad man mig,
have difficulty in successfully claim
ing selt-defense because of the nun
per OF other citizens who witnesse
~ the woman's act.
News of Halls remark reached
orother OF the murderer. And rlgi
PACK TO Halls ears came the info
nation that this brother wou
come TO Tulsa In a day or two ar
put him out of the way,
suppose he Intended to wayls
le on my way home some nigl
ana shoot carefully" Hall observe
but day or two later / learns
5. ng had taken suddenly Ill. He di,
"tnin the same week."
Whlie some may condemn q
f., mpnsnsas nnSsds river as a polluted al