143 YEARS AGO
Thursday, November 11, 1880
Second Annual Message of Hon. D.W. Bushyhead Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Delivered at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, 3d of Nov. 1880
Upon this occasion the Constitution makes it incumbent upon the Executive to give to the general council information respecting the nation and recommend to their consideration such measures as he may deem expedient to assist in legislation for the best good and general interests of our people.
The abundant harvest of the past season has made all hearts glad.
We are at peace with out sister nations and with the United States, and, better still, we are at peace with ourselves.
NEWS IN BRIEF
– President Hayes has returned from his Pacific coast trip, reaching his home at Fremont, O., in time to vote.
– It is reported from New York that the Democratic State Committee allege the discovery of frauds in certain localities at the recent election, and will institute an investigation.
– The steamer Robert Mitchell, en route from Cairo to New Orleans, was snagged and sunk on the 3rd about 60 miles below Memphis. Her cargo consisted of 750 tons of grain and 624 bales of cotton. She lies in nine feet of water.
The Horse Disease
The epidemic disease which has recently appeared among horses in nearly all of our larger cities is doubtless the same as that which passed over the country in 1872. It is manifestly a catarrhal fever or influenza, depending upon some peculiar atmospheric inducements, as shown by its appearance in various parts of the country almost simultaneously.
117 YEARS AGO Friday, October 5, 1906
THE INDIANS INDIFFERENT
Alex Posey, the interpreter for the Dawes commission, Creek poet and writer and collector of Indian folklore, was in McAlester Saturday night, after a two months’ tour in the far away parts of the territory, says the Capital.
According to Mr. Posey, the Indian will vote the democratic ticket. He has no inducement, no inclination to vote otherwise.
“The Indian,” said Mr. Posey, “is a natural born democrat, and there is no tenet of the republican party which appeals to him at all. He is against the present method of administering affairs. The great trouble with the Indian politically is his apathy. He is too prone to regard politics as the white mans business, something that he, as an Indian, should let severely alone.”
The Indians
There are 270,000 Indians in the country. Of the 170.000 who are outside the civilized tribes of the Indian Territory and outside the state of New York, 30.000 are attending school. Civilized clothes are wholly worn by 120,000 of these 170,000 Indians and are worn partly by 30,000 more; four-fifths of these reside in dwelling houses of civilized style, 70.000 talk English enough for ordinary purposes and most of them read it, and 40,000 are members of churches. Practically all the members of the five tribes talk English, all wear civilized clothes, all have good schools and all live in dwelling houses. The same is true of the few thousand Indians in New York.
TO PUSH TO THE FRONT
A gentleman who travels extensively over the west and southwest recently told a representative of the Indian Journal that his observation has been, from watching the various towns, that the ones that get ahead are the ones that push themselves to the front.
“You have a beautiful location here in Eufaula,” he said, “and it all depends upon your people whether or not you will ultimately have a progressive town or city of more than ordinary importance. The way to bring this about is for every man to do his share. Whatever anyone thinks should be done for improvement let him say so. He can get an audience through your newspapers.”
100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, September 27, 1923
CHECOTAH FOOTBALL TEAM HERE FRIDAY, SEPT. 28
Hansom Harry Hansard’s Swedes are all set and rearing to go against the heavyweight, hard-fighting Checotah team that is to meet the locals here Friday afternoon, Sept. 28. Both teams are said to be in the pink of condition and the citizens of Eufaula and Checotah will have the opportunity of witnessing what is thought will be the hardest fought and perhaps the best game of football that will be seen on the local field this year.
178 BOLLS ARE FOUND ON ONE STALK COTTON HANNA – Cotton is going to be a good crop in this part of the county, according to latest reports. Several stalks of cotton exhibited at the community fair gave evidence that there is some good cotton grown here despite the weevils and other pests.
One stalk had 178 bolls on it and another 137 bolls. It was said that several bolls had been picked off these stalks in bringing them in to the fair.
EUFAULA PAYING HIGHEST PRICE FOR COTTON THIS YEAR Cotton is pouring into Eufaula now by the hundreds of loads.
The real cotton season opened here in earnest this week, and every day sees more cotton on the streets than the day before.
The four gins are running full crews and as one man explained it, it begins to look like the good old days again.
Eufaula cotton buyers are said to be paying more for cotton than any cotton market in eastern Oklahoma.
75 YEARS AGO
Thursday, September 30, 1948
Truman Gets Warm Welcome in Eufaula More Than 4,000 From Eufaula Area Hear, See Truman
People of the Eufaula area met their president Wednesday.
Bareheaded, and smilig, he stepped onto the platform of his special train into the bright morning sunlight and acknowledged the applause of the thousands who had gathered.
“Well, it gets warmer all along,” he began, paused for a second, then added, “My, but Oklahoma is a hospitable state.”
President Truman’s special train with its Democratic campaign party arrived in Eufaula shortly after 11:40 a.m. It stopped so that the platform was just a short distance north of the Foley street crossing. More than 4,000 men, women and children crowded as near as possible to get a close up view of the visitor.
Eufaula Girl On Special Train
Mrs. Mary Lou Nunn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Helm, Eufaula, rode President Truman’s special train from McAlester to Muskogee Wednesday as an honored guest.
The young woman student from Connors Agricultlural College, Warner, was privileged to join the party as the Second District’s youngest voter this year. She will be 21 years old, just in time to register and to vote for her first time – Democratic, of course.
Ironheads At Home Friday
The Eufaula Ironheads will play the Stilwell Indians Friday night in their second home game of the 1948 grid season.
Although beaten twice already this year, the Indians are playing better ball this season than last. They showed plenty of fight in their games against Checotah and Sallisaw.
50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, September 27, 1973
School Multi-Racial Committee Meets
Members of the three committees under the Title VII of the Emergency School Assistance Act met at the high school cafeteria Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The Title VII program is an extension of the Title IV program of 1972-73 which was aimed at causing school personnel to become more aware of the needs of minority students.
NOTICE: Cub Scouts
Registration at Jefferson Davis School Monday night, 7 p.. Oct. 4. Fee $2. Must be accompanied by parent.
NOTICE
John Johnson, president of the Eufaula Quarterback Club, said there will be a meeting Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m at the Health Department.
All members are urged to attend.
25 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 24,1998 School Bonds Fail, Williams Wins in County Elections
Less than a third of registered voters in McIntosh County – 32.48 percent – made a trip to the polls to vote in last week’s run-off election.
Democratic incumbent J.D. Williams of Stidham won the District Three County Commissioner’s race while the School Building Bond issue failed to garner the required 60 percent for passage.
Local Church Celebrates 98 Years Of Ministry
The oldest book of Records of Trinity Episcopal Church of Eufaula is a big, worn book with the words st. Mary’s Mission, Checotah, I.T. , written in faded ink on the front cover. The earliest entry in this book, dated Jan. 24, 1900, reads , “Six confirmed in E. south House of Worshp in Checotah.”
Meet Eufaula’s Mister Country Paul Maloy
On Friday and Saturday nights, shortly before 6 p.m. at Desperados Barbecue on Texanna Road, you can hear him strumming his flat-top guitar, tuning and running through some chords, checking the sound, checking the mike.
The place begins to fill, the smoke gets thicker, the barbecue is coming fast in big plates but there is a definite anticipation.
Paul Maloy, originally from Seminole, has picked his starvation box and sung over 1,000 songs since he began his two-night singing gigs here two years ago, come October.
At one time, his repertoire numbered 2,000 love songs and ballads.
His first performance was in 1958, with Wayne Price in Oklahoma City, at the Del City VFW Hall. “I made $5,” he said. “I had a day job making $1.04 an hour, so I made more in four hours playing than I did working. I’ve been paying every since.”
Get Ready, Eufaula! The H.O.G.s Are Coming!
Eufaula will be invaded by H.O.G.s the first weekend in October, but it’s a friendly invasion.
The Harley Owners Group is en route to the area for their annual Oklahoma State H.O.G. Rally Oct. 1-3. This year marks the third time Eufaula has been chosen as the host location, edging out competition by Stillwater and Oklahoma City.