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Stories from the past
news
November 15, 2023
Stories from the past

147 YEARS AGO

All is quiet her now. The community has been greatly disturbed by the depredations of a small band of horse thieves, but there have been no new cases for two weeks, as the Shawnees and other citizens have organized to suppress horse stealing. A fund has been raised to pay the expenses of a sufficient posse of vigilants to recover stolen horses and capture the thieves.

The crops are promising and the people feel easy about an abundant supply of breadstuffs.

The Shawnees are becoming enthusiastic about raising hogs and are procuring breeding animals of the best blood.

The Shawnees and Mexican-Kickapoos are about starting on a summer hunt, and all wish them much success.

Sherman Courier

The Indians are killing off the miners in the Black Hills at a fearful rate, and their warfare is attended with details of great atrocity.

Every day brings tidings of losses unstained by the white adventurers in the Hills.

We regard the government responsible for every murder committed, every outrage perpetrated. Had it discharged its solemn duty to preserve the vested rights of the Indians, the whites would have been excluded from the reservations and prevented from trespassing upon the Indian domain.

Lee’s Creek Bridge Completed

The Fort Smith Herald says the Lees Creek bridge is completed, the railroad finished and the cars will be running to Cherokee, opposite Fort Smith, by July 1st. The telegraph wires will be up and ready for operation about the same time.

• ••••

120 YEARS AGO

Friday, January 24, 1903

TULLY MERCANTILE CO Bargains in every department

• Mens Straw hats, $1 to $2.50

• Suspenders, 18 cents

• Muslin drawers, 35 cents.

• Ladies hose, 10 cents.

• Mens shirts, 35 cents.

WILL HOLD THEIR LANDS

Creek children Cannot Be Deprived of Their Land Judge Raymond has handed down another important decision denying a natural guardian the right to lease lands belonging to a Creek Indian minor or to mortgage his land.

After citing a great many authorities and statue quotations denying the right of other than a legal guardian to rent the lands of the children, he said: “I do not think that congress ever intended that parents in the Creek nation, who are designated as natural guardians, should have the right, without regard to the rights of interests of their minor children, to rent their allotments without the direction of the court, and take the proceeds to pay their private debts …

AN INVESTIGATION SURE

Washington, July 22 – Judge Thomas R. Ryan, who, in the absence of Secretary Hitchcock, is acting secretary of the interior, says that the report that the interior department would not investigate the charges of irregularities in connection with the sale and leasing of lands in Indian territory was not true.

He stated that every charge involving any government official would be made the subject of inquiry and intimates that the departments investigation would be followed by prosecutions in the courts of the Territory.

100 YEARS AGO

Thursday, November 15, 1923

Another Heavy Rain Visits Eufaula

The 24-hour rain, beginning Monday evening about 9 o’clock and continuing up until Tuesday evening the same hour, visited Eufaula and Mcintosh county this week, again swelling all creeks and branches and keeping the farmers out of the cotton fields.

GOOD GASSER IS CHECOTAH’S LUCK

CHECOTAH, Nov. 14 – Checotah became pretty much excited today when the Hardy Able Oil company struck a good flow of gas in its No. 3 on the Rosendahl farm two and a half miles north of here. The test is believed to be good for three million feet. The bit was but one foot in the sand at noon today at which time the hole was 2,341 feet deep. It is surrounded by a lot of good looking stuff and is but quarter of a mile away from a test that had a good oil showing a short time ago.

METHODIST HERE HAVE NEW PASTOR At the state conference last week Rev. Stewart was appointed pastor of the Methodist church here for the coming year, to take the place of Dr. J.D. Cunningham, who was transferred to Boynton.

• ••••

80 YEARS AGO

Thursday, November 11, 1943

MCKINNEY URGES CHRISTMAS MAILING MADE IN NOVEMBER Eufaula Postmaster Asks Christmas Gifts, Cards Be Sent Immediately Delivery of the annual flood of Christmas gifts and cards on time, always a serious problem, “will be more than a problem this year – it will be an impossibility – unless Christmas mailings are made largely in November,” Postmaster Joe McKinney warned today.

“Transportation facilities are burdened to the limit with war materials and personnel, and the Postal Service has sent more than 31,000 experienced employees into the Army and Navy,” McKinney said. “The only solution to the Christmas problem is: Mail in November. Mark your parcels, Do Not Open Until Christmas.”

UNITED WAR CEHST DRIVE HERE SHORT MORE THAN $1,000 Hanna Turns In $210.69 To Exceed Quota

The United War Fund drive is still short $1,025 of its $3,750 goal, with several school districts not yet reported, according to R.L Simpson, chairman of the south half of McIntosh county.

LT. CHERRY ARRIVES AT PECOS ARMY AIR FIELD

2nd Lt. Earl B. Cherry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee O. Cherry, Eufaula, Oklahoma, has arrived at the Pecos Army Air Field where he will be assigned to duty.

Lt. Cherry is a graduate of Eufaula high school and is a former student of Northeastern State College, Tahlequah.

75 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 25, 1948

Sheriff’s Force Breaks Up Major Still Operation Sheriff Clarence Douglas and his deputies broke up a major distilling operation in northwestern Mc-Intosh county this week.

A nightlong hunt by the sheriff’s force in below freezing weather in the rough mountainous section of the county, netted an elaborate 150-gallon copper still, eight barrels of mash and 40 gallons of whiskey ready for aging in the charcoal lined kegs.

Sen. Kerr Will Make Flood Projects Top Objective

Meeting Slated With Engineers on Eufaula Reservoir Senator Elect Robert S. Kerry said this week that he would make development of the Arkansas and Red River watersheds his primary objective in Congress, and announced that he had the backing of President Truman.

Kerr said the president was for his proposed $3 million appropriation to start the Eufaula reservoir.

Kerr emphasized that the program for which he intends to work will provide flood control, reclamation, irrigation, power production, municipal water supplies and open streams to navigation. He said he hoped to make the program for the Arkansas, which includes the Canadian rivers and Red River, basin wide.

New 1949 Buick To be Shown Here

First showing of the new 1949 Buick automobile in Eufaula will be Friday, November 26, in the showroom of the Eufaula Motor and Implement Company just off Main Street on Pine Avenue.

The car will remain on the showroom floor for several days.

Appeals Court Outlaws All Marble Boards

OKLAHOMA CITY – The criminal court of appeals Wednesday outlawed all marble boards in Oklahoma.

“Marble Boards are slot machines as defined and outlawed by statute, irrespective of whether or not they give free games, merchandise or prizes,” the court ruled.

Striking unequivocally at operators who attempt to find loopholes in the anti-slot machine law or in earlier court rulings, the high criminal court held specifically that any marble board in which there is an element of chance is illegal.

The criminal court judges also stated: “Any marble board or other coin operated amusement device is illegal so long as amusement varies with each coin deposited.”

This means, in effect, that so long as “varied scores” are rolled up in pin ball machines, even though prizes are not awarded, the net result effects a “variation in amusement.

• ••••

50 YEARS AGO

Thursday, November 29, 1973

SELMON DAY PLANS

Our Selmon Day plans got a plug on nationwide TV last Friday as the ABC staff mentioned that Eufaula was planning to have a day honoring Lucious. To them, it seemed the thing to do and that he was entitled to such recognition.

NOTICE!

Due to lack of time and planning, the Bago Party which was to have been sponsored by the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce, has been canceled until a later date. Everyone is asked to plan to attend the Christmas Tree Lighting and “Miss Merry Christmas” Coronation planned to be held on the south lawn of the Courthouse beginning at 6:30 p.m. After the coronation there will be group Christmas caroling.

25 YEARS AGO

Thursday, November 19, 1998

City of Eufaula update: new paint, new start A new coat of paint adorns the inside of Eufaula City Hall, a symbol of the new beginning, according to Mayor Bill Day.

“All it took was an inmate and about four gallons of paint,” he said. And it gives the building a new appearance to go along with the new officials, Day and appointed interim City Marshall Randy Johnston were sworn in Nov. 9 and took office at that time.

Citywide Thanksgiving Dinner Set

The Chamber of Commerce wants to remind the community that the Citywide Thanksgiving Dinner is scheduled for Eufaula Community Center at 12 noon, Thursday, Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day.

The menu includes baked, fried and smoked turkey; baked ham; dressing and giblet gravy; cranberry sauce; vegetables; homemade rolls; pumpkin pie and more.

Christmas gifts needed for Eufaula’s children Christmas gifts and donations are needed for the children of Eufaula, according to Debbie Hendrix.

A community Agnel Tree is being sponsored again this year, she said, and the first day angels were available 70 were donated by Eufaula citizens.

“Children at the elementary school donated one angel per class,” she said. As of Tuesday, the total had climbed to 168 promised, with $530 already collected.

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