147 YEARS AGO
The Sioux visitors to the Indian Territory arrived at this place on Tuesday at noon and filed through the town a cavalcade of 29 wagons containing 96 representatives of the northern tribes. Three Arapaho men and one woman; two Cheyenne and 90 Sioux, which number includes, perhaps, a half dozen women.
INDIAN COURIERS
A merchant in New York has received a letter from a friend in the West, giving the manner in which, the remarkable feats of the Indian couriers are accomplished. The following is an extract: It is wonderful how fast news can be transmitted among the Indians, and it is in the accomplishment of this work that they show the most wonderful power of endurance.
News is received … and they eat, eating as a dozen men would eat. They call on the neighbors and eat again and continue eating and dancing until nature, exhausted, forces sleep. After sleeping a few hours, they eat again and then they are ready for business.
They mount the fleetest pony in camp and then start off, riding day and night without food, water, or rest, for five days sometimes.
Arriving at their destination, they state the news, and another round of feasting and dancing commences, to be followed, perhaps, by another tramp of several hundred miles more in another direction with the news to another tribe.
By the couriers, every movement of the Untied Stares army is reported, and long before any command reaches their vicinity all the tribes of Indians will be apprised not only of the approach of the army, but also its strength.
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120 Years Ago Friday, June 12,1903 ROADS AND BRIDGES
President Ahrens called a meeting of the commercial club Monday night for the purpose of receiving the report of the road committee. It was a rousing meeting with large attendance.
The road committee reported that they had taken measurements for the proposed bridges on Coon and Possum creeks and that it would require a span of 20 feet in length for each creek and that the approaches would have to be 20 feet long.
The estimates are for substantial and permanent bridges to be built above high water at a cost of $514.
SNAKES AFTER HIM
Out at Hillabee, 20 miles west, the Indians of the neighborhood were holding an old-fashioned meeting last Sunday. After services the crowd dispersed except Billy Barnett and several other Indians.
David Warrior, somewhat noted in his locality as a bad one, accosted Barnett and wanted to know if he was going to have a writ issued for him and another man named Hawkins for slipping round Barnetts house with murderous intent.
Barnett said: “If you did, I am liable to.” Warrior called up a friend to substantiate his denial of the charge. This brought on a free for all fight. During the excitement someone took to the opportunity to steal Barnett’s Winchester, which was in his buggy nearby.
It seems the trouble originated over an orphan boy adopted by Billy Barnett. The boys allotment was selected in the Hillabee neighborhood and most of the Indians in that locality are Snakes, and several of them are in jail charged with taking timber from the boy’s allotment.
Billy made the complaints against them and now the Snakes have it in for Billy.
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100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 13,1924
BIG SNOWSTORM SWEEPS EUFAULA A snowstorm that covered the ground with more than a four-inch blanket, fell over Eufaula and Mc-Intosh County Wednesday night and Thursday the heaviest snow that has visited this section during the present winter.
Outside of making road, other than hard surfaced highways, impassable, no damages of any notice have been reported.
On the other hand, farmers and stockmen who have sowed their winter wheat and oats say it was just what we need to assure us a splendid grain crop.
NEW BANK TO OPEN IN EUFAULA SOON The Farmers and Merchants bank of Eufaula expect to open their doors for business either next week or the week following.
FORMER KLUXER RAKED BY JUDGE AND THEN FINED Houston, Tex., March 10 – E.Y. Clarke of Atlanta, former high Ku Klux Klan official, entered a plea of guilty to a charge of violating the Mann act when his case was called in federal court.
Clarke was fined $5,000. The charge involved a young Houston woman. It was alleged that Clarke transported her to New Orleans in February 1921.
80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 2, 1944
Staff Sgt. Boyd Cole Wounded in Action
Staff Sergeant Boyd Cole, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Cole, of Fame, has been wounded in action according to a wire received by his parents here.
The wound, while painful, is not thought to be serious according to the message from the base hospital where he is being cared for.
Sgt. Cole, 24, graduated from Stidham high school and was a farmer before entering the service in November 1942.
Captain Rondel Cole Promoted To Major
Captain Rondel Cole, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Cole of Fame, now stationed with the U.S. fighting forces somewhere in England, has been promoted to Major, according to news reaching Eufaula this week.
Oklahoma’s 45th May Hold World Record For Continuous Combat
Oklahoma City, Feb. 28 – It may be that Oklahoma’s fighting 45th division holds a world record.
“Although I am not absolutely certain, I am reliably informed that we recently set a world record for sustained action in that we were continuously engaged with the enemy in offensive action for more than four months,” a letter from Lt. Col. Row Cook said.
FUNERAL SERVICES HELD HERE SUNDAY FOR C.E. FOLEY Funeral services for C.E. Foley, Sr. pioneer merchant, banker, farmer and capitalist of Eufaula, Indian Territory and Eastern Oklahoma, who died at his home here early Saturday afternoon, were held at the home at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon under the direction of the Kelley funeral home with the Rev. L.V. Maund, pastor of the Methodist church, officiating.
Burial was in the Eufaula cemetery. Mr. Foley, a native of Davenport, Iowa, came to the Indian country at an early age and first located in Muskogee where he became affiliated with the Patterson Mercantile Company, one of the largest and most successful mercantile establishments to ever operate in this county.
He organized and operated for many years the Foley Banking Company here, one among the first banks to be organized in the Territory.
Kirksey Nix To Speak In County Saturday Kirksey Nix, floor leader in the Oklahoma house of representatives, and McIntosh county’s candidate for congress in the democratic primary election to be held here Tuesday, March 7, will address the citizens in the interest of his candidacy in Eufaula Saturday morning at 11 o’clock.
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75 YEARS AGO
Thursday, February 3,1949
Engineers Say Two-Dam Plan Is Recommended The public relations office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, revealed today that Col. C.H. Chorpening’s report on the survey for Canadian flood control, included a recommendation for the two-dam project.
Ther recommendation was based upon results of the public hearing on the Eufaula reservoir, held in December, and upon findings during the survey
Boxers to go to State Tournament
Coach Jim Crabtree will take three of his fighters to Oklahoma City next week to enter the state Golden Gloves tournament starting Monday. Finals will begin next Thursday night.
Jaycee Boxing Tournament is Reset in March The Junior Chamber of Commerce boxing tournament will be held at the Eufaula Community Hall March 3-5, Coach Jim Crabtree announced this week.
Poteau Boxing Card Postponed
A local fight card, scheduled between the Poteau and Eufaula boxing teams, for Thursday (tonight) has been postponed until Feb. 17, Eufaula Coach Jim Crabtree announced this week.
The fights were postponed because of bad weather, and will be held at the Eufaula Community Hall, two weeks from tonight.
County Thaws After Severest Cold of Winter Rural McIntosh county was transformed into a vast quagmire this week as sunshine and mild temperatures returned to thaw the heavy glacial crust left by sleet and freezing rain last week.
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50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, May 9, 1974
Pioneer Days Filled With Activities
Eufaula’s 2nd Annual Pioneer Days will begin My 24 through May 25. All area people are asked to turn out in their pioneer regalia.
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18 YEARS AGO
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Evaluation of jail still underway
McIntosh County Commissioners are still eagerly working on the conditions of the McIntosh County Jail and the prospects of building a new jail.
Longtime IJ Editor, Rule, Dies at 81 Longtime Eufaula resident and 17-year Indian Journal Editor Mary E. Rule passed away last Friday after an extended illness. She was 81 years old.
After working five years at the McIntosh County Treasurer’s Office, she took over as Editor for the Indian Journal, a post she held for 17 years before retiring in 1986.
During her tenure at the IJ, she served on the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; was elected President of the American Legion Auxiliary and served as Chairman of Special Events for the Fourth of July celebration.
She was also the Chairman of the McIntosh County Democratic Party for three years.
