Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1911 — Douglas Clark Writes Letter From New Oklahoma Home. [ARTICLE]

Douglas Clark Writes Letter From New Oklahoma Home.

Wheatfield Review. Maramec, Okla., April 17, 1911. Editor Kankakee Valley Review: I will now continue my writing of March 27th. We arrived at Maramec on Saturday, March 18th, this little town being the objective point of our travel. I do not think there is any history of importance connected with it. It is a town of seven years’ growth located on the Santa Fe railroad and might be compared with Wheatfield in size, and supplies' all the necessary needs of its citizens and farmers in its vicinity. Briefly mentioning some of its make-up, viz.,'a number of general stores, two hardware stores, one drug store, one blacksmith shop, two restaurants, hotel, First State bank, two churches and one school building. The public school building contains three rooms and from the appearance to a passer by would suggest that it was not very modern. A very beaut', fu acquisition to this little town is a small artificial lake covering about 40 acres and lies against the north side of the village and gives much sport to the fishermen and hunters of the town. This lake was constructed by the Santa Fe railroad and is controlled by that company.

On our arrival at our destination we found Elmer Tanner awaiting us. We were soon conveyed to his home about three miles distance by a span cf western broncos which were used to traveling over any road that man or beast might dare to venture, as I later learned as an eye-witness to some of these feats. We enjoyed and appreciated the kind hospitality extended to ua„by Elmer and his estimable wife, Ethel, for the first two Weeks in Oklahoma. Much of these two weeks Elmer and I spent riding over the country. These travels were partly to see the country but primarily on business visits, Mr. Tanner "buying calves and myself such things that are of prime necessity in supplying the wants in a home. We traveled over much of Pawnee county; part of Pane county, and saw a part of the Osage country. The country so far seen is very much diversified in the quality of Its soil and its physical structure. This part of Oklahoma was known as the Cherokee strip and most of the old settlers when asked how long they have lived here reply, “I was in ‘The Run’ seventeen yeais ago, and I homesteaded this quarter. We saw some tough times then, did not have any railroads, no market for anything. Corn sold as low as Sc a bushel.” This country is apparently new, but seventeen and a half years old, and the people think that it' has made rapid strides in way of growth and improvement; greater than any other country in the same length of time. As the state yet is only in its infancy she has much before her to accomplish. Her agriculture is only in its primitive state. Her mineral resources are undeveloped and many problems will he wrought within the next .decade that will en-

able her to measure her wealth and position along with some of the older states. The subject of “Indians,” of which I made mention in a former letter, will defer to some future writing, and concerning ourselves, would say that we are located for the summer on a farm 1% miles from Maramec, 9 miles from Pawnee, and 4% miles from Quay. We are doing some farming and will plant corn the coming week. The spring here has been backward, and farmers late putting out their crops. I see some corn up, but many now are just planting. We have had some light frosts and a few light showers of rain, but the country is in need of more rain. Yours sincerely,

S. D. CLARK.