Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1914 — U. M. Baughman Writes From Oklahoma City. [ARTICLE]

U. M. Baughman Writes From Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City, Okla., Dec. 17, 1914. To Our Jasper County Friends: After seven years absence from the Old home state, I am not sure that 1 am competent to write a “Hoosier” letter, but will recount to, you some of our experiences and observations during that time. While prospecting during the summer of 1907 we traveled over quite a large part of this western country, and as far west as Denver, enjoyed the invigorating atmosphere of that health-inspiring and, to us, very interesting state of 'Colorado, but found that all lines of business there was much over done. We stopped at Colorado Springs, wihere the Modern Woodmen sanatorium is now located, and it is a pleasure to know that the committee was so wisely guided in their selection of a place where, besides the curative atmospheric conditions, nature has formed so many unusual and interesting curiosities. One never tires of the mountain scenery, changed as it is so often by the action of the sun’s rays that it never looks twice alike. Returning from Colorado to this city, we found it a busy place of about 95,000 people, made up of nearly all the nations of the earth and of nearly all the states of the union. A happy, 'hustling, energetic bunch of people, all anxious to make one welcome and ready to* do all in their power to make you believe that you would, never be satisfied any place else after living here as much as two weeks. ' Well, we located here in August, 1907, and had hardly landed until the panic of 1907 came on. Banks gave their help a holiday and business was temporarily paralyzed. But within a few months the city took on its usual progressive spirit and within the next three years ihad doubled in population. Then the two big packing plants (Sulzburger & Sons and Morris & Co.) located here and are now.doing a splendid business. This is a state of. many natural resources that are only partially developed. We need capital and energy to permanently place title state where it belongs in the financial world. Most all of the Jasper county folks who settled here are still here and for the most part happy and prosperous, Oklahoma City counts among her most prominent and popular citizenty sucth families as that of J F. Warren, M. L. Spitler, William

... , - Norman, Worth Farmer, Frank W, Hardy, L. H. Patton and John G. York, formerly of Monon, now the chief credit manager for one of our big packing plants. e, Oklahoma City has to her credit the second best high school building in the United States, and has sous of the largest and finest churches Avest of the Mississippi. Our daughter, Iris, completed the high school course here two years ago and is now taking the second year’s work in the state university at Norman, about 20 miles south of this city, reached by both steam and electric roads. The loav price of cotton has hurt business this fall, and there will be a much less acreage planted next year, but our. l farmers are learning what those of the older states have learned, that diversified farming Is the only keynote to success. Our winters are very mild and short, although we sometimes have zero Aveather for a few uays at a time, and the crop season is long, thereby permitting a great many kinds of crops to be grown. The winds are not as bad as they were a few years ago, but Ave yet have sand-storms nearly every spring, and in the summer sometimes hot winds, but these are trifles when one has become accustomed to them. We never have any inclination to deny our nativity, and the number of Hoosiers one meets in this new cosmopolitan city attests their ability to make good Avlierever they go. We will be glad to meet any Jasper county people that may be down this way at any time and Avill take pleasure in showing them over the greatest city in the Avorld, for its age. With the compliments of the season to the many readers of The Democrat, and best wishes for its continued success, I am, Yours very truly,

U. M. BAUGHMAN.