Oakie's NW Corner...
This week it has been hard keeping my mind on other things besides
the Colorado fires that are sweeping through the Rocky "Smoky"
Mountains of my favorite retreats.
Besides checking email, about the only browsing that I have accomplished
online is the Durango Herald
to the Rocky Mountain News
trying to catch the latest news of the Rocky Mountain Forest Fires.
If you visit the Rocky Mountain retreats this Summer... Please do
NOT be careless with your campfires, cigarettes, catalytic converters,
etc... Thanks for your respect, thoughtfulness and protection of
our Nations beautiful Forests and Landmarks!
Thanks... to the thousands of Fire Fighters who put their
lives on the line every hour of every day to fight these raging
firestorms.
 Meanwhile...
Back in 'Grandma's Penny Postcard Treasures' -- we managed to find
some early 1900s postcards to share with you this week. Some are
leather -- some are from Monterey, Virginia -- Sutton, West Virginia
-- Gage, OK leather postcard -- and most are addressed to my Great-Grandmother
Siggie (Signora Belle Guinn) Warwick. We will stick these
over at Oakie's
Webshots for you to check out. The postcard snapshot to the
left is a picture of Isaac and his Gal that he sent around 1910,
from Vanderpool, Virginia to his Aunt Siggie Warwick.
Do You Northwest Okie's Remember... the Palace Barber Shop;
Stites Electric; Ritz Theatre; Hester Drug (became Holder - Southern
Drug) all on the South side of the downtown square -- the Drug
Stores (Monfort's, Schuhmacher's, Beegle's, and Hester's)
-- the marble soda-fountains where you could get the most delicious
fountain drinks, sodas, cherry cokes, malts? One reader in the mailbag
section remembers. Let us not forget the soda fountain in the Bell
Hotel.
Last issue I had a photo of an old postcard of the Central National
Bank in the 600 block of Flynn Avenue that showed the Post Office
just West of the Bank, across an alley. One reader remembered the
building that was the Post Office on Flynn Avenue was also a barbershop
and the location of Fred Neuman' s original music store. Fred lived
upstairs, and had a rehearsal hall for his boys choir. Not sure
what year this was, though. Anyone know?
Enough of dusting off the old memory cells for this week. Since
this Friday is the official beginning of the 2002 Summer, go out
and begin you Summer vacations and have a safe one. In a week or
so this Okie will be heading towards the East Coast to celebrate
Independence Day in DC and later in Virginia Beach. I will have
my digital camera handy, of course.
~~ Linda "oaKie" ~~
NW Mystery Corner...
Not much going on this week with our Old
Opera House Murder of 1910, in Alva, Oklahoma. I am still waiting
for more transcripts to be copied that deal with the State's Opening
Statement and long list of Witnesses.
Meanwhile... the Saga still continues! Did Nelson L. Miller
strangle Mabel Oakes, 9 November 1910, in the Old Opera House, with
her neck scarf? Did Miss Oakes fall prey to one of her fainting
spells when she was alone... and not survive? Did the Black Hand
letter mob threaten Miss Oakes and frame Miller for the crime? Will
the circumstantial evidence stand-up in the Oklahoma Supreme Court?
Stay tuned in future E-zines of The Okie Legacy and Old
Opera House Murder - 1910.
I have done some organizing over at the front page of the Old Opera
House Murder if you want to check that out. If you need to review
the News Articles,
Miller's
Testimony, State's
Rebuttal Witnesses and Defense
Witnesses, use this time to catch up on our Northwest Oklahoma
Murder Mystery of 1910. I have also updated the Alva
Downtown Map of 1910.
Pleasant Valley School Dist. 28
 M.
Henry sent me the following scanned 1908 Pleasant Valley School
Souvenir from his Grandmother Almira Ames' and Great-aunt
Ruby Ames' treasures of the Pleasant Valley School Dist. 28, Keith
Township, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. Click
Here for a Map of the Alfalfa County, Keith Township, schools.
Click the pages below to view this 1908 School Souvenir...
pg.
2 | pg. 3 |
pg. 4 | pg.
5 | pg. 6
Augustus M. Webb was the teacher that year (1908).
L. E. Granger was the Director; S. F. Gish was the Clerk and Dora
Parker was the Treasurer.
The Pupils...
Almira Ames, Ruby Ames, Blanche Butcher, Saddie
Butcher, Floyd Dapron, Frank Dapron, Rosa Dapron, Walter Dapron,
Mae Fender, Jessie Fender, Lee Finley, Leslie Finley, Ruth Fuller,
Charles Granger, Hazel Granger, Retta Green, Vera Green, Vinnie
Green, Florence Harmes, Laura Harmes, Nellie Harmes, Verna Lee,
Vernon Parker, Vivian Parker, Dannie Rust, George Schwanz, Charlottie
Schwanz, Gladyes Schwanz
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(Click Photo to view larger view.)
Alva Presbyterian
Christmas Choir
On the second row of the human Christmas
tree, second from the left, is Dorthy McGill and her OLD sister
(Connie) is third from the left. If you know of anyone else pictured
here, please E-mail
Linda. Thanks!
1897 - Alva, Oklahoma
Downtown Square
Panoramic View
Click to View larger Photo
Menu:
Linda K McGill Wagner
c/o WWW Publishing Co
PO Box 619, Bayfield, CO 81122
Thanks! You can also view The OkieLegacy online. Copyrighted © 2008 by WWWPubCo & OkieLegacy.
All Rights Reserved.
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Mailbag & Links Corner....
Melkus, McKeever &
Farry School... "Is this any relation to the McKeever's that
got the School named McKeever or is this the same gentleman. As a
child I lived in his house for several years, as it was just off of
the Farry School grounds . My parents and us three boys, lived in
the house for several years. My parents were Alba (A. C.) and Laura
Melkus. I am, Francis R. Melkus of Amarillo, Texas. I graduated from
Farry High School with the class of 1954. Keep up the good web site."
-- Contact Francis R. Melkus
Quickline Pens... "I realize I am way behind
on the use of current technology but... have you ever used one of
the Quicklink
Pens for your genealogy research or for any other purpose? I was
wondering if it would be worth investing in or not? Although, it is
for PC only, I could use my Virtual PC software to use it but... just
didn't know if this is something worth looking into? Any suggestions?"
-- Karel
Well... FINALLY!... We have a diagram of the
layout of the city and also have some info about the victim and the
suspect. Sounds like poor 'little Mabel' was not so little, huh? And
poor innocent 'Squire Miler' was a pretty thin man. That defense lawyer
sure did try to explain everything away, didn't he? Not too bad of
a job on SOME of it (almost believable) but... Now I wonder
if the doctors called -- 'examined her' -- 'removed the stomach' and
any other organs needed for testing and preservation right there at
the scene or if they did it in a hospital or morgue or something like
that? Did I miss that somewhere? I noticed the defense never did mention
the fetus or even the pregnancy, did they?"
OK NW Mystery Issue 24...
"Wanted to tell you a great job on this one... again. I think
you are getting better and better at both synopsising materials and
presenting them. Love reading your stuff. Hope you continue to enjoy
it and keep up the great work!"
Old Friends United... "I thank you for
adding the new section to the Legacy concerning Old
Friends have been United after 56 years where you tell the
story about the search and making contact with my old friend Melvin
Cliser. I owe you a big hug for that. Now I know you are busy 'cause
I read you e-zine every week and I can't believe how much you are
getting out of your life. I appreciate and enjoy keeping up with your
many endeavors." -- Ernest
SOME THINGS YOU KEEP... "Some things you
keep. Like good teeth. Warm coats. Bald husbands. They're good for
you, reliable and practical and so sublime that to throw them away
would make the garbage man a thief. So you hang on, because something
old is sometimes better than something new, and what you know is often
better than a stranger.
These are my thoughts, they make me sound old, old
and tame, and dull at a time when everybody else is risky and racy
and flashing all that's new and improved in their lives. New careers,
new thighs, new lips, new cars. The world is dizzy with trade-ins.
I could keep track, but I don't think I want to. I grew up in the
fifties with practical parents - a mother, God bless her, who washed
aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it - and still
does. A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying
new ones. They weren't poor, my parents, they were just satisfied.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends
lived barely a wave away.
I can see them now, Dad in trousers and tee shirt
and Mom in a housedress, lawnmower in one hand, dishtowel in the
other. It was a time for fixing things - a curtain rod, the kitchen
radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress.
Things you keep. It was a way of life, and sometimes
it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, reheating, renewing, I wanted
just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things
away meant there'd always be more.
But then my father died, and on that clear autumn
night, in the chill of the hospital room, I was struck with the
pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any 'more.' Sometimes
what you care about most gets all used up and goes away, never to
return.
So, while you have it, it's best to love it and
care for it and fix it when it's broken and heal it when it's sick.
That's true for marriage and old cars and children with bad report
cards and dogs with bad hips and aging parents. You keep them because
they're worth it, because you're worth it.
Some things you keep. Like a best friend that moved
away or a classmate you grew up with, there's just some things that
make life important .... people you know are special .... and you
KEEP them close!" -- Karel
Great Site... "Hi! Great site. I am an
Okie by birth and my family's were first settlers in the Cheyenne/Arapaho
Indian Lands on April 19, 1892. My great grandfathers, Asa M. Nash
and Frederich Hoffman were both original settlers of Blaine County
in the Okeene and Watonga vicinity. Great site." -- Contact
Mary Lou Huckaby
Denoya & Shidler, Okla... My dad was born
in Denoya, 1923. I am interested in driving to Denoya. I realize the
town is gone, but would like to see the area. Are the roads passable
to the town that remains? Any directions from Shidler please?"
-- Contact Ron Dillman
Louthan Reunion... Linda! Wanted to give you
my new address. Were you aware of the Louthan reunion held last week?
My sister from Colorado attended along with eighty some others. She
met a lot of cousins she wasn't aware of. They are making plans for
next year - First weekend of June. Enjoy the weekly newsletter, look
forward to it each Saturday morning. Good Luck." -- Vernon
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Some US statistics
for 1902...
1. -- The average life expectancy in the US was
forty-seven (47).
2. -- Only 14 Percent of the homes in the US had
a bathtub.
3. -- Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.
4. -- There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only
144 miles of paved roads.
5. -- The maximum speed limit in most cities was
10 mph.
6. -- Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, & Tennessee
were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4
million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state
in the Union.
7. -- The tallest structure in the world was the
Eiffel Tower.
8. -- The average wage in the US was 22 cents an
hour.
9. -- The average US worker made between $200 and
$400 per year.
10. -- A competent accountant could expect to earn
$2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between
$1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000
per year.
11. -- More than 95 percent of all births in the
US took place at home.
12. -- Ninety percent of all US physicians had no
college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many
of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."
13. -- Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were
fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.
14. -- Most women only washed their hair once a
month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
15. -- Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people
from entering the country for any reason.
16. -- The five leading causes of death in the US
were:
- Pneumonia and influenza
- Tuberculosis
- Diarrhea
- Heart disease
- Stroke
17. -- The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona,
Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn't been admitted to
the Union yet.
18. -- The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30.
19. -- Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced
tea hadn't been invented.
20. -- There were no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
21. -- One in ten US adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
22. -- Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all
available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one
pharmacist, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the
mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect
guardian of health.'
23. -- Eighteen percent of households in the US
had at least one full-time servant or domestic.
24. -- There were only about 230 reported murders
in the entire US!
 Old
Memories Dusted Off... "I have scanned
a Souvenir
booklet from my grandmother Almira Ames and great-aunt Ruby Ames.
I'm not certain as the location of this school, but suspect it was
east of Capron into Alfalfa County as most of the other information
I have refers to being east of Capron.
All of the past references
to Beegle Drug, has prompted some recall. Parentheses enclose the
same location. Beginning at the NW corner of the square and going
east, Kent Johnson Insurance; (a restaurant/Firestone Store/Warricks
Shoes); Fredericks Studio; Fuson Carpet; Beegle Drug.
West of the Central National Bank, I believe one
of your early postcards shows an alleyway then the post office.
The building that was a post office at one time was a barbershop
and the location of Fred Neuman' s original
music store. Fred lived upstairs, and had a rehearsal hall for his
boys choir.
From the SW corner of the
square was the Palace Barber Shop; Stites Electric; Ritz Theatre;
Hester Drug - this became Holder - Southern Drug. My main memory of
all the Drug Stores: Monfort's, Schumacher's, Beegle's, and Hester's
was the medicinal/chemical smell and the marble soda-fountains where
you could get the most delicious fountain drinks, sodas, cherry Cokes,
malts.
Have not scanned it, but also,
found a small Christmas booklet, signed by Alvin Paris, when he was
the American National Insurance Agent in Alva." -- M. Henry
Office of Price Administration (OPA Tokens)...
"We just noticed your webpage with the question
about the OPA redpoint tokens. We have been doing some investigating,
and found out that these are ration tokens from World War II. We’re
still looking to find out what the different letters mean. We’re
assuming that is some sort of classification of what you could turn
in the token for. Hope this helps." -- John & Wendy
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