"This & That" Newsletter - January 1999 to March 1999

If you're looking for a certain article I wrote in a past issue of "This & That" you might find it faster by doing a "search" with your browser. With Netscape just click your mouse at the top at EDIT and then FIND and type in the word or words you're looking for. If you use Internet Explorer, just click on EDIT and then FIND ON THIS PAGE to do a search.

Below is January 2, 1999 to March 27, 1999. The latest issue is at the top, and the oldest issue of "This & That" for this time period is at the bottom.

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Saturday, March 27, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 101

The past week a number of you have sent me pics of bells from your area. It's appreciated, and I"m still looking for more bells, so keep a lookout. Here's a pic I received this week of a beautiful bell located in the small town of Tribbey, Oklahoma. Tribbey is about 25 miles south of Shawnee, OK.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/tribbey.jpg

There ain't much left of the little town of Reagan, Oklahoma. As the crow flies, Reagan is about 12 miles north of Tishomingo, Oklahoma. There is a fish hatchery just east of Reagan. But when you are coming in from the east, and start around that sharp curve back to the north, there is one old building that is truly a glimpse back into the past. It's the Kountry Store there...... with it's wagon wheel on top, it's tree post columns, yet a modern day pop machine. If you're ever over that way, stop in, get a soda pop, sit on the porch, lean back and remember how it used to be when times were simpler.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/reagan.jpg

Version 5 of Internet Explorer has finally arrived. This latest release is faster and leaner and comes loaded with dozens of significant new features.

ICQ Plus is an add-in for the popular ICQ instant communicator. It adds a new menu item to the main ICQ menu. From this menu, you can change the background images used for dialog boxes, swap out the main menu image, and replace the standard ICQ animation with an animated GIF or AVI file of your choice. You can also modify the style of buttons, dialog boxes and other controls. Any of the changes you make can be saved as a custom "skin" file that can be re-used at any time. Several pre-defined skins are included with ICQ Plus.
ICQ Plus 1.01, Windows 95/98/NT Freeware:
http://www.softseek.com/files/review?INCO23337sw

Happy99.exe is a virus-like "worm" that spreads via e-mail. It masquerades as a file attachment that, when clicked, displays fireworks while it quietly infects your system. Happy99Cleaner can rid your computer of this dangerous pest. And if you unknowingly e-mailed Happy99.exe to others, the cleaner will also produce a list of e-mail recipients for you.
Happy99Cleaner 2.0, Windows 95/98/NT Freeware:
http://www.softseek.com/files/review?UTVI23313sw

The New Handbook of Texas is a multidisciplinary encyclopedia of Texas history, geography, and culture. It comprises more than 23,000 articles on people, places, events, historical themes, institutions, and a host of other topic categories. The scope is broad and inclusive, designed to provide readers with concise, authoritative, and accessible articles that provide factual, nonpartisan accounts on virtually every aspect of Texas history and culture.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html

Below is link to vacationing in Oklahoma. You can even request a free, full color booklet about Oklahoma traveling.
http://www.travelok.com

Technology on the move. You don't have a fax where others can send you a fax? Wfaxes to the rescue and it's free!
http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9903/12/efax.idg/index.html

This big beauty was sent to me by a friend in Duncan, Oklahoma. The bell is located at Heritage Park there in Duncan.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/dunbell.jpg

And this bell is located in front of the First Baptist Church in Mannsville, Oklahoma.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/mannbell.jpg

An old pic of the Bartlesville, OK Civic Center
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/bartciv.jpg

A 50 year old view of Oklahoma City looking north from Broadway and Grand Ave
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/okcpost.jpg

In western Oklahoma is the city of Lawton. This is a 1900c pic of the S.H. Kress store that used to be in Lawton.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/lawtonk.jpg
http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/ggfound/ggfound-42119.0.html

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"Could you find any pictures of the original Healdton, OK airport called Davis Field located on the east side of the curve coming into town?"
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"Otasco (yes, it was an Oklahoma company, although I believe it was headquartered in Tulsa) was a vast operation in multiple stores in many states, and carried hardware, sporting goods and appliances in addition to tires and auto service. It was perhaps not quite as common as Wal-Mart is today, but pretty close in the states it operated in."
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/oklatin.jpg
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"I recently found a web site that had some pictures of places in tishomingo. I contacted the site administrator and he said the pics came from you. I just registered tishomingo.com with internic and I am going to set up a site about tishomingo and hope to promote a little interest in tourism."
http://www.tishomingo.com
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"The Townley Dairy was sold, I believe to Farm Fresh, and no longer operates under that name. But the active Townley now owns the Lifetime Fence Company in Oklahoma City; and the endorsement on my check paying for fencing was "Townley Dairy Company d/b/a Lifetime Fence Company."
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/townley.jpg
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"When I was maybe 5 or 6 years old, Pawnee Bill gave me a dime to put in the slot machine in his trading post (they were illegal then but very common). When I lost the dime, he sat me on his lap and gave me a lecture about how you always lost money gambling. That would be in the early 1930s. He had long white hair and I believe wore buckskin. Sadly, the trading post later burned."
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/pbills.jpg
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"Whaddya mean "years ago"? I know I'm growing older and forgetful, but wasn't there an Otasco store at Tiffany Plaza until very recently?
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"That pic of the Townley's milk bottle reminded me of this.
http://www.casadysquare.com/Greg%20Burns/Pic%20Pages/milk.htm
this is a picture painted by an Oklahoma city artist of the old Townley milk bottle at NW 23rd and Classen. I remember passing by this place many times as a kid growing up in OKC. This place is an OKC landmark. Don't know just how long its been there. Far as I know its still there, haven't made it to that part of town lately. I have a print of this in my home and have enjoyed it for years."
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"Do you know the rest of the story about the child brides? Was the surviving molester prosecuted? Did they find out who poisoned the man? I'm curious to know how it turned out. So often in those days the authorities wouldn't step in to protect women and children."
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"Last week you said something about one of the Meadows girls having an accident in 1975. Kristi, the oldest of the 3 children is only 32 right now. She couldn't have been driving in 1975. You must have her mixed up with someone else."
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"You mentioned something about Karen Silkwood's daughter's car wreck. You mentioned that it was in '75 I believe. Unless she had two cars that she wrecked, I think this date is wrong. I think the date was somewhere in '86 or '87. It was a red Trans Am GTA....I can understand how a young girl could total the car in the distance she did (left a stop sign and hit a tree on the other side of the intersection). That car had just way too much power for someone with inexperience. (Not that I don't have tales to tell about my *own* driving when I was young!)"
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"Can you give me any reference to support the following you posted on your website:" http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/japanbuy.html
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"I am shocked at the events of Jim Talyor and his death... I hope the girl poisoned him and he got what he deserved."
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"On Mon the 29th of March, there is going to be an auction in OKC. The address is 615 SW 27th. I thought you might be interested because they are selling a bell collection. The sale is being done by Wilford White. You might remember Wilford from his channel 5 days....."
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"I have added pictures of Veterans Lake to my web page of photos of Chickasaw National Recreation Area (Sulphur, OK). The Red Bud trees are in bloom and they are beautiful. I took the pictures on Tuesday."
http://www.homestead.com/Chickasaw1/veterans_panaramicview.html
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I had some more great pics to pass along, but this week was one of those rush rush rush weeks... ran out of time. But I'll have some really goods ones next Saturday. Be watching.

I guess a lot of you saw the Academy Awards last Sunday night. I don't usually watch that stuff, but I did that night. Of course my favorite singer was on there.... and sang The Prayer. It's a beautiful song, and I'll close with a line from that song by Celine Dion.

"We ask that life be kind, and watch us from above,
We hope each soul will find another soul to love"

See everyone next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

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From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, March 20, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 100

Plan B. Always have a Plan B. This week I ran out of space on my Brightnet of Oklahoma account. I had reached the limit they allow with all the jpg files I had been uploading without an extra charge. So, I went and opened an account with http://Fortunecity.com and started uploading my history files there. The links below will take you to my newest photos!

Last Saturday a friend and I went to the Hardy Murphy Coliseum to attend the National Wild Turkey Federation banquet. Everyone had a pretty good time.... even if we didn't win that rifle! But I did find out one thing.... I don't like wild turkey.... no matter how you cook it....even with BBQ sauce. Yuk. But really, it was a good evening and everyone had fun!
http://www.nwtf.org/

This past week I decided to play around with a DOS database program called PC-File. Myself and others for many years have used it for records storage. The database I tested, was configured for a date field of 8 characters. I cloned the database, increasing the date field to 10, so I could type in a four digit year. I then rebooted, hit the DEL key, changed the date to 03/15/2000 and saved and exited. Then I ran the old DOX computer, and PC-File, added a record typing the date in as 03/15/2000. I saved the record. When I pulled up that record, the date read: 19/03/20 Even though I had entered the year as 2000, it saved it as a two digits. I was told this is because the "source code" was still using 2 digits. January 1st is truly going to be interesting. hahaha

A friend sent me a URL with lots of screen savers. Including Celine Dion!
http://charter.freethemes.com/savers/music.htm#celinedionss

Here's a 1914 pic of the Radium Well and four bathhouses at Claremore, Oklahoma
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/clarbath.jpg

This is an unusual photo of the 1935 dust bowl years of in the town of Boise City, Oklahoma
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/boise.jpg

This is a 1941 postcard of White Eagle and his racing horse. The postcard was postmarked 1941 in El Reno, Oklahoma.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/weagle.jpg

Here is a 1919 photo of the English Kitchen Hotel in Sayre, Oklahoma.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/sayre.jpg

This is a glimpse of history. An old Clove can made by the Cains Coffee Company of Oklahoma City
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/cains.jpg

This is a 1912 photo of a street scene in Claremore, OK
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/clare12.jpg

In far western Oklahoma is Lone Wolf. This is a pic of the Lone Wolf public school of many years ago.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/lonewolf.jpg

Remember that Big Chief soda pop?
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/bigchief.jpg

Here's a 1910 pic of the Lawton, Oklahoma Indian school
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/lawind.jpg

This is a 1925 pic of the Blackwell, OK hospital.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/blackhsp.jpg

Here's a neat pic..... Pawnee Bill's in Pawnee, OK date: 1940
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/pbills.jpg

Several years ago there was a company in Oklahoma City called Oklahoma Tire & Supply. Here is one of their products
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/oklatin.jpg

Remember those old milk bottles? Here's one of Townley Milk in Oklahoma City.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/townley.jpg

Here's a good pic of the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/pawcrt2.jpg

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST

On September 13, 1933 Pauls Valley, Oklahoma police were investigating the poison death of that city's resident, Jim Taylor, age 55. The investigation would reveal a sickening set of events that led up to the death of Taylor. Taylor and Taylor's neighbor, T.J. Halsell, age 67, by mutual agreement, traded their daughters, 11 and 15, to become the child brides of each man. Social workers of that time were shocked, hardly believing such a happening had taken place in this small Oklahoma town. Here is a pic of Halsell with his 11 year old girl bride.
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/bride1.jpg
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/bride2.jpg

Speaking of sexual predators, Blaine County (Watonga, OK) just became the first in Oklahoma to place the names of convicted sexual predators on their website. Those listed live in Blaine County, Oklahoma. Child molesters... repulsive.... maybe this will help.
http://www.pldi.net/~blaineso/blaine_county_sexual_predator_pa.htm

RECENT FCC RULING by Jackie Bates, Brightnet of Oklahoma

Recently, the FCC ruled that any call to an Internet Service Provider is an interstate call (as opposed to a local call). However, at the same time they stated that in no way should this ruling have any effect on the cost of Internet service to the user.

The first part of that ruling would seem to indicate that the local telephone company should charge the Internet Service Provider access charges, just like they do the long distance companies (.02 - .05 per minute), but the second part of the ruling says they can't do that.

The only effect it seems to have right now, is if the internet service provider is buying local service from an alternative phone co., it may change how much that alternative phone co. has to pay the real phone co.

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"My father's name was William Adelbert Daniel. He was born in Dillard, OK in 1921. He is now deceased and my mother told me he was named after the doctor who delivered him who was William Adelbert Darling. I would love to see any history or pictures posted of Rexroat, Dillard and Wilson, OK. Maybe someone knows of Dr. W.A. Darling. I love the mailing list. Del Daniel in California" mailto:delbertd@ix.netcom.com
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"I graduated from Evergreen High (CO) in '56. Although I'm not aware of this museum the website covers it very well. I may have to go back just to visit the museum. I have passed this site address on to the other members of Evergreen alumni to assure that they visit it also. Once again, your "This & That" has made a big difference in a number of lives. THANK YOU!!"
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"What were the Silkwood girls' names? I graduated from AHS in '74, and if one of them was of driving age in '75, I probably knew who she was and never realized who her mother was."
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"I hope you saw the Friday, March 12 issue of the Wall Street Journal. On the front page is a story of the largest bell in the world. 12 feet tall 12 feet wide, 73,000 pounds, the clapper adds another 5,000. Will be shipped to Newport, KY in July...."
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"Butch, have you heard about an ICQ add-on called HoneyQ? It is supposed to allow you to use you video camera and sound card. It came on a CD-ROM disk that I received from ZDRewards.COM. I have not seen on any other shareware BB/FTP site. I have it loaded on my PC waiting for someone to connect with via ICQ."
http://www.honeysw.com/
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"Do not throw away your VCR in the year 2000. Set it on 1972 because the days will be the same. Thought u can use the info. Pass it on because u know the manufacturer will not share this info, they want u to buy a new one!!! Let's fool them and correct it ourselves."
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"I enjoyed seeing the picture of the old Convention Hall which as you mentioned was located where the Civic Center Auditorium is now. Next time you travel west on Bdwy you will see the wall of the old Hall is still in existence because with certain modifications it serves as the east outside wall of the Civic Center. This is true of the south wall also. The old Convention Hall was a much used building in its time but apparently its balcony and other structures were wearing out. I recall on one occasion, when I was a boy, that the building became overcrowded -- our worthy Fire Chief of that day, quickly had the building evacuated down to the level of audience that he declared to be safe...."
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"Mike's World of Live Radio Stations"
http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/place/abn39/index.html
"Oklahoma Radio Stations live on the Web"
http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/place/abn39/ok.htm
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"I noticed the one about "Bee's Gro." Can you tell me what year this was taken? The reason is that my Dad, Victor Thompson worked in the store for 17 years for B. Presley. Starting in (I think) 1968 or 69"
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"You have a very interesting and informative website which I found in my research effort to locate the name of Hardy Murphy's palomino/pinto horse. My husband recently purchased a Keystone Stereoptican Card entitled "The World's Greatest Educated Horse, Owned by Hardy Murphy of Ardmore, Okla., at Fort Worth, Texas, Stock Show Rodeo". We found your picture of the "dignitaries at the burial of Hardy Murphy's horse (in Ardmore)." You seem to be a person who might be able to furnish us with the name of this horse and perhaps some background on who Hardy Murphy was. All we've been able to find out is that there is a coliseum named after him....."
http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/italy/56/photos/oldbuck.jpg
mailto:debbiejo@a-znet.com
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"My mother was born in Ardmore I T in 1887 I have a note from a local bank of the time loaning my Grandfather $40 for expense money for a year of farming and a poem by my mothers older sister about Oklahoma dated 1903 it has 16 verses they were from Ardmore. also a letter my grandmother wrote from connerville Feb 20 1908 she was a writer to a local paper obits and such she wrote this to the mother of a woman that had died...."
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"Looking for information of Lake Murray, topo maps, early day photos, and newspaper articles anything pertaining Lake during WPA time period."
http://www.ou.edu/special/ogs-pttc/murray.htm
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I never cease to be amazed at the help that is available for the asking on the Net. We are trying to replace the cupola on top of the courthouse here, that had to be removed 40 years ago after a storm. We are looking at the replacement being a steel framework underneath, with copper sheeting covering the outside. I did a search for metallurgy info, and found plenty of help! I've learned that metallurgist recommend a buffer of stainless steel (washers?) sandwiched between the copper sheeting and the steel undercarriage. This is the way the Statue of Liberty was overhauled.
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/courttop.jpg

Next week I'll tell everyone about the largest bell in the world being made in France. The plan is to ring in the millennium at Newport, KY with this new bell!

Be sure and save that monitor for as long as you can, take advantage of the "energy saver" feature if your's has it. Click START, SETTINGS, then CONTROL PANEL, then DISPLAY. look at the bottom of the SCREENSAVER TAB and put the check marks in the boxes. Adjust the times to suit yourself.

Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.

See everyone next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

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From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, March 13, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 99

Last Sunday The Daily Ardmoreite had an article about the Karen Silkwood mystery. Karen Silkwood was working in the Kerr-McGee plant in Crescent, Oklahoma in the early 70s, and supposedly was exposed to radiation. Little did she know at that time, that her $4.00 an hour job would cost her her life. On November 13, 1974 she was going to meet a reporter and union leader that evening to give them an envelope with evidence proving the radiation hazards at the Crescent plant. Anyway, she was killed in an automobile accident on the way to the meeting in OKC. The wreck and her death has always been a mystery. Accident reconstructionists in Dallas said her Honda car was "pushed" from behind, causing the single car accident on the narrow, winding country road that evening. The envelope, by the way, was never found. After all these years, her three children decided make public statements about their mom and that tragedy.

Her ex-husband and her three children lived in Ardmore back then. I remember one of the two girls, forget which one, was making the drag in about 1986, and at "E" Street NW and West Broadway (behind First Methodist Church) she lost control of her car and hit a pole. She was slightly injured. I was the medic that day.

Here is a 1964 high school pic of Karen Silkwood, Nederland, TX where she is reported by Life Magazine as one of the "50 Most Influential Baby Boomers."
http://www.pathfinder.com/Life/boomers/silkwood.html

I found this Page that summarizes the life of Karen Silkwood:
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/SS/fsi35.html

Karen Silkwood is immortalized in a 1978 Irish song:
http://homepages.iol.ie/~pcassidy/carnsore/express.html

Here is where to buy the 1983 movie "Silkwood" for $8.00 plus $4 for shipping from Canada.
http://www.videoflicks.com/VF2/1019/1019004.ihtml

On April 17th Mike Wallace is doing a TV special entitled "The Perils of Whistleblowing" which includes the Silkwood case. At least the best I can tell, it is THIS April 17th.... hahaha
http://www.aetv.com/viewers/century/whistle.html

I wish someone would setup a website dedicated to Karen Silkwood and tell her story, her death, and its events.

In my February 13th issue of T&T I got my bells mixed up. The Antioch, OK bell I reported is an error. It should have read the Antioch Christian Church bell in Paden, OK
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/antiochb.jpg

This is an old pic of the Convention Center in Ardmore. It was located where the present day Civic Center is standing at "C" Street NW and West Broadway.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/ardcon.jpg

This is a very unique pic. It's the pre-1907 Ardmore Union Station next to the railroad track here in Ardmore.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/ardunion.jpg

This is a 1909 pic of Enid, Oklahoma. They had a trolley!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/enid09.jpg

Here is the Oklahoma Hospital in Tulsa as it was in 1917.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/okhosp17.jpg

In western Oklahoma is Washita County. There is a small community just SE of Cordell, Oklahoma called Cloud Chief. The first Federal and Territorial Court was held in March of 1893 in Cloud Chief. A troop of soldiers was sent along with the Oklahoma City judge to protect him along the way. At that time Cloud Chief was the county seat of Washita county. Here is a website with historical information on the tiny community.... some interesting reading and beautiful pics. The Page has some big color pics, so it takes a while to load.
http://marina.fortunecity.com//palmers/143/powwow/outlaw.html

ICQ now has some real competition. It's a free program similar to ICQ with some pretty neat features added.
http://www.webbe.com/home.htm

The Bee King Malt Shop is no longer on Main street in Marietta, Oklahoma. Here you can see a photo of this popular establishment
http://members.xoom.com/OzoneKISSfan/kingbee.htm
The reader that has this website also sent me a pic of his grandmother in Marietta, Oklahoma sitting on a Post Toastie box as a small child. A very unique photo he has....
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/toasties.jpg
Here is Main and Third in Mairetta, ok looking north west at the King theather before it was it.. the grocery store that was Bee's grocery store.. and the theather and maltshop.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/mainmar.jpg
And here's another one, probably from the Marietta, OK area he sent me. Does anyone recognize this building?
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/unknown.jpg

Drilling the Oklahoma City Fire horses before statehood.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/okcdrill.jpg

In my January 23, 1999 issue of T&T I mentioned that Brian McDaniel, a local welder, repaired the broken railing on the second floor of the courthouse. Here is a couple pics with Brian performing his artistic skills on the railing.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/railing1.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/railing2.jpg

For you gun enthusiasts, I received an email from a former Ardmoreite detailing the effects of muzzle movements and accuracy.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/muzzle.txt

I found a great Page to download software to restore your CDROM when you lose it. I've spoke about this several times the past three years, and I can not stress enough, the importance of being able to access your CDROM when Windows crashes and you can't get to the Windows 95/98 CD. Most of the time, if you can get to Drive D and type SETUP from the Windows 95 cd, go through the installation process, Windows will fix itself, and you don't lose everything on the Hard Drive. Anyway, I've found this piece of software to download that will make a boot disk with the CDROM drivers on it, IF YOU KNOW THE NAME/MODEL OF YOUR CDROM. Go to the START button, click on SETTINGS and then CONTROL PANEL. Under CONTROL PANEL you will find the SYSTEM Icon. Open it up and then click on the DEVICES Tab, then double click on the CDROM and see if it tells you what Brand and the Model number. Hopefully it will be there. Write this down, and tape it to the side of your computer. Believe me, you will need to know this sooner or later. Once you know what brand CDROM you have, you can continue with the program you downloaded from the link below, and make a Boot Disk. Someday you will be so glad you have that CDROM boot disk. I get a call quite often and to sum it up....... "I don't have a CDROM, what do I do?".
http://members.tripod.com/cdromgod/start.html

SigZag lets you create personalized e-mail signatures by combining ASCII art with memorable and interesting taglines. All of the necessary drawing tools are available, and you can choose from over 7,000 ASCII art pictures, 130 "figlet" And the best part of all is all these pics are free!
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Marina/4942/sigzag.htm

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"Butch, You need to schedule a vacation to Evergreen, CO. There is a museum in the mountains with thousands of bells. All different sizes, with interesting histories. I realize your main interest lies with OK bells but thought this might be an interesting side trip if you are ever up that way. I haven't seen it myself except for about two minutes on TV but know people that have....."
http://heartbeat-of-evergreen.com/bellmuseum/bell.html
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"Great stuff, as usual. Thanks for brightening up my day. Yesterday, I read in the Davis, OK, weekly paper that in March 1899, a family moved into the Davis Opera House (instead of building a new brick home). I haven't found anyone who has information about the Davis Opera House, and I was wandering if some of your readers might."
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"Well, now I'm hurt. Guess my bell just wasn't good enough to make your page.... I didn't even know you had a bell on your front porch. You gotta post that one."
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"...Buster Ned was also an interpreter for people who only spoke Chickasaw. I remember him serving at the Courthouse as an interpreter for some people about twenty years ago."
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"My father, B. Pete Jackson is from Wilson. His parents were Homer O. & Myrtle L. Jackson. H.O. owned Homer & Blackie's Barber Shop on Main St in downtown Wilson. (It could have been Blackie & Homer's) H.O. served as Mayor of Wilson, although we don't know the dates. They are both deceased now and are buried in the Hewitt cemetery.... I would love to see more history of Wilson and the surrounding area such as Rubottom, Dillard, Rexroat, etc.. Most of the old timers are gone now....."
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"got any history about the Ardmore airpark? i was out there recently, place seems to have some new life these days, actually some construction going on there near the dollar general building ppl might find stories bout that place interesting just a thought"
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"Here is some interesting information for This & That. In a conversation with a Bell Telephone representative, I found that a regular voice phone line will only connect a modem at a maximum rate of 28,800 or less. However, it may connect faster on occasion, but very seldom. A dedicated line might give a little more speed. To test your line go to US Robotics and run the line test program at the URL below. Print the instructions first"
http://www.3com.com/56k/need4_56k/linetest.html
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"I reviewed your web site and I was Oscar Wilkes name. My grandfather was Mack (Mac) Wilkes and I am in search of information about him...He died in Mississippi but his wife who divorced him moved to Ada Oaklahoma. I would like to get any information you may have on Mr. Wilkes. Do you know if Oscar had any children...." email mail: jhwilkes@mail.msn.com
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/wilkes.html
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I've been still trying to master MS Access.... and converting DBF files. I am making progress..... slow though. Also been playing around with Speakfreely. It works with ICQ, so all you have to do is click someone who also has Speakfreely into a voice chat... and the sound is very clear.
http://www.speakfreely.org
And the new Netscape 4.51 is out. Just be sure your computer has enough muscle to run it all......hahaha

The Carter County Clerk, Royce Moser, received her new computer network this week..... now they're learning all the new features that is in the KellPro land records program. Sure going to be nice!

Catch Celine Dion in a special interview session with Barbara Walters. The special will air on ABC on March 21, 1999 at 7:00p.m. Eastern. If you live on the west coast, the special will air after the Academy Awards.

"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."

See everyone next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, March 6, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 98

Over the past year, I have been collecting pics of bells. I now have a Page where anyone can view these beautiful big bells. If you have a bell you'd like to add to my collection, I'd love to have it!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/bells.html

Last week I promised to show you the bank notes issued by four Ardmore, Oklahoma bank around 1905. They were sent to me by an ex-Ardmoreite, Harold Pittman, who now lives in CA. This first one was issued by the old Exchange National Bank here in Ardmore. It's a 1902 series $50 dollar bill.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/exchbnk.jpg

This second on is a $20 bill issued by the First National Bank of Ardmore, it to is a 1902 series.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/fnbnkard.jpg

This next beauty is another 1902 series issued by the State National Bank of Ardmore. It's a $10 denomination.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/stnatbnk.jpg

And this last one is a $10 bill issued in 1907 by the National Bank of Ardmore.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/natbnkar.jpg

Last week I got a great pic of a couple bells in Tishomingo, OK. Here the bell outside the old Chickasaw Capitol Building. The bell was made about 1889.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chicbell.jpg

This is a pic of the bell beside the First Baptist Church in Tishomingo, OK.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/tishbell.jpg

Here is a pic of the old Chickasaw Capitol building in Tishomingo, OK. The building was built in 1898.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chiccap.jpg

Here's a pic of the old Robert Maxwell Harris building aka Bank of Chickasaw Nation in Tishomingo built in 1902. They are presently remodelling it, and are seeking donations.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/tshbank.jpg
On Sunday, February 21, 1999 The Daily Ardmoreite did a feature story on this old building and the restoration in progress.
http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/022199/new_museum.shtml

A few years ago Johnston County (Tishomingo, OK) built a new courthouse. This is a photo I took a couple weeks ago.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/johncrt.jpg

Last Saturday several people, myself included, met at the Carter County Annex Building to clean, index, and repair some of the old record books stored there. Some of these old 'red books" go back to statehood. Those who volunteered their time that Saturday were: Robin Ezell, Teresa Morgan, Angie Cox, Karen Volino, and myself. I tried my hand at recovering several of the books with some heavy canvas, while the girls were busy cleaning, indexing, sorting, etc. Here's a pic the Ardmoreite took:
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/morgan.jpg

The Mormon Church in Salt Lake City just put up a Family Tree genealogy website.
http://lds-online.com/family.htm

A friend passed along to me this week more info on the "worm" virus that I wrote about a couple weeks ago. I have had to deal with several viruses the past few years.... but this worm virus is probably the worst one I've seen. We all get email with file attachments..... and email from news groups.... each capable of carrying with it the worm virus. Here is a lot more info:
http://www.icon.co.zw/happy99.htm

A few months ago I went to Gainesville, Texas in search of information of the old WWII Fort Howze that used to be there. I found a folder at the library in Gainesville with some pics and info about the old prisoner of war camp and fort. This week a friend in Gainesville sent email saying the old fort may soon have some kind of activity??

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville Center, Alabama has sent us a 3" thick 3 ring binder. It's named "Final Work Plan for Ordnance and Explosive Sampling" Former Camp Howze, Gainesville Tx. I'll give you the introduction paragraph, and you can translate.... UXB International, Inc. of Ashburn, Virginia, will perform an Ordnance and Explosive Sampling at the Former Camp Howze, Gainesville,Texas under contract DACA87-97-D-0006, Delivery Order 0003 for the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Center. The notebook goes on to detail what they will do, and sampling areas. This will be approximately 800 100 ft X 100 foot grids, an area totaling 200 acres..located within the former camp boundaries. It's really interesting."
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/howze.jpg

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST

In the 70s Ardmore had someone better then a meteorologist when it came to predicting rain. He was a full blood Choctaw Indian by the name of Buster Ned. I never personally met Buster Ned, but I'd see him around town many times during those years. Buster Ned had instilled within himself, this uncanny ability to predict rain. One of his main signs for forecasting came from the hoot owl. There were other signs he'd look for, but the hoot owl proved to be the most reliable. In the late afternoons, around 4pm, if he heard the hoot owl on the land he lived on near Durwood, Oklahoma, he knew it would rain within two or three days. He was renowned throughout the area and respected by all. Buster Ned was quoted many times by Ardmoreite columnist "Mac" McGalliard. Buster was born to Frank and Elizabeth Parker Ned in the Marshall county community of Simpson, Oklahoma March 9, 1924. Here is a pic taken of a painting of Buster Ned that hangs in the Money Services business, #6 B Street Northwest, here in Ardmore.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/buster.jpg

Saturday April 17th is "Clean Up Day" at Lake Murray south of Ardmore. It's the 6 annual cleanup event. They are needing warm bodies to help keep Lake Murray beautiful. Everyone is going to meet at 8am that morning at Pecan Grove.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/clean.jpg

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"Also, I have some Cole family there in Ardmore just can't pinpoint them. They were there in the 1900's and he was a Veterinarian his name was Steve Cole, his dau married my gfather Moore and she died some where around there in childbirth got any suggestions?"
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"Do you volunteer with a non-profit agency that needs upgraded software? Microsoft South Central welcomes software donation requests from eligible non-profit organizations in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Through our local "Creating Access" program, we seek to bring the benefits of information technology to people and communities that otherwise would not have access to these technologies."
www.microsoft.com/southcentral/community
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"A quick note...mark June 19th on your calendars. Rusty Hudelson's Knights of the West have changed the date to a week later in June and the show will now be at the McAlester, Oklahoma High School Auditorium. Get your tickets early. Last year's show was a sellout! Hope to see you all there!!! More later! We take all major credit cards, checks, money orders, and CASH. Call: 918-423-4072 or 888-266-5569 for reservations. Tickets $10 adults/$6 for 12 yrs and under. See you at the SHOW! Schahara Hudelson"
http://www.musicmessage.com/
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"IS IT POSSIBLE TO VIEW COURT DOCKET IN PREVIOUS WEEKS ???"
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"I enjoy reading "This & That". For some reason, I cannot pull up the links that you provide to go to different locations. What suggestions do you have?">br> -------------------------------------------------------------
"You probably already have found this but just in case have fun" http://www.celineonline.com/
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Yesterday we received sad news...... the death of Janie Tipps, Secretary for the Carter County Election Board here. Janie was administrator for the election board for 17 years. She will be missed by many.
http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/030599/new_tipps.shtml

This week I happened to be in the office of one of this area's long time, area politicians. He does not have a computer. But he asked me to pass along the following words for thought:

"Nearly every reform that has taken place takes a bad situation and makes it worse and cost the taxpayers more money."

Everyone be careful out there.....See you next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, February 27, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 97

Yesterday I received from an ex-Ardmoreite, pics of Bank Notes issued by four different Ardmore, Oklahoma banks years ago. One each for Ardmore National Bank, State National Bank, Exchange National Bank and First National Bank. The dates on the bank notes are around 1905. I will have these beautiful pics for everyone to see in next Saturday's T&T!

Also yesterday I got back a roll of film I had developed. Got some great pics to share next Saturday with everyone.... this huge bell at the old Chickasaw Capitol building in Tishomingo, OK and a great pic of the 1898 building itself..... a pic of the bell at the First Baptist Church in Tishomingo.... one of the new Johnston County courthouse in Tish.... and one of the old Robert Maxwell Harris building in Tish, which by the way they are presently remodeling.

And I've almost finished my Page with pics of all the bells I've been telling about the past few months. I should have it ready by next Saturday. If you have a bell you wanted entered, send me a photo! I'm always looking for bells!

The past week or two I've been trying to learn how to use Microsoft Access to publish database files to the Internet. Has anyone had any experience with Access and Microsoft's Personal Web Server? I sure would like to hear from you!

A lady in northern Oklahoma sent me a URL that lists, along with photographs, every courthouse in Kansas. A police officer for the Salina, KS Police Department traveled to all 105 courthouses in Kansas and took a pic! I'm getting behind!
http://netspaceonline.com/~ggsoldan/Court2.htm
Plus he had about 7 famous shoot-outs, hangings, etc., from years ago.... some before 1900!
http://netspaceonline.com/~ggsoldan/shootings_and_hangings.htm

Last Monday, the 22nd, there was an article in the Daily Ardmoreite telling about the man who built 22 courthouses in Oklahoma, Mr. Soloman Andrew Layton. Here is the complete story, along with a photo of our courthouse maintenance chief, Donnie Collins. Donnie keeps all the mechanical stuff running!
http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/022299/new_court.shtml

In the late sixties I'd make the drag in Ardmore like most other teens. We'd go from the Sonic Drive-In on Grand Ave, traveling west to Highway 77, turning north on the west access lane. Going north a couple blocks, we'd turn in to Ponder's Super Dog. And that's pretty much what we'd do all evening, or until we got low on gas! I found an old 1972 newpaper with an ad in it from Ponder's Cafeteria, 819 North Commerce. In 1972 at Ponder's you could buy the daily special for less then a dollar. It included the daily special, a vegetable, hot roll or corn bread, and ice tea or coffee. Prices sure have change since then!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/ponders.jpg

Seven miles south of Ardmore is the most beautiful lake in all Oklahoma and north Texas..... Lake Murray. They have made so many improvements the past few years, it's better then ever! Here is a pic sent in by a reader this week of Lake Murray's Tucker Tower.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/ttower.jpg

This is a 1909 postcard of the Enid, Oklahoma State Bank.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/enidbank.jpg

I found a great program, thats free, to test your Win95 computer for Y2K problems. It took about five minutes to check mine, and it only had one problem...."unbuffered RTC", whatever that is. But the date rollovers did fine. The program performs 267 tests in 7 test groups, pretty intensive testing. The program does reboot your computer several times, and appears to be in a loop, but its not. Just let it go through the reboots. Learn more at:
http://www.accute.com/accuteyear2000/y2ktest95.html

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"In response to your question, "How far can the internet go? Nobody knows.". I must tell you I have found the answer. The link below will take you there."
http://opaldata.com/the_end/index.html
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"Hi Butch, I had an aunt that cooked at Post Oak in the late 40s. 2.5 mi North of Post Oak on the East side of the road was a school called Black Jack, I think they were closed at the same time, everybody went to Wilson."
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"Check your clock on your computer or some peace of equipment that is involved with sending out your "This & That". It shows your "T&T" being sent out at 9:10 A.M. on Saturday February 20th. I received it around 12:30 A.M. on Feb. 20th."
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"Have you got a picture of the bell in the Love County Courthouse? About 3 years ago I worked for Cathy Carlile in the Assessors office, and a friend and I snuck up there. It was kind of scary, real dark and all, of course we were trying to be sneaky, and later found out all we had to do was ask! But it was a magnificiant site, it is so huge."
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/morclock.html
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"Have you seen the bell at the church On Hiway 70 west of Kings Rd?" http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/westgate.jpg
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"Will you put a brief item in your "T&T" about the hi-fi I have and the 78 rpm records. After looking at the stack of records I would guess that I have about 150 to 175. Perhaps someone would be interested in buying." mailto:lwmac@brightok.net
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"Post Oak, Oklahoma is shown in _Roads of Oklahoma_, although with no indication it's anything more than a crossroads. All kinds of interesting and mostly forgotten place names are shown in _Roads of Oklahoma_...brings back memories."
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"this is all about viruses and computer hoaxes and myths" http://www.kumite.com/myths/home.htm
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".... a new bed and breakfast just east of Ardmore" http://www.oklahoma-lodging.com
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"....especially the glimpse into the past kinda stuff, but more specifically the info on Buck Garrett and Bud Ballew. Also, in a more recent This and That, you mention Sam Randolf, one time sheriff of Love County. Well thats a name I hadn't heard in a while and almost forgot about--the reason I rember the fellow is my great uncle "Sam" Riner was his deputy there back in the 30's, and Uncle Sam served as sheriff briefly after Randolf was killed."
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"National Historic Landmarks - Secretary Babbitt announced the designation of 15 new National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) in nine states last month. These newly designated landmarks encompass architectural, Native American, labor, cultural, community development, geological and archeological sites:

Boston Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Boston Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church is architecturally significant for several reasons - its style, the building materials used, its exemplification of a new trend in church design, and its use of artistic productions.

Guthrie Historic District, Guthrie, Oklahoma - This outstanding collection of late nineteen and early twentieth century commercial architecture displays the aspirations of the city's founders to create a city worthy of the distinction as the first and only territorial capital of Oklahoma (from 1890 to 1907) and then as the first state capital (from 1907 to 1910)."
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"I didn't think init strings were important with today's new modems and win95/98. But, ever since I bought my new computer with a 56K modem I've been getting terrible connect speeds. So.... I called tech support at SmokeSignals and the guy gave me a generic init string to put in win98. After I put it in I logged back on and connected at 57,600! Here's the generic init string he gave me:
AT&F&D0&K3&Q5S0=0
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"...i just want to tell you something that might benefit you. go check out unclaimed property, you just might find some lost money, i did, so go there and check it out, im sure glad i did." http://www.unclaimed.org/offices/index.html
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"Just a quick hello from Durant Oklahoma. I had heard that there was an old route across the Red via 78. I now have a great Sunday afternoon project to find it!"
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A couple of weeks ago I saw QTalk in use at a friend's house. We talked about 30 minutes to another friend in NV. I was amazed how clear the conversation was.
http://www.minidata.co.nz/qtalk/

Another program I've been told that lets two people talk with absolute clarity is Speak Freely. It's suppose to be even better then QTalk and best of all, its FREE!!!
http://www.speakfreely.org/

Been a lot of flu type stuff going on here in Oklahoma. And it can get rough too....... I know from experience. If you haven't had it, I hope you are spared. Our health is so important.

Be kind to yourself and others...see everyone next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, February 20, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 96

Last Saturday I kept getting one request after another from people to ADD them to my T&T mailing list.... I thought what is going on? In over two years I've never had so many requests in one day. One person gave me a hint in his email..... it was some kind of message posted on a genealogy Listserver. So I wrote him back and found out another friend here in Oklahoma had posted a message about the history stuff I have on my Home Page, and the ball started rolling after that. Here's one message that was posted on that Listserver: "Hey you all check out #4 in this digest and then someone tell me who this Bridges' guy is. I think it is a neat site! and of Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA!!! Love to you all, Bubba."

How far can the internet go? Nobody knows. Now you can download free software, sign up, pre-pay, and then print postage stamps directly to your envelopes! http://www.stamps.com

About six miles south of Wilson, Oklahoma on Highway 76.... in southwestern Carter county is the community of Post Oak. It no longer exist on the maps. There used to be a school there years ago. The Post Oak school house bell has been mounted there, at the Carter county, Love county line. Here are a couple of pics I took sometime back of the bell and memorial stone.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/postoak1.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/postoak2.jpg

About 25 miles southwest of Henryetta, Oklahoma is the little community of Dustin. Here is a 1914 postcard from Dustin that's kind of comical. It reads "They come high in Dustin, OK" and it shows a lady pulling her dress up to reveal socks that go all the way up the leg. The male onlooker is taking it all in!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/dustinok.jpg

This is an old pic of the Colcord building in Oklahoma City. Boy, do I remember that building, I had just turned eighteen and Uncle Sam gave me my first, free bus ride to see it..... hahaha
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/colcord.jpg

This is a 1908 photo of the hospital at Ft Supply, Oklahoma.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/ftsupply.jpg

And here's a neat glimpse into the past.... a Promissory Note written by the implement dealers Hatch & Moore of Kingfisher, Oklahoma Territory, way back in 1902. That's five years before statehood!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/kingpro.jpg

This is a check written on the Commercial National Bank of Muskogee, Oklahoma. It was endorsed by Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph Company one year before statehood.... a 1906 photo.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/muskchk.jpg

Here's a pic a friend sent me of the bell at the Corinth Baptist Church in Sawyer, Oklahoma... in far, far SE Oklahoma.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/coribell.jpg

In far western Oklahoma is Ellis County. This is a 1917 pic of the courthouse at Arnett, OK
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/ellisco.jpg

Here's a 1913 pic of the Crowell Building in McAlester, Oklahoma
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/crowell.jpg

In far north central Oklahoma, about 5 miles from the Kansas border is the little community of Braman, Oklahoma. Here's a 1940s pic of the Braman Main Street, looking south.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/braman.jpg

This is the Comanche courthouse at Lawton, OK in 1908.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/comancrt.jpg

And you modern day housewives, be glad you didn't live in this "grasshouse" at Anadarko, Oklahoma. A 1906 photo.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/grasshse.jpg

A present day photo of the Pawhuska, OK (Osage County) courthouse.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/pawcourt.jpg

Here's a pic of a nice bell at the Byars, Oklahoma Baptist Church (18 miles NE of Pauls Valley.) The little town of Byars used to have a lot of businesses on both sides of Highway 59..... now just mostly empty, run down buildings.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/byarsbel.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/byarsblg.jpg

In 1898 the St Agnes Catholic School opened up on the west side of E Street SW (next to the church) here in Ardmore. It was a boarding school for many years. Sometime during that period it was moved across the street to 118 "E" SW. Weekend before last, it was opened as St Agnes Inn, a bed and breakfast by its new owners Jim & Maxine Huggins. Here's a pic of it today.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/stagb&b1.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/stagcard.jpg

EZPad is a freeware HTML editor that comes loaded with all of the tools you need to publish on the Web. The tabbed interface is intelligently designed, and an internal page previewer provides you with instant feedback when you make changes. There are over a dozen wizards for performing almost any type of complex HTML task, and advanced features like right-click tag editing, template support, and drag-and-drop link creation make EZPad an excellent entry-level choice.
http://www.mmedia.is/ezpad/

Hey, you want a free computer? They're giving away 10,000!!!
http://www.free-pc.com

We have a new publication in Oklahoma called County Works. It's dedicated to county government in Oklahoma. The first issue, January 1999, featured Carter County District 2 and the bridge building progress made by Commissioner Kevin Robinson since 1991.
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/krobin.html

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"Per your request I have sent you a picture of the Bryan County Court House in Durant, Oklahoma. This picture was taken in the early 1970's...."
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/bryancrt.jpg
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"just to let you know, I did my Oklahoma & Federal tax return at http://www.securetax.com this week too.... and yes i had problems with it also... didn't get the state sent off.... and once you e-file you can't go back and add anything. So had to snail mail the state in... hehheh could not figure out why they kept asking for the state that i lived in since i opened it in the state.. next year i will know better... (they need to explain that part a little better)... just thought i would let you know..."
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"Please add my screen name to your mailing list. I stumbled across your page and missed breakfast cuz I got so involved in reading your back issues!"
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"These bank notes were not printed by the local bank, but by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, as all money has been for many years. It was issued by the Bank of Chandler. The idea of local banks issuing money now seems strange to us, but it was common in an earlier day. In fact, it was what many banks were really organized to do. If you go to any coin show, and many antique shows and flea markets, you'll find vendors who have some of these old notes for sale. They were issued by banks all over the country, including many in Oklahoma. Catalogs of such notes have been published."
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chanbill.jpg
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"World's Smallest Web Server... check it out"
http://wearables.stanford.edu
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"I Remember that August night when the UFO's came, we were camped out at Lake Murray near the Old Rock Tower on the east side of the lake when it happened. Thanks for the nostalgia!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ufo.html
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"The Cole line is from Ardmore. Mr. Steve Cole was a vet there and his daughter Christie E. Cole married my gfather Farris Richard Moore b.1880 ARK d.1928 Caddo Co. Does anyone know these Coles?" -------------------------------------------------------------
"Thanks for the worm update in the T&T and yes i had one but got rid of it. Thanks for the timely tip"
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"Once in a while a piece of genuine good news comes out about Y2K. However, upon further analysis many of these stories are simply bad news masquerading as good news. Read Michael's editorial comments at http://www.michaelhyatt.com "
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"I received a letter that I am forwarding to the Genealogical society. It is from a woman named Marjorie Gray. Her mother was born in Ardmore in 1906. Her father was raised in Brock. She is looking for a 1912 to 1915 newspaper article about a shooting in Brock. Her grandfather, John W. Hughes was a witness. The shooting involved a Dr. Merritt and her grandfather appeared in court as a witness to the shooting. Her father is 91 and never changes his story. She is looking for any information that she can find. Her name is Marjorie Hughes Gray and she lives at 9641 Rufus Ave. , Whittier, CA 90604."
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This week after months of frustration, I finally got the Novell network at the courthouse working fine with the Internet access that is available to us through the Ardmore Telecommunications Group (Ardmore Public Library). Now any authorized Novell workstation can have Internet access!

I received email from an ex-Ardmoreite and friend this week letting me know she and her husband have just produced an amazing music CD entitled, "Romancing the Tones"! Here's how they summed up this specially produced CD:

"This romance music couples legendary sounds of the decades with 90's technology, perfected in an unbroken mood... sensual sounds for sharing unforgettable romantic musical moments with your special someone." http://www.musicmessage.com/Romance.htm

Though most of their concerts are in Texas... on June 12th they'll be in McAlester, Oklahoma. If you're near one of Schahara and Rusty Hudleson's musical presentations, you can bet your attendance will be a fun filled experience! Here's the dates and places where they will be:
http://www.musicmessage.com/knights.html

And coming soon! http://164.58.96.252

I been trying to scan color negatives. Anyone done this?

One more thing, the EMachines are coming. EMachines are Korean built computers, complete systems, that sell for $399 each. The price does not include the monitor. It will be interesting to see just exactly what these "emachines" are.

Share a smile with a friend.....See everyone next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, February 13, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 95

I had a special book given to me by a friend this week. It's an anniversary issue book on the death of the Queen of Hearts, Lady Diana. I think she is the most remarkable lady of my lifetime.... I can still hear those bells of Westminster Abbey.
http://www.baker-taylor.com/BTBPromos/dianaqos.html
If you have RealPlayer, you can go to this site and click on the 'bells' link and hear those bells, just like was done after the funeral and during the procession through town (about 50 minutes).
http://www.Westminster-abbey.org/
Or if you don't have RealPlayer, there is still a lot of interesting info there on the Westminster Abbey Website.

Got a neat pic off eBay this week, a pic of the Logan County High School in 1909 at Guthrie, Oklahoma.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/logan.jpg

Here is a 1910 check drawn on the First National Bank of Vinita, Oklahoma on a seller of horses and mules. I found it on eBay too.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/vinita.jpg

And here's an old pic of the Logan County courthouse.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/logancrt.jpg

I have a couple of Oklahoma Consumer Tax Tokens. Here is one:
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/oldage.jpg

Someone gave me this photo of the bell in front of the Prague, Oklahoma Fire Department. Now this is the kind of bell I want!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/pragbell.jpg

Here's a $20 bill drawn on the Bank of Chandler, Oklahoma in 1929.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chanbill.jpg

I'm still looking for photos of Oklahoma courthouses. Here's one of the Kay County Courthouse in Newkirk, Oklahoma sent in by a friend.
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/kaycourt.jpg
If you have or can get me a photo of the courthouse in your county, I'd really like to have it. Right now I only have about seven.
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/chouses.html

This is the bell beside the Antioch Christian Church in Paden, OK
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/antiochb.jpg

This is the bell beside the First Baptist Church, Grandfield, OK
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/grandbel.jpg

Last week my memory failed me. When I received that pic of Baby Face Nelson, I thought that was the gangster who was arrested in Ardmore in the 30s. I was wrong. It was Harvey Bailey and here is the scoop on this 1933 gangster arrested in Ardmore:

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST

Monday, September 4, 1933 in Ardmore, Oklahoma, a car chase took place that would make headlines across the country. Harvey Bailey, outlaw, was being held in jail at Dallas for kidnapping Oklahoma City oil man and millionaire, Charles F. Urschel. The Dallas county jail, constructed in 1914 in the southwest corner of Main and Houston streets, was consider escape proof. But somehow, a gun was slipped to Harvey Bailey, he took a jailor captive, and the two fled in the jailor's car. Bailey was associated with the mob. It was on his farm that police arrested one of the key murderers of the Valentine Massacre in Chicago. Machine Gun Kelley and Bailey were the suspected kidnappers of oilman Urschel. Washington DC anti-crime administrators had even sent 6 Army airplanes in search of Bailey.

After fleeing the Dallas jail, Bailey took back roads to Oklahoma. Love county Sheriff Sam Randolph received a tip that Bailey was in the Ardmore area. Soon afterward, Bailey stopped his car to get gasoline and was noticed immediately. Ardmore Police Chief Hale Dunn, and detectives Bennett Wallace and Raymond Shoemaker gave chase to Bailey, leading them on a wild chase through Ardmore. At the corner of North Washington and Second Street in front of the Mulkey Hotel, Bailey lost control of his car, hit the curb, and broke the spokes away from the tire. He was immediately surrounded by police and taken into custody. Jailor Nick Tresp, a hostage, was unharmed in the crash.

I remember my Dad, R.V. Bridges, telling me that he was in the Army Reserves at the time. When they moved Bailey from the city hall jail, my dad and another Army reserve was posted on top of the old Coca Cola building across the street (where the County Detention Center is now located) with a machine gun. He felt kind of silly being posted up there with two machine guns. There were spectators all over the area when they came out with Bailey, and he said there was no way they could shoot without hitting a lot of innocent bystanders.

WINDOW DRESSING

WindowBlinds is a neat little utility that lets you change the look and feel of your Windows desktop. It lets you modify the style of title bars, buttons, checkboxes, toolbars, and more. The system icon can be placed on title bars, buttons can be placed on the title bar for launching specific programs, and double-clicking on the title bar can have an assigned action. You can even have sounds play when you press buttons or perform other actions. WindowBlinds comes with four "skins", each with a unique look, and you can download additional skins from the author's Web site or create your own.
http://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/

Do you have a worm? I subscribe to a message Listserver and one of the subscribers on it sent in a message along with an attached file. He didn't know, and did not mean to do it intentionally, but he had a virus in the file. So if the recipient double clicked on the file and ran it, then they to had the virus. The file was the happy99.exe and was some fireworks exploding on screen. Several other people on the Listserver, who opened the file, did get the "worm" and had to get rid of it with their anti-virus software.

Here is the way a subscriber on the Listserver said to check and see if this "worm" is already on your computer:

"This works for Win95, and should work as well for Win98.
Go to the Start Button, and then choose Run.
In the Run window type "regedit" without the quotes and press Enter.
This should open the Registry Editing Window.
Go to Edit, then to Find.
In the Find What Window, type "SKA" without the quotes and press the Find Next Button.
This search could take a long time.
If you receive notice that Windows is finished searching the registry, then you do not have this virus. If the right window in the Registry Editor shows the entry SKA.exe, then you need to get the updated virus file from your product's producer and follow the instructions."

I did this on my computer, and I didn't have the worm...... :-) McAfee addresses this virus with a fix at:
http://beta.nai.com/public/datafiles/valerts/vinfo/w32ska.htm
Symantec Anti-Virus talks about and has a fix at:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/happy99.worm.html
And the moral to this story? Don't except any file attachments to emails, unless you know for sure they are clean of viruses.

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"I'm panicking! Didn't receive my T&T today....hope you are ok."
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"Of everything in your mailing, this one I will argue.... With alot of hours on the net, and alot of sites visited, I've never had a problem with a cookie... And, I will be using them soon for tracking purposes myself... So as I can mark "New" just next to the items that are new since your last visit, and I have a couple other things I'm thinking about implementing with them... So, I would recommend accepting them only from known sites, but not just flat out refusing them... Asides from that, interesting reading ;)"
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"My mom and her sisters were sent to Chiloco (Oklahoma) boarding school small world, huh.... later" http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chilo13.jpg
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"In this weeks T&T you talked about all the virus alerts that are hoaxes. I have a relative at MIT. He is one of those computer nerd types. He told my brother in law last year that many of those are started by hackers wanting to get a long list of e mail address. Since spaming is not supposed to happen, this is a way of them getting a lot of people to add their e mail addresses to something and they hope they can get it back or intercept it somewhere down the line and then they will have hundreds of addresses. They suggest that if you just really feel you have to pass along an alert, please be courteous and remove the senders address before you send it on."
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"Butch, This is a picture of some of the dignitaries at the burial of Hardy Murphy's horse (in Ardmore). Reading left to right they are: Floyd Randolph, Jim Askew Sr., Jim Askew Jr. Hardy Murphy, Mayor Iley Oxford, City Mgr. Emmet Brown, Ray Colvert, Unknown, Quintin Little, Carl Holden and Guy Harris."
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/hmhorse.jpg
Note: In this old photo you can see the locomotive that's at the Hardy Murphy Coliseum here in Ardmore in the background. It sure was in great condition at that time. It's really deteriorating now.
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"I am looking for a Sheriff Sullivan, who is a sheriff in a town around OKC....."
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"I know you just luv this tech stuff, here is something I just found that is really high tech! A real time 32-bit OS that runs from a single floppy disk." http://www.qnx.com/iat/how.html
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I did my Oklahoma & Federal tax return at http://www.securetax.com this week. Some problems trying to figure out what to do next in some of the steps, but I guess it's okay. It was free and using the electronic refund deposit, a person has their refund in a couple days. You have to have an email address to submit your Returns using securetax.com.

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

Friday I had a unexpected surprise.... I was gone from my office for a few, and when I returned, my friends Rick and his wife and his office manager, Sharon, had left me a Valentine gift... Pineapple pie! Everyone wanted a piece of it... and I held them off as long as I could, but I finally gave in and let several of my co-workers have an itty bitty taste... hahaha. Friends, they make life worth living.

Spend time with your special Valentine....see you next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Butch Bridges

Saturday, February 6, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 94

I've installed the email program Aureate Group Mail that I mentioned last Saturday. It seems to be a great program for anyone who wants to "publish" a newsletter to a list of email addresses. I was even able to import my 500 email addys into the new program. It has a spell checker, and a free plug-in that verifies the email addresses for correctness before sending out the newsletter. It's free but to stop the advertisement nags, one has to pay a $49.95 registration fee. Well worth the price.
http://software.aureate.com/group_mail.html
So those of you who always wanted to publish a newletter for your church, school, office, civic club, organization or whoever, and didn't have the program to do it with, Group Mail by Aureate is a good choice! Update: 500 mailouts took 31/2 minutes!

Here's an old pic of the Tulsa, Oklahoma County Courthouse.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/tulsaco.jpg

This is a 1911 photo of a spewing oil well at Muskogee, Oklahoma.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/musk1911.jpg

This is an old pic of Oklahoma City in 1910. It's a view of Broadway street looking north, you can even see the trolley car.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/okc1910.jpg

I'm not sure what a "route card" is but this is a photo of the official route card of the Stevens Bros Circus of Hugo, Oklahoma.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/circusok.jpg

Last Saturday I made a mistake in my paragraph on the Ardmore Club Lake. The Ardmore Club Lake where Foster Stoner built the log cabin out of Bell Telephone poles, is located at the northwest edge of Ardmore. The Chickasaw Lake Club is located in the northeast edge of Ardmore (north of Noble Foundation). The interesting thing about the Chickasaw Lake Club is that it burned a couple years ago and there is now a new club there. The old club building is where parts of the 1973 movie Dillinger was filmed.

A reader sent me a photo of gangster Baby Face Nelson
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/nelson.jpg
http://www.fbi.gov/famcases/nelson.htm

This week a reader sent an email that instills a spirit of patriotism and touched me more than usual. It is an email that I want to pass along to everyone right now.... and not below in The Mailbag. It truly makes me want to travel to Philadelphia and touch that bell. Here is that moving message:

"Butch, I was reading the latest T&T and got to thinking about last March when I went to a death penalty seminar in Philadelphia. Although the time schedule didn't leave any time for sightseeing, being a lawyer I was darned sure not going to leave Philly without visiting the Independence Hall area! If the birthplace of the Constitution isn't sacred ground to a lawyer, then truly, nothing is sacred to anyone."

"I was with another attorney friend that I used to work with who had just moved to Chicago. We walked into the building and there were only a couple of other people there; they were on their way out. Terri and I walked up and were looking at the bell and the Park Service guard read our minds and said, "It's okay. You can touch it." Of course, we did."

"Butch, it felt ALIVE. My fingers seemed to vibrate even after I pulled them away. Terri felt it too. We both must have been standing there looking flabbergasted when the guard said, "Yeah, it does the same thing to me when I touch it." It was simply incredible. I could still feel it in my fingers a half-hour later."

"The government is planning on remounting the bell on a pedestal that will be to high to touch. If you can get to Philly before they do, I recommend that you do so. I'd like to know if it does everybody that way."

"A few minutes later I managed to work my arm through the iron bars and touch Ben Franklin's gravestone. In sort of a sad commentary on modern life, a homeless man had set up housekeeping over a steam grate not ten feet from where Franklin rests."
Randy Evers, Oklahoma City

Here's some info on Ben Franklin
http://www.english.udel.edu/lemay/franklin/

One reader sent in the directions to Ten Acre Rock north of Ravia, OK: "In Ravia, turn North into Hwy #1 and proceed to Troy. On the Right corner of Ten Acre Rock Road, which is now unidentifiable by street name sign, there stands an old weathered gas station with a dilapidated red in roof. Turn right and proceed down the road about 2 miles and watch on your right for a puling parking area. You will find this area at about what is the rock's mid-section. Park in there. It's a straight-up climb to the top of the rock so wear shoes with some grip."

When asked to take a "cookie" from a website, always refuse. You may want to set you browser to refuse cookies. Better safe then sorry.

In far north central Oklahoma, about 15 miles north of Ponca City, just before you reach the Kansas border is Chilocco, Oklahoma. Here is an old 1913 photo of Haworth Hall, Chilocco Indian School. They even had a bell!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chilo13.jpg

And in very far northeastern Oklahoma is Picher, Oklahoma. In fact, on the map Picher looks about 50 feet from the Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas borders. This is an old 1944 photo of Flems Cafe in Picher.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/picher.jpg

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"Hey Butch.....Foster Stoner's cabin was not at Chickasaw Lake Club. It was and still is at ARDMORE Club Lake.... Just thought I'd let you know the facts." :)
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"I set up a page with the four photos of my paintings at:"
http://www.homestead.com/oilpainting
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"Just been reading this and that and would like to tell you about our church bells. We have a peal of 6 bells - which is not a full peal but the church tower which is 800 years old is not strong enough to carry the weight of a full 8 peal. There is a thriving team of campanologists (bell-ringers) in the village and it is wonderful to hear them ring the changes for half an hour on a Sunday Morning or for a wedding...."
England
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"The only advantage (if you can call win98 an advantage) is that early versions on Windows95 did not ship with a 32 bit FAT, it was shipped on many OEM computers as a 16 bit FAT, 32-bit File System. So upgrading to windows98 is the only way those computers can get a true FAT 32 windows operating system. There were exceptions later, if you were lucky enough to get a new OEM computer with windows95 OSR/2 installed, then it had one of the last versions of windows95 (B or C after the ID number in device manager)with the FAT 32 32-bit File system."
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"I surely do enjoy reading your "THIS & THAT". I used to come up that way and visit my Aunt and Uncle (Dr. and Mrs. Carlo Ball). He was a dentist and a good one at that."
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"Enjoyed this and that this morning. Have you read the poem by Edgar Allen Poe (The Bells)? If not would you like to read it? I have all ten of his books, very interesting."
http://www.hauntedamerica.com/thehaunted/fame/poeworks/bells.htm
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"I'm an artist from Ardmore, and am inviting you to check out my work"
http://members.tripod.com/shaneporter/
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"These so called "Virus Alerts" in which you are instructed not to open/read an email message because it will erase you drive or do some other system damage are HOAXES. They are designed to clog email systems with useless messages. The more people who forward these messages, the more it slows the Internet. A virus cannot infect your computer by you simply opening an email message. However, files attached to email could contain viruses. You should never open an attached file without first checking it for viruses with a utility such as Norton AntiVirus.... If you feel you must forward email such as this, please visit a web site such as the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html to check and see whether it is listed as a hoax or not. If it is, please don't perpetuate it."
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"Hi Butch: I was standing on Ten Acre Rock just a couple of hours ago. It has to have been a sacred place sometime back and it is sad to see the trashing and the spray paint graffiti which have occurred since I was last there in July. This place is an Oklahoma treasure and ought to be protected somehow. It is a place which inspires and it is hard to understand why for some it only seems a good place to be destructive. From the amount of broken glass and beer cans, it is obviously operating as an "open bar". Too bad the property cannot come under the protection of an agency such as the Nature Conservancy. It is so sad that such beautiful places are more frequently the targets of disrespect and eventually destruction. We live in one of the most beautiful regions of the country and maybe each of us needs to actively advocate for appreciation of that fact. Thanks Butch, for the picture." -------------------------------------------------------------
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The past week I've been busy learning about Microsoft's Personal Web Server. It comes free on the Win98 CD under Plugins and then PWS. I installed it on an old 133mz computer with 8 megs of memory, so give it time to load. If you install PWS on your computer, before it will work, you have to load winipcfg.exe in the C:\WINDOWS directory. Now you can host your own website when you're on the Web!
http://164.58.96.253
http://www.studiodeluxe.net/pws/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/pws/

Don't forget Sunday evening the 7th "The 60s" special airs on TV.

I think there may be some true meaning to this......
"Many who have spent a lifetime in it can tell us less of love than the child that lost a dog yesterday."

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: bridges@brightok.net (Butch Bridges)

Saturday, January 30, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 93

I was told this week something interesting about Win95. If Win95 is the operating system you have, no need to go pay more dough for the Win98 upgrade. Just Install Internet Explorer 4.02 or higher and your Win95 will be upgraded to Win98. IE 4.01 will not run on Win95. So, when you install IE, it has all the same files that Win98 has. I doubt if Mr. Gates is going to tell this in a news briefing.

Every now and then I do something that even amazes me. The other day I got to thinking how people in jail, waiting to go into the Oklahoma prison system, need (ask) to know what items they can take with them on that first day to the prison. So, I sent email to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, asked if they could list these items on their website, and guess what? They said yes, and that it was a great idea. Something so simple, so needed, and so easy to accomplish via their website.
http://www.doc.state.ok.us/

This week a friend of mine at the courthouse said she and her dad were going to "ten mile rock" this weekend. I thought for a second, and come to find out she meant Ten Acre Rock north of Ravia, Oklahoma. My mind flashed back to childhood, where a number of people would be sitting in a row of chairs, the first person would whisper something to the person on the right, then they would whisper it to the person on their right, and so on. When the last person heard the message, it was usually nothing like it started out. Anyway, back to Ten Acre Rock, it is said all the granite used in the Oklahoma state capitol came from that granite quarry. Ten Acre Rock is on private property, but I've heard people can still go there for a look-see. Here's a pic of Ten Acre Rock. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/tenacre2.jpg

During the late 60s, I used to visit Mr. Foster Stoner's log cabin at Ardmore Club Lake at the northwest edge of Ardmore. For two summers, before his retirement from Bell Telephone, he and his wife would travel from their home in Oklahoma City to Ardmore Club Lake to build on their log cabin. Guess where the logs he used came from? They were telephone poles! The one thing I remember is Mr. Stoner catching catfish out of that lake. They never ate fish so he'd always give me a mess of superb, cleaned catfish on my visits!

Here is an old pic of Chickasaw Lake Club as it was years ago. Chickasaw Lake Club is at the northeast edge of Ardmore....... Not to be confused with the Ardmore Lake Club at the northwest edge of Ardmore where Mr. Stoner lived when he was alive.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chicklk.jpg

Speaking of the 60s, I see on Sunday, February 7th, there will be a television special about the 60s. That should be interesting.

I think I have seen it all now. At Christmas some friends of mine in Australia sent me one of their calendars. When I first looked at it I didn't see January 31st. But then at second look, I see they printed January 31st in the UPPER left hand corner..... what my friends didn't realize, was something like that can mess an Okie all up. hahahahaha
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/aussie31.jpg

If you'd like to publish a newsletter by email, try this free program.
http://software.aureate.com/group_mail.html

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"My Grandfather, George Washington Bunch, went to the land drawing at Guthrie (OK) in 1901 and got a quarter section of land 2 miles north and 1 mile west of Lone Wolf (from the watertower end of town) and moved there from Cedar Vale Kansas in a covered wagon with his new bride."
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"I loved the picture of the Oklahoma City Court House. I thought I remembered that beautiful old building was red sandstone (I think it was red) when I was a kid but this picture doesn't seem red does it? I am so sorry they tore it down instead of saving it."
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/okcojail.jpg
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"This week you mentioned your fascination with "bells" and I immediately recalled many things that this subject brought to my mind. I remember the bells at the Presbyterian church in Ardmore & how beautifully they rang out across the town every evening when I was growing up. I still enjoy listening to them very much. I also remember how, as a young boy, I joined my friends in tossing rocks up to the belfry & listing for the bell to sing out to us, what a great sound. I remember the old steam locomotives when they came down the track, ringing their bell as a warning - it was a musical reminder to everyone that danger was approaching. How my old pioneer aunt, out on the farm down in Choctaw County rang a bell mounted on a pole to call the field hands to come in for dinner. The Methodist Church at Lone Grove had a large bell located on a mounting right at ground level. We rang in the New Year one year but the population of Lone Grove at that time was only 510 & nobody seemed to even notice the terrible clamor we were causing. I think the hand-bell music that some churches perform is a wonderful expression of worship. Edgar Allen Poe wrote a rather lengthy poem entitle "The Bells" I think few people really understood it and surely no one tried to memorize it, but I suppose he also was fascinated by the bells. Oh yes, "The Liberty Bell" the symbol of our freedom is still on display in Philadelphia, lest we forget one of our most precious possessions. Our Flag rates right up there with the Liberty Bell. Thanks for listening."
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"Two 'blue moons' are scheduled to happen within the next three months, according to Roger Sinnott of "Sky & Telescope" magazine, who says a blue moon occurs when two full moons appear in the same month. The second full moon is considered the "blue moon". This month, a second full moon will take place on January 31st, and the phenomenon will repeat itself in March with full moons on March 1st and 31st. Sinnott says about seven blue moons occur every 19 years, but it's rare for two to occur in the same year. In fact, you'll have to wait until 2018 before two blue moons will once again appear in the same year."
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After several days of fighting some kind of crud, I finally got over it, and on the mend now. But I did have to get an antibiotic, but sometimes that is necessary. Our health is so important. We will spend our last dollar trying to regain our health.

See everyone next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: bridges@brightok.net (Butch Bridges)

Saturday, January 23, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 92

An old eyesore on the second floor of the courthouse was repaired last Monday. It took a welding truck and the talents of local welder Brian McDaniel to turn a broken piece of the cast iron railing on the second floor, back into a piece of beautiful artwork. Cast iron is not easy to weld, but Brian made it look so easy. Here's the story, along with a color photo, the Ardmoreite ran on the project.
http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/012099/new_weding.shtml

A friend gave me this photo of the bell outside the City Hall in Chandler, Oklahoma. Boy, I'd sure like to ring this.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/chanbell.jpg

This cute little bell is in front of the First Baptist Church in Valliant, Oklahoma. Valliant is way over in southeastern Oklahoma where those pine trees grow as thick as hops.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/vallbell.jpg

I guess some of you are wondering why have shown these pics from time to time of bells? Well, there is a method to my madness. I am planning to make a webpage soon where people can visit and see these Oklahoma bells.

Here's a pic of Guthrie, Oklahoma around 1910
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/guthrie.jpg

This is the Oklahoma County courthouse and jail many years ago. I don't know the year, but you can be sure Oklahoma City was young.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/okcojail.jpg

In 1904, that's before Oklahoma was admitted to the Union (1907), Shawnee, Oklahoma had a cable car system.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/shawnee.jpg

In southeast Oklahoma is another little town by the name of Hugo, Oklahoma. Here's a pic of the beautiful train depot there in Hugo. Barely visible in the far right side is "Wells Fargo & Co. Express"
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/hugodepo.jpg

This is an engine that's located beside the depot there in Hugo.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/hugoengi.jpg

And here is even another, much older train engine that is also kept at the Hugo depot.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/hugoloco.jpg

What many people do not know is they give train rides out of the Hugo depot several times a week during the summer season. One time it may take you south into Texas and then back. Another day the train will travel up north of Hugo for a few miles and back. Each trip is on the average a half day of fun. Here's the number to the Hugo Heritage Railroad 580-326-6630 Their toll free number is 1-888-773-3768 and the address is PO Box 577 Hugo, OK 74743
http://chamber-commerce.ci.stigler.ok.us/kc/Hugo.htm

Check your stocks, read the news, and more. Avenger runs on your PC, connecting to the Internet to retrieve your e-mail. You can also have it check stock quotes, retrieve local weather forecasts, and download news headlines. Avenger then calls your alphanumeric paging service and sends your waiting information to your pager.
Avenger 2.29, Windows 95/98/NT Freeware:
http://www.avengersoftware.com/pager/page2.html

Cacheman is a utility which tweaks the disk cache settings and prevents frequent swapping of the data to disk resulting in an improved performance. One of the biggest faults of Windows 9x is the disk cache management strategy. After all the available physical memory (RAM) is exhausted Windows 9x starts to use virtual memory instead of flushing the disk caches which puts a drain on your system. In order to correct this chaotic and weird behavior you need to edit the SYSTEM.INI file. Cacheman changes all that ! No more mucking about in the SYSTEM.INI file manually. Increase performance up to 25%. Cacheman is Free!
http://members.xoom.com/ultimatum/cacheman.htm

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"...The name is Foot Dillard, not Flip. He is 81 years old now and still alive."
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"Another phone area code (323) went into effect today, but the old (213) remains in downtown Los Angeles only. That makes 21 area codes in California now, most of which are in the L.A. area. See how lucky you are in Oklahoma?"
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I've a lot more pics to show, just not enough space to do it. Plus this week I had a flu bug or something, so I'm not quite up to par.

As I've searched for history the past few years I've learned to appreciation our freedom of speech. I can go to the library and look at an old 1910 newspaper. Try that same thing in many other countries. So I'll leave you with this thought....
Whenever books are burned, men also in the end are burned.

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: bridges@brightok.net (Butch Bridges)

Saturday, January 16, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 91

As I mentioned in last week's T&T, January 8th was Elvis Presley's birthday and we had a live broadcast in celebration from the court house. Here is the article from the front page of The Daily Ardmoreite on the special event, along with a color photo that appeared with the newspaper article. You can click the picture for a much larger view of the photo that was taken that morning in the "Elvis Room" by Ardmoreite staff photographer Steve Biehn.
http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/010899/new_elvis.shtml

I had an interesting phone call last week from a man in Amarillo, Texas. He owns a badge of a local Deputy Sheriff from years ago by the name of Flip Dillard. Flip Dillard is the name on the badge and he lived in the Wilson, Oklahoma area (western Carter county). Deputy Dillard was appointed by the most famous sheriff of this county, Buck Garrett (1911). The owner of the badge, L.F. Blake, is looking for anyone who may know Flip Dillard, be kin to him, or know relatives of Buck Garrett. Please write or call Mr. Blake if you can be of any help to him.
L.F. Blake, 3909 Cheyenne Terrace, Amarillo TX 79106 Ph 1-806-373-0386

If it's an old movie you want to look up, find out who starred in it, etc., I found a great site. I did a search for the movie Dillinger and did some reading on it. Something interesting I found was Ben Johnson who played Purvis was born just east of Ponca City, Oklahoma near Shidler, OK. Another reader told me Ben Johnson used to own a large ranch in that area, this might explain the connection between Ben Johnson and northern Oklahoma. Here is the URL
http://us.imdb.com/Title?Dillinger+(1973)
And here's the website of the International Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com>br>

On January 15th Oklahoma became the first state in the Union to allow taxpayers to submit their returns, State and Federal, free of charge over the Internet.
http://www.oktax.state.ok.us

TaxACT 98 is a program to do your tax returns..... and its free!
http://www.taxact.com/products/tastandard.asp

The next generation search engine and it's free too!
http://express.infoseek.com/

The Millennium starts here......
http://millennium.greenwich2000.com/countdown/index.htm

Several weeks ago, one reader asked if the mural was still on the side of the building at "B" and West Main here in Ardmore. The artist was Pete Foster, and one reader told me Pete travels all over the state placing his work of art on the side of buildings and walls.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/foster.jpg

The Treasurers Office at the courthouse is always busy, but on the last business day of December, it's like grand central station. This last December 31st was no exception, with property taxpayers lined up all the way out the door and into the rotunda area of the first floor.
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/dec31.jpg

Here is a 1943 Ardmore, OK Coca Cola Bottling Company check
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/cokechk.jpg

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST By Senator Ernest Martin, Retired

Most citizens of Oklahoma have some knowledge, or at least have heard, of the illustrious W.H. Murray a.k.a. Alfalfa Bill Murray. The things that come to mind by many Oklahomans is a recalling of some outlandish or gutsy something he performed when he was Governor of this great state. Most everyone will know that he was Governor of the State of Oklahoma but few will know that he was the 9th Governor, serving from Jan 1931 to Jan 1935. Many people will recall reading that he practically wrote the Constitution of Okla when he served as President of the Constitutional Convention (the Con-Con) when the delegates were meeting to create the laws that would govern this Great State, all before the Territory was approved for Statehood and its ratification and approval by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907. Many citizens wont know that he was Speaker of The State House of Representatives from 1907-1908. Later he was elected to, and served as a member of the 63rd & 64th United States Congress.

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"Check out the new Fort Washita (Oklahoma) Tour Guide that I finished yesterday and it is much more informative than the old one. The eight page guides are now available from the fort or the Oklahoma Historical Society."
http://www.texoma-ok.com/trooper/sitemap.htm
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"Grover Wells was a relative of mine. Would you send me the e-mail address for the person who gave you the Hudson-Houston Lumber Co picture you featured in your Jan 9 This & That saying "...Grover Wells (my grandfather)..."
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"I saw where the links were lost to my dad's work on the cemeteries. Here are the new links. Genweb changed them."
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
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"...doing a great job with the paper, I look forward to it ever week and usually setting here waiting when it comes in on Friday nights."
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"Really enjoy reading This & That. Especially when I read the note from the Oklahoma person now residing in Refugio, Texas. My Grandmother, Nancy Kelley Rea, married Judge Hugh Rea in Refugio, Texas, where he was a circuit judge. His portrait hangs in the courthouse. My mother, Catherine Rea Conroy, and her five sisters lived and were married in Refugio...This & That confirms this is a small world!"
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...the Cruce property joined the Mt. Washington (school) property on the south ...This may be where the shed is located. Dorothy Cruce married A.W. DeMoss. He is dead and I don't know her status. Could the grandaughter have been a DeMoss offspring? Cruces later owned and lived in the Cruce Apartments across from the Orthodox Baptist Church. Mr. Cruce had a dairy earlier on the Bridges property. Lee Cruce, James' brother, was governor as you know."
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/cruce.html
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Enough for this week..... going to fix some French Vanilla Cappuccino (I make it with milk), and hit the send button, and hope the Net is good to me. And here's some food for thought.... Some people have a large circle of friends while others have only friends that they like.

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

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From: bridges@brightok.net (Butch Bridges)

Saturday, January 9, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 90

January 8th was Elvis Presley's birthday. KVSO DJ Al Hamilton did a live broadcast from the "Elvis Room" at the Court Clerks Office The room has probably the largest accumulation of Elvis memorabilia in the state of Oklahoma. Here's "Adequate Al" at work in the Elvis Room that morning from 7am to 9am.
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/elvham2.jpg
And we even had a birthday cake!
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/elvcake.jpg
Here's a recent pic of all the ladies at the court clerks office
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/crtgang.jpg

Last Saturday things were a little messed up. My Internet Provider had some kind of problem with my URL and email. I was unable to get any email for 12 hours, I couldn't FTP into my website, and my Home Page was a little screwy. None of the links on it worked nor did any links from my T&T work. I called them, they had it all working in about an hour. Hope someone's email to me that day didn't get lost.

Here is a great site with some valuable information on food, electricity, metals, etc., necessities in Y2K.
http://www.mty2k.com

I had another one of those dastardly typo's last week. Here's the website to find out more about that "Meet The Beatles CD"
http://www.voyagerco.com

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST "Pop City, Oklahoma" by
Kenneth Updike-------- pkudmu@brightok.net

"Just a short story about a small place in Oklahoma. We were "transferred" to Pop City, in 1942. My dad worked for an oil company and we moved from Kansas into a company house on a small lease just one mile east of St. Louis, Oklahoma and Maud, Ok. The name of this little burg was "Pop City". It had three filling stations, 2 on the south side of Hiway 59 and one on the north. This is all that was there. An elderly lady owned the 2 stations on the South side of 59. While we were living there she acquired a boyfriend, (I can remember his name was Walter). They closed one of the two stations and he continued to run the other one. I was only in the second grade at St. Louis and it never occurred to me or I wasn't inquisitive enough to found out how Pop City got its name. We lived there almost two years before Dad was transferred to another company camp just east of Seminole, Oklahoma. Some forty years later I was "transferred" to Wilson, Oklahoma. I was working for an oil company, just like my Dad. I met a man named "Slim" Patrick who lived on Dillard Rd., (he is deceased now). We were talking about little towns in Oklahoma and I told him I had once lived in Pop City. He allowed that he had lived there one time too. He asked me if I knew how it got its name? If course I had no idea. He told me that one day he was sitting on a bench at one of the filling stations in Pop City. (This was in the late 30's or early 40's, he couldn't remember), when a Govt census taker drove up into the station, got out, introduced himself. He told Slim that he was taking a population census for the Government and could Slim tell him how many people lived here in this place. Slim told him all the people he knew which was everybody there. The gentleman thanked him and started to leave, when he turned and asked Slim what was the name of this place? Slim told him it didn't have a name. The fellow was persistent and said it has got to have a name so I can file it with my reports. Slim was looking down at the ground and there was nothing but pop bottle caps strewn around being used for gravel to keep the cars from getting stuck in the driveway. He looked up at the man and told him "you might as well call it Pop City, that's about all we sell around here." And that's how it got its name. Mr Patrick told me this story to be true. And he had such a ring of truth and sincerity in his voice at that time, I just had to believe him. Thought you would enjoy this little tid bit. I know how much I enjoy your tales on T&T."

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"....Dylan is my pride and Joy I do not know what I would do without him. He is 3 now and was DX with Leukemia @ age 2. He is doing VERY well and takes his Chemo like a trooper, it is amazing what children can go through and still have that sweet little sunshine face. My letter is not one of despair, it is one of hope. I ask that you post this for anyone who is going through the things we have. I have read your T&T for quite some time and feel bad that I have not said something sooner (had to help ourselves before I was strong enough to help others). If any of you out there have a young one with Leukemia and want some pointers on how to get them to take the meds or questions or just want to talk, please Email me...I would love to help." Dianne Jones------ Jones95@ionet.net
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"I was born in OKC, and now live in the small town of Refugio, TX. I stumbled onto your page one day and signed up for your newsletter. I have enjoyed it so much. I just wanted to say thank your for all the info about my home state. Keep up your wonderful work...."
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"Thanks for the Kingston Info. Have you ever considered putting something in the newsletter about the time the Beatles's stayed at the Goddard Ranch (north of Ardmore) back in the 60's. I heard that they stayed there while doing their Dallas tour. I don't know it to be a fact but the source who told me is pretty reliable."
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> Have you given any thought to what this new wide area calling program,
> that Southwestern Bell is offering, will do for the internet community
> in Oklahoma? Since we can now get unlimited calls to any number in the
> 405 or 580 area codes, we can use just about any ISP in the state.

"The Oklahoma Panhandle is not included even though its area code is 580."
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"...found this old clipping of my dad when he was custom harvesting and was a member of the flying farmers of Oklahoma. Any of your readers ever pass over this old clipping? It didn't have a date or what newspaper it came out of. Would love to hear from anyone who might have known my dad during those custom harvesting days (probably in the 1940s or so) and would love to hear from anyone who knew him when he was the Democratic State Chairman in the early 1960s."
http://www.geocities.com/~lkwagner/nwnews.html
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"I really enjoy the 'This and That' which is forwarded to my family. How about some history of Springer for your mailbag? It is a shame that we lost the "Cemetery Burial Records in Carter County". Something that good never does last, does it?"
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"The picture of the men and the horses was taken at Hudson-Houston Lumber Co. in Ardmore in 1914. From left are Mr Hudson, Mr Bramlett (on bike), (the next two are unidentified), Grover Wells (my grand father), and the man driving the team is King Lindsey. Man standing on top of wagon is also unidentified."
http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/photos/hhlbr.jpg
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"....If you need to get out 100% of the time. Never, Never, Never have a busy. Then hook up on Prodigy and experience just that no Busy signals. Really, I have never had a busy signal since I have been on Prodigy. They have a local Ardmore number and they are capable of handling 56K if the lines will."
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"Thanks for the info on the KVSO broadcast on Friday...I just got the official Graceland tour book as a gift for Christmas from my sister-in-law...so your timing is perfect! We toured Graceland way back in 1988 before they opened the kitchen to tourists and this book has pictures of the kitchen, which they have now added to the tour ...My mother-in-law is a big Elvis fan (she has pictures all over her bedroom) and she is the same age...her birthday is this month, too! I'll be sure to listen in and thanks again for letting us all know... you're a "PEACH" !!!
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"Today is my daughter and my birthday, just got the Elvis thing, and thought I would share this with you. Happy Birthday to me!!"
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"Back in 1974, I begged my husband, who was working in Tulsa then, to get us tickets for the Elvis concert there (I had a small child then and couldn't stand in line that long) He wouldn't do it, so I never got to see one of E's concerts although my sister did (later that month in OKC)..and after he died, my husband finally took us to see one of the many "impersonators"...needless to say, I felt cheated and robbed !!!
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"Thanks, Butch, I sent this to my daughter-in-law. She is also an Elvis fan deluxe!
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A road to a friend's house is never long. See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges

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From: bridges@brightok.net (Butch Bridges)

Saturday, January 2, 1999 Vol 3 Issue 89

I've really been having some fun listening to that Hard Days Night Beatles CD the Lantrips gave me for Christmas. There are so many songs and movie clips on there, that takes a person back to the mid 60s and the group that literally caused a revolution. They were the most famous rock group that ever lived. I remember our parents and grandparents in those days talking about how "awful" that Beatles music was. Looking back, their music was better then some of todays, that's for sure.

In 1965 I had never heard of the Beatles until one day in high school, a classmate brought to school that day a Life Magazine and on the cover were those fab four. Some of us looked at those faces on the front of that Life Magazine, and thought...... so what? Little did we know that in a few months those Englishmen would arrive in America and turn this country upside down and the young people into a state of frenzy.

I still have their first album "Meet The Beatles" plus eight other 45rpm records by the Beatles. Lady Madonna, Ticket To Ride, A Hard Days Night, We Can Work It Out, Honey Don't, Nowhere Man, Help!, and I Want To Hold Your Hand. Here's a website dedicated to that one Beatles album.
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Studio/7779/beatle02.html
And here is one of those 45s I still have from my teens
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/iwantto.jpg
Here's a good website dedicated just to the Beatles with lots of links
http://members.tripod.com/~loopi/index.html
Here's the website to find out about that Meet The Beatles CD
http://www.voyagerco.com

If you live in Oklahoma and need forms, schedules, help, or the soon available Oklahoma Tax Program, just go to.......
http://www.oktax.state.ok.us/oktax/forms.html#taxprog

Last weekend I found some interesting pieces of history in the most unlikely place. About 35 miles east of Ardmore on Highway 70 is Kingston, Oklahoma. I've been through there a thousand times, but this time I stopped at Dennis and Tonsi's Bar-B-Que Shack for one of my favorites, BBQ sandwich. Low and behold, on the walls of their eatery were over 25 photos of Kingston's past. Most were taken right after statehood (1907). Tonsi told me the photos were originally owned by Kingston resident Phillip Lindsay. I talked to Mr. Lindsay later and he told me he has more old Kingston photos at his home. I'm going to get with him, do some scanning, and I'll show you more glimpses in Kingston, Oklahoma's past soon! Also have you heard of Silver City, Oklahoma? Mr. Lindsay told me about this unusual piece of Oklahoma history....... more later.

This is a view of their eatery
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/bbqshack.jpg

View of the inside with the old photos mounted around the walls
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/bbqview.jpg

Here is one photo on the wall, the Kingston Railroad Depot in 1907.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/kingdep.jpg

Here is Dennis and Tonsi's business card of their Kingston BBQ Shack.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/photos/bettis.jpg

BTW, Dennis and Tonsi's BBQ was delicious! If you're down that way, stop in, order a BBQ sand and take a step back in time. Tell them you heard about the old photos from me.

SOME LETTERS FROM THE MAILBAG

"My Great Uncle was an employee of the Rock Island Railroad in Shawnee Oklahoma his name is Frank Randolf Wood. We are looking for information about him, your assistance is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Chet Austin" mailto:pmh1@mail.swbell.net
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"Have enjoyed T&T all this year, usually find something in there that catches my eye. Like you I love Oklahoma, and its history. Those are the items in T&T that usually grab me, but you do a good job of finding a little something for everyone. Just wanted to drop you a note to tell you that you do a good job, plenty of us appreciate it, keep up the good work. Happy Holidays"
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"I store all of the copies of "This & That" in a folder called "Journal" and I just noticed at the bottom of my screen that it contains 50 messages which means I only missed two of them in a year's time. I can't tell you how much I enjoy them and look forward to them each week......"
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"I know how you love finding new search engines, so try this one out" http://www.google.com
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"The pictures of the cotton gin fire had to be made in 1944 - I was home on leave shortly thereafter & the cotton bales were still smoldering. Leroy McDaniel's Dad once operated a filling station that was located where Dodson Floral is now in business"
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ginfire1.jpg
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"Just a note to let you know that your organization, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, is featured at the GuideStar Web site http://www.guidestar.org on the News Spotlight page. In the left side bar, click on This Week to view the nonprofits in the spotlight. Each week, we highlight some of our member organizations which provide similar services. Washington D.C. is home to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. This week GuideStar highlights a few organizations that work in our nation's capitol."
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"Carter County Deputy Sheriff Bud Ballew is buried at Lone Grove Cemetery just as you mentioned; but as I recall the original marker had a picture of Bud Ballew on the face of the stone. The vandals & perhaps souvenir collectors defaced the stone so badly that the marker was replaced with the one you have pictured here"
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ballew3.jpg
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"Did you know Celine has a new cd out? its called "These Days Are Special". I got it today it has a really good song called "I'm Your Angel" you gotta hear it if you havent."
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"I think 1999 will be exciting. With the Y2K problem hanging over most folks, it will at least be entertaining. Have a good day and a great start in the New Year!"
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"Have you given any thought to what this new wide area calling program, that Southwestern Bell is offering, will do for the internet community in Oklahoma? Since we can now get unlimited calls to any number in the 405 or 580 area codes, we can use just about any ISP in the state. Where before I was limited to Chickasaw.com unless I wanted to make a toll call, I can now use Brightok.net, Ardmore.com, or even the big ones like AOL, MSN or Prodigy. Why don't you check out what's available in Oklahoma and give us a report in T&T. Shoot, some of us may want to subscribe to a service out of Oklahoma City, Lawton, Durant or someplace else. There just may be some bargains out there!"
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Have you filled out the American Family Publishers Sweepstakes for a chance at that $11 Million? Thirty-two cents = $11 Million. That's a pretty good return. hahahaha

Lastly, thanks to all who sent the New Year well wishes, and I hope we all have a prosperous and healthy 1999 filled with peace and love.

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
ICQ Number 7140238

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