PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402 Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net Phone: 580-490-6823
Ardmoreite Lisa Strohm Holden took the photo below this week of old Engine 1108 located next to the Hardy Murphy Coliseum. The locomotive was moved in 1955 next to the coliseum, the move was financed by oilman and Ardmoreite Waco Turner.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/Engine1108Nov2012.jpg
On Monday, September 27, 1915 Martial Law was declared in Ardmore Oklahoma by Ardmore Chief of Police Bob Hutchins as a result of what would from that day forward be known as the “big explosion”. A railroad worker caused some kind of spark while working on a 250 gallon gasoline tanker near East Main and the Santa Fe Railroad tracks. The explosion was so great that it nearly demolished the entire downtown business district of Ardmore. Dozens of people were killed and many more injured by falling stone walls and flying glass. People and even mule teams were buried by the rubble. Local authorities sent out by telegraph a cry for help. Oklahoma City would respond with doctors, nurses and medical supplies. They dispatched the needed people and supplies on a special train to Ardmore. It was said that Engine 1108 traveled the 100 miles in record time. The actual locomotive that made that “run of mercy” was finally placed on display here in Ardmore at the coliseum and is still there as a reminder of that 1915 disaster.
The following is from Sally Gray‘s book, Territory Town: The Ardmore Story:
For the second time, Ardmore proved that it was a town too tough to die after surviving another major disaster in 1915. A 250 barrel tanker railroad car, designated I.N.T.X, 8051, parked in the 93 degree Oklahoma heat and carrying casinghead gasoline, exploded on the tracks, destroying the Union Depot, killing forty-nine people and injuring dozens more. The eastern sector of the city was once again demolished. Many downtown buildings which were not destroyed, suffered major damage. Three blocks away from the blast, Charles R. Smith standing on Main Street and M.E. Atkins on Washington were killed by dislodged stones hurtling downward from the shaken buildings. Windows and glass fronts were shattered as far as half a mile away.
Hardy Sanitarium’s thirty-five beds were soon filled as more than a hundred victims came running or were carried by friends or family. Soon the hospital grounds were crowded with cots brought by Ardmore’s citizens to fill the need in this emergency. Within hours, emergency relief in the form of doctors and nurses poured into the city as Santa Fe engineer Lawrence O. Freeman kept the throttle wide open on locomotive #1108, roaring through signals between Gainesville, Texas and Ardmore to rush to the aid of the injured. Freeman made the run in record time, hitting speeds of ninety miles per hour at times. Risk was no stranger to this engineer who had some in Ardmore in 1898 after discharge from the army following his service in the Spanish-American War. With a group of cronies, he arrived broke and hungry and extremely grateful for the compassion of Ardmoreite Jake Bodovitz, who supplied the former soldiers with groceries from his market on Broadway. The men pitched camp at Whittington Park, cooked and ate and lived there until they found employment. Later, Freeman spent some time railroading in Mexico before returning to Ardmore to live out his days.
SUTLER: A civilian merchant who sells provisions to an army in the field, in camp or in quarters. The sutler sold wares from the back of a wagon or a temporary tent, allowing them to travel along with an army or to remote military outposts. Sutler’s wagons were associated with the military while chuck wagons served a similar purpose for civilian wagon trains and outposts
The old Monty’s Diner in Lone Grove, recently the Longhorn Diner, has re-opened under the name Eggs Etc. We stopped in there last Saturday morning and had an excellent breakfast. Keeping with our Paleo Diet, the only thing I could order was eggs and sausage and coffee without sugar. But those eggs, over easy, were perfect! Here is a pic I took of the outside of this establishment.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/EggsEtcOutside111012.jpg
And inside is one of the best kept secrets in this county, a great place and great food, at great prices!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/EggsEtcInside111012.jpg
Our Paleo Diet is really making a difference. The biggest adjustments are forgoing all dairy products including milk, no cereals (I loved cereal in the mornings), and sweets especially CHOCOLATE! And one thing I’ve missed on our allowed meats to eat is ketchup, so I did a search and found a make-it-yourself Paleo Ketchup online. Can’t wait to try it.
https://oklahomahistory.net/paleo/PaleoKetchup.rtf
https://oklahomahistory.net/paleodiet.html
Oklahoma History Revisited by Larry Guthrie, Sulphur
Question: How many baseball players from Oklahoma played in the Majors?
Answer:
* 50-53
* 100-105
* 150-154
* 197-200
Jesse Barnes (1892 to 1961) was the first.
Email Butch with your favorite.
From This and That newsletter archives of November 15, 1998:
Nine miles north of Ardmore, Oklahoma is the small town of Springer. It had been a town long before statehood in 1907. In 1910 this little bustling city almost became a town in name only. On a Friday evening in September, a fire broke out in the Post Office. Before the fire could be stopped, many Main street businesses would be destroyed, including the Post Office, D.M Sellers General Store, Eskew Drug Store, Kuntz Bros Blacksmith Shop, the building used by the Masons, Woodmen of the World, and the Oddfellows. Also several buildings owned by Robert Scivally would be destroyed. (Mr. Scivally was the first County Commissioner of Carter county.) When townspeople and firefighters saw their town was about to be totally destroyed by the raging fire, they resorted to dynamite to stop the flames.
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Remember that old movie The Day The Earth Stood Still? The alien spacecraft decided to stop everything in the world that ran on electricity for one minute at precisely high noon as a show of power. Or how about the old Dennis the Menace series? Or maybe Ozzie and Harriett? If you remember the “a little dab will do you” commercial, then you do go way back.
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Old Man Winter has come to Oklahoma. Snow across the NW and northern parts. I hope he doesn’t send any south of the Arbuckle Mountains.
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore area……
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
“Dear Friends, I regret to inform you Silver Dollar City has decided to discontinue the Barn Dance at Silver Dollar City in 2013. My band and I provided the music for the Barn Dance for 16 consecutive years. I knew it had to end someday. Martha and I, along with Don, Smiley, Kenny and Jerald, wish to thank you for your support and friendship. Please stay in touch and hopefully our trails will cross again soon.” -Les Gilliam, The Oklahoma Balladeer
“Butch: I loved reading the letter sent you by the late Ronnie Roberts, my dear departed friend. Ronnie spoke about being in Dillinger and it brought back a lot of memories. He wrote about being in a shot at Gene Autry and I can add a few more details. Ronnie, Wayne Warthen, Merle Salthouse and I were in an old A-model Ford with the great star Ben Johnson. It was about 2 a.m. and our car’s right front seal beam was out so a mechanic was working on it to restore the headlight, in the rain. Naturally we did a lot of star talking while we sat for over an hour in the old car. I told Ben Johnson that I had noticed in the film The Last Picture Show that near the end when its time for the great cattle run north to start, the director had mixed a shot of a very young Ben Johnson into a bevy of cowpokes on rearing horses. Johnson was impressed and said “you’re the only person who has ever caught that.” Naturally that was a pleasing compliment to me. I later asked the usual star/fan question: “What’s your favorite film that you’ve been in?” Ben didn’t hesitate and said “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.” That 1949 film starred John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar and Johnson, who played Sgt. Tyree. Victor McLaglen was also in the movie. I might add that Ben Johnson was the most courteous, friendliest person I have ever met. A classic gentleman.” -james clark
“Butch, I would like to share this great fruit and nut cake which originated many many years in Healdton by my step Mother’s mother, Mabel King Feeney who operated King’s drive-in there for many years. Mabel Feeney of Healdton and Norman was the best old-fashioned home cook I have known. She inspired me to get into the ‘art of cooking’ and was the first to introduce me to the sights and smells of The Crescent Market at The Plaza Court downtown Oklahoma City which changed my life. The Crescent was an exotic mix of smells, beautiful meats, squeaky wooden floors, and temptations that appealed to this young 16 year old aspiring cook. This cake was Mabel ‘s original recipe and she made it every Thanksgiving so it could ‘ripen’ in time for Christmas giving or better yet, eating.
The Bishop’s Cake
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
5 extra large eggs
1 lb. candied pineapple, cut in bite-sized pieces
4 cups pecans halves
1 lb. candied cherries, halved
3/4cup flour ( total amount )
1/2teaspoon baking powder
1/4teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon extract
2 tablespoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour an angel cake pan. Set aside.
Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Dredge pineapple, nuts and candied cherries in flour. Combine the remaining flour (from dredging) with baking powder and salt. Add fruit to creamed mixture with lemon extract and vanilla.
Bake in well-greased and floured angel food pan 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees and continue baking 1 1/2 hours. Cool.
I like to wrap this cake in cheesecloth
Sprinkle it with dark rum and Grand Marnier or another oranges flavored liqueur and place in a tin with tight-fitting cover. Best if it ripens a couple of weeks. I usually add more liqueurs after a week to keep it moist. To serve, cut in very thin slices with sharp knife. Makes one 4-pound cake.
Recipe courtesy of Chef John Bennett, Oklahoma City Chef_okc@yahoo.com
For those wishing to download and save or printout the above recipe, I have created a doc file just for that purpose.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/BishopFruitcake.rtf
“We moved to Ardmore in 1950 and Lila Stout was the organist at First Methodist, I think James Hawk was the choir director. The Stouts moved from Ardmore sometime in the 50’s but I’m not sure what year and don’t know who came after that. I remember the Coffmans and I think they also attended.”
“Butch, I am surprised no one has voiced an Amen on the Paleo diet. My son has been on and off it for a couple of years now and has lost about 30 + pounds. He stays with it pretty well but is able to go off it on special occasions without much weight gain. Anyway just thought I would let you know there are others who have had success with it.”
Title: 3rd Saturday Sidewalk Sale
Date: Saturday November 17, 2012
Time: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm
Location: 1100 Woodall-Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX
http://www.sidewalksale.com/
“Does anyone have a picture of the swinging car bridge on the bayou where the low water crossing is now? This is where the county is going to build a new bridge. The swinging bridge abutments are still sort of there.” -Flash Burris flashbur@brightok.net
FRANK, DEAN, SAMMY AND JOHNNY! This is a rare clip! You will never see their likes again! This show is at Kiel Opera House in St Louis — June 1965 — when Carson hosted the Tonight Show. The Rat Pack were playing Vegas but visited. This is supposed to be the ONLY time Johnny Carson sang in public! Quincy Jones was conducting the Count Basie band, and he is visible in the background.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=VPH0-g25Vl8
1950s – My Dad and I were driving down a country road one day. I was just learning to drive and he was letting me practice driving down this road. He was an avid hunter and always carried a .22 rifle with him. In case we might see a squirrel. He looked up ahead and saw a crow sitting on top of a telephone pole. He told me in a whispering voice, “dont stop, dont stop, just slow down” as he pulled his rifle out of the seat and stuck it out the window. I said “but Dad, you told me never shoot a bird off a line or pole as you might hit the wire and break it in too.” About that time the crow rose up from the pole and my Dad killed it in mid air, saying as he shot, “I’m not.” -Ken@Wilson
I ran across a couple of things this week you might find interesting.
First is the “Dollar Shave Club” http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/ They send you a free handle, then refill blades each month in the mail. They have three plans: for $1 a month you get 5 twin bladed cartridges a month – you pay postage with this package. For $4 a month, you get 4 four blade cartridges a month, no postage fee. And for $6 a month, you get 3 six blade cartridges a month. This looks like a better deal than even the dollar store razors.
Next, I came across an article about an Oklahoma company that is making motorcycle engines
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/11/us-highland-bikes/ . The company, US Highland, relocated to Tulsa from Sweden to make custom bikes and engines in 2010. Unfortunately, last year the major partners were killed in a plane crash. A new CEO and president formerly from Harley-Davidson and Indian, John Fitzpatric, has been at the helm since Sept. 2011. Early this year, Fitzpatrick signed a lease for 17,000 square feet of factory space near Tulsa. Highland is set to deliver their first new bike, the classic-styled Street Tracker, in January 2013. Alongside the bike, they?ll begin fulfilling engine orders, too. US Highland will start by making a single-cylinder model that?ll be available with 350, 450, and U507cc of displacement. A V-Twin will follow, and customers can get just an engine and drop it into an ATV or generator, or put a full order in for a complete bike. Besides the Street Tracker, an ATV and off-road bike will appear sometime next year. US Highland web page – http://www.ushighland.com/ I’m *really* looking forward to this. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to afford one but the street bikes look sweet. -Dan Major, Norman, Oklahoma
Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
have the wish, I wish tonight.
We’ll make a wish, and do as dreamers do,
and all our wishes (all our wishes),
will come true.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
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Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
https://oklahomahistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
Ardmore School Criterions
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com
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