This and That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication

 www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 20 Issue 1004      Circulation 5,000       April 21, 2016

PO Box 2

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

email address:  butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net

580-490-6823


Tomorrow, Friday April 22nd at 2:00pm the Greater Southwest Historical Museum in Ardmore will be hosting 5 survivors of the 1966 plane crash NE of Ardmore, and around 40 family members of the those who died in the crash. Admiral Wesley Hull of the museum has a truly nice program planned for all who attend. Seating for 90+ will be setup inside the museum. The event is open to the public starting at promptly at 2:00pm and ending at 5:00pm.  Hope to see some of you there!

The survivors expected to be in attendance are: Dennis Heins and his wife, Virginia; Terry Mayers and his wife, Nebraska; Danny McNutt and his wife, California; Rosalio Tobias and his wife and 16 family members, Texas and Ted Edwards and his wife of Wyoming.

After all the rain the past few days, Turner Falls is flowing tons of water.  This photo was taken Monday April 18th.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/TurnerFalls041816b.jpg

Teamsters at Wirt, Oklahoma (west of Healdton) about 1900.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/TeamstersWirtOK.jpg

March 1932
Mystery surrounds the origin of the fire which early today destroyed Dixon Consolidated School. Loss was estimated at $15,000. This is the second time in five years that the school building has been destroyed by fire. School will now be held in the Protestant Methodist Church and in the old Clinton School abandoned several years ago following consolidation.

March 1956
Repulsive as they may be, says a scientist, the worms found in the drinking water in Peoria, Illinois merely add a little more protein to drinker's diets. Some of the worms were up to three eighths of an inch. "They are completely harmless," says Dr. Max Suter.

March 1988
Two Lone Grove fireman were injured while fighting a fast-moving grass fire. Dan Vaughn, 45, suffered a fracture of the jaw when he was thrown from a brush truck. John Lawson, 25, driving the truck, sustained burns along one arm and his face. Complicating matters, a gas line on the truck broke, gasoline spilled out and "it became an inferno," said Fire Chief Leo Potts.

A few pavers I sandblasted.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BSA/BSATeresaWelchStafPaver.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BSA/BSAJohnnyWelchWoodPaver.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BSA/BSACameronThornPaver.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BSA/BSATeresaWelchParticipantPaver.jpg

You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.

http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/

In the summer months 60% or more of your electric bill can be attributed to the air conditioner running day and night to keep your house cool. Several of my friends have found out how to reduce those high electric bills by maybe 15% or more. The Okie Power Saver takes difference of the watts you are being billed for, and what you are actually using, and recycles those watts. The Okie Power Saver is a great way to reduce that electric bill and save money year round.

http://www.OKiePowerSaver.com

Q.  An Oklahoman has been transforming his yard with retired bowling balls since 2006. They form a fence, cover a shed, and appear in assorted sculptures. Where in Oklahoma is the "Bowling Ball Man?"
A.   Chris Barbee, Nowata, Oklahoma
http://www.bowlingballyardart.com/

Q.  The USS Batfish sank 15 Japanese vessels during World War II, including 3 in just a little over 3 days. This has never been accomplished again, making it the most successful killing submarine ever. Where in Oklahoma is the USS Batfish on display?
A.  (answer in next week's T&T)

From This and That newsletter archives of April 20, 2002:

Louise Riotte (1909 - 1998) was an Ardmoreite and wrote many column for The Daily Ardmoreite as well as her on books and short stories. Many of us will remember her for her promoting of organic gardening. I would stop by her house on 11th and K Street NW and in her back yard she had all kinds of neat projects growing. But what a lot of people either dodn't know or forgot about, is Louise Riotte wrote a story in the Frontier Times back in November 1980. It was published by Western Publications of Iola, Wisconsin, and was an article about Marshal Dow Brazil and Deputy Bud Ballew. There was bad blood between these to guys back in 1919 when Dow Brazil was gun down at the California Cafe on East Main and Mill Street (Stolfa Hardware now). Early that morning on January 19, 1919 the shoot-out between these two lawmen and Ardmore Chief of Police, Les Sigler, left Dow Brazil dead on the floor. Ballew and Sigler were arrested and Ballew brought to trial, but Ballew beat the case. But that is not the end of the story. In events that some say made a connection back to January 19, 1919.... Les Sigler lost his life in a gun battle with the brother of Dow Brazil, Bob Brazil, in Ft Worth, Texas in 1920. Bud Ballew was a short stocky man with firey red hair. Dow Brazil the 13th man to die from a bullet from Ballew's gun, but Brazil would be the last person killed by Ballew. Ex Deputy Sheriff Bud Ballew would lose his life in a shootout in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1922 with law officers in that city. There are many strange occurrences and connections in the stories back around 1920, and Louise Riotte brought many of them to print in her story in 1980.
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"I well remember watching Ringling Brother, Barnum-Bailey passing my grandparents house on B St. NW. We watched as it went by. I think it must have been in the late 1930s. Also, to add to the discussion of Rue McClanahan. Her mother also worked in Durant and she attended some grade school there. She attended one of the class reunions several years ago. I was not there but her picture was in the paper. Also, in all of the discussions of hamburgers haven't seen anyone mention the Hamburger Inn."
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"Butch love to get T&T. Thought I'd pass this along you and to the other readers. I met Otto Powell when I worked at Randall's Drug Store in Wilson back in 1975. He had come into the drug store for a fountain coke. He sat in one of the booths and I could hear someone singing so I went back there to talk to him. He really had a wonderful voice and I told him how nice it was. He told me he had built himself a brick home from singing his songs at different places. He said he would start singing and someone would throw a brick at him to get him to stop singing others would start throwing bricks at him too so he just gathered up those bricks and took them back to his place and built him a brick home. We both had a good laugh at that story. He was quite a character and a really nice man. Thanks for letting me share that memory." -Connie Forsythe Bray
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"Someone mentioned Colvert's dairy. I once worked in the ice-cream bar section. They told me I could have all the ice cream I wanted. The only trouble was, in working with it, I really didn't want much. (I would like to have some right now! ) They also mentioned the horse drawn delivery wagons. I've thought of those many times over the past years. We would see them coming several blocks away, run down and ride the route. It was quite an experience for young boys. I think the horses knew the route as well as the delivery man. It was rare to see the delivery man touch the reins. He would take his milk to the house, and the horse usually went on to the next place of delivery, then stop and wait."
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Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....

"I have two of the bottles of poison Ivy remedy of Dr Boyd that still have label and tablets in them."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/DrBoydPillBottle.jpg
Here are 3 scans of old post cards from Ardmore, Oklahoma. Eden's Fine Foods at 205 West Main, Tom Cooper Ice Cream Parlor on West Broadway and K, and Walter Dean Jewelry on located 10 West West Main Street.  -Robert Hensley

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/EdensFineFoodsArdmoreOk1960s.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/TomCooperFarmsIceCreamParlor1950s.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/WalterDeanJewelry1908.jpg


"Dear Butch, somebody mentioned in your last T&T about the famous Ardmore Cardinals but I think by the time Dutch Prather was the manager the team's name was Ardmore Indians because we belongs to the Cleveland Indians after that Mr. Willingham bought the team and we didn't belong to any Big Leaguer team, our manager was Bennie Warren he was our catcher also a great guy and a great catcher . Those Happy Days never go forever, we always have it in our hearts Thanks you very much for the gentleman who use to go to The Baseball Park and see us playing for mentioned in this article he got me back to those beautiful days in my life." -Ernie W. Klein
"Butch, I have comments about that photo from Gene Autry, OK mentioned in this week?s ?This and That? Newsletter. The photo was taken in early October, 1945 when PeeWee King was on tour coming through our area. The photo was first featured in February, 2002 issue of the magazine Reminisce, in an article about the musical career of Don Davis. I can probably identify almost everyone in the photo. I am the kid in the middle wearing khakis and a sweater buttoned at the bottom. I was 10 years old at the time. PeeWee King was the leader of his band that was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Minnie Pearl, the comedienne, traveled with the band. Don Davis played steel guitar for PeeWee at the time. Doug Autry was the brother of Gene Autry and was part of their show. Some years ago, I met PeeWee and we talked about the day he came to our town. He said he was a business partner and long time friend of Mr. Autry and he wanted to see the town named for Mr. Autry. Elvin Sweeten, former Director of the Gene Autry, Oklahoma Musuem, sent a copy of the magazine to me and I located Don Davis down in Alabama. Mr. Davis gave me permission to use the photo on the front of one of my albums, which I did." -Les Gilliam
The Daily Ardmoreite
November 18, 1923
MONKEY WILL NOW ACT AS MASCOT AT FIRE DEPARTMENT

Meet the mascot, a Chinese monkey.

Visitors to the fire station these days are introduced first to the mascot which was given to the fire boys by Leo Atkins, last week. Quarters for the monkey are being arranged now, but until they are finished, the alleged fore-runner of man is taking turns sleeping with some of the firemen.

The monkey was given to Mr. Atkins by his brother, Claude Atkins, who is in the United States Navy. Claude acquired the playful pet while the Pacific fleet was in Chinese waters.

At the fire station, the monkey is getting the same careful attention that would be accorded a Chinese dignitary.
"Hi there, Butch! I just wanted to pass my thanks along to you. Your website about the pallet shed was an inspiration to me. My friend John and I cleared some land in my back yard this past weekend (we celebrate Patriots Day here in New England, so we even had a long weekend), and in just a few days, we conquered the task of building this garden shed!

We used your basic design, along with some of the suggestions you posted on the web page. Using uniform 48"x51" oak pallets, we ended up with a shed 12' long x 8' deep x 10' high. It's a bit taller than I expected, but the higher pitch should help to shed snow in our harsh winters.

I'm so glad you took the time to put your website together. It really gave me the confidence to dive in and try this project. This will be great for keeping my lawn / garden equipment tidy and out of the weather. I'm also thinking about adding on to the small out-building on the right side, so the kids can store all their bicycles.

I was able to snap some photos during the construction process, and I posted them to a website:
http://tinyurl.com/StevesPalletShed

(the link goes to "PhotoBucket.com" - I've never used the site before...please let me know if it works. I thought there might be too many pics to include in an email.)

Thanks again!"

Steve



"Only true Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 10."

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
 

Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.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
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyOK.us/

All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
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