This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 14 Issue 701 Circulation 5,000 July 1, 2010
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616
A couple of weeks ago Joe Hock in Edmond sent in a picture he'd took of the old 'yellow submarine' which has been on display in front of his brother's medical clinic in Kingston for 30 or more years. Last week when we were through there I took another pic along with the plaque that reads: "This is the Charles E. Bowley submarine that was at Willow Springs for many years."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/YellowSubmarineKingston2010.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/YellowSubmarineKingstonPlaque.jpg
I had a request this week for more info on a ladies hair item called a 'rat'. Hopefully some of you will remember more about this and provide more details for next week's T&T. Here is the request in her own words:
"I am looking for information on, or better yet, a photo or a picture of a hairstyle my mother wore in the late 40s and early 50s. She used what she called a rat it was long enough to reach from one temple to the other temple she would pin it onto her hair, using Bobby Pins then bring her hair up and tuck it around this rat and fasten it using Bobby Pins again. I suppose today it would be called a chignon? I thought it was a very becoming hairstyle on her, plus very practical. Any info appreciated."
When Jill and I passed by J&I Manufacturing SW of Madill, Oklahoma last week we had to stop. Not that we were looking for anything in particular, but J&I has tons of stuff in their huge building. Takes a while to go through it isle by isle. What I did spot was a 5 inch bench vise and when I saw the price I could not believe it. I have been looking for a larger vise to replace the small one I've had since the 80s, and pretty much knew what the going price was for a larger one like I wanted. J&I had their 5 inch vise marked $40 so I jump on it. I still think it was marked wrong, and wonder what one like it cost now at J&I since I bought the last one on the shelf.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/Vise061810a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/Vise061810c.jpg
And I saw all sizes of metal letters.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/J&IMfg061810b.jpg
And since I like quality hammers (instilled in me from my grandfather), I had to look twice at the Dead On Hammers J&I sells. It was really big and heavy duty, and even a spot at the top to hold the nail.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/DeadOnHammers.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJQCPUDg-6M
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/J&IMfg061810a.jpg
In Durant we stopped at the Springhill Ranch Antiques downtown on Main Street. He has 2 floors of lots of neat things, but one item that caught my eye was these 3 old printer trays. Sometimes they are used them to make shadow boxes. I have a printers tray I got as a teen across the street from my house at the old A.D. Wilkerson Printing Shop back in the 70s. Those in Durant are/were $10 each. I wouldn't sell mine for $100.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PrinterTypeTrays.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SpringhillRanch061810a.jpg
Jill's garden is looking pretty good after a few little rains the past few days. Let's see, she has yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatos, pumpkins, zucchini, gourds, swiss chard, spinach (rabbits got most of the spinach), string beans, and English peas, oh yes, 3 concord grape vines growing too.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/Garden062410.jpg
I had a request this week from a student at Louisiana State University for help in finding any Sulphur springs in this area. In his own words: "I study sulphur springs and am always looking for new springs to sample, but naturally I respect land ownership and don't wish to upset property owners. I would appreciate any information you could provide me. -Brendan" I could only think of 2, the one at Woodford in northern Carter county, and of course the springs at Sulphur. If anyone know of others, let me know and I will forward the info on to Brendan.
Paul Tucker, Carter county EOC director, bought a new Honda Rebel about a month ago. Every time I look at that motorcycle, I want to buy me one. I sure liked my 305cc Honda Superhawk back in the 60s. The specs says the Superhawk would do 85mph. Mine was previously owned by Charlie Tanner and he had the cylinders bored and I hit 105 on it one time between Ardmore and Dickson. I know, stupid. But hey, I was only 16.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PaulTuckerHonda052610.jpg
Speaking of the Carter County EOC, the Federal Warning Systems corporation was in town last week giving Paul a demonstration of their big siren. Boy, would I liked to have this mounted on our ambulance back in the 1970s.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/FederalWarningSystem060310.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/FederalWarningSystem060310b.jpg
Q. What was Alfalfa
Bill's real name?
A. William Murray
Q. In frontier days what
was another name for buffalo chips ?
A. (answer in next week's issue)
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"I am looking for information about my mother Clara Bell Williams Essary (maiden name, Williams and married name, Essary - divorced in 1933). In 1940 and 1941, she lived in the Ardmore area; born in 1907, she was 32 and 33 years old. She worked for Ada Blalock in Ardmore as a housekeeper acccording to the Ardmore city directory for 1941. A Blalock niece has told me that she thought my mother lived in Fox. She did know some people in Healdton (have reference to them): Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Hughes, but I am not sure what her relation was with the Hughes' family. My mother had two children at the time, C.C. Williams and Ann Ola Essary. They were at the Cornish Children's Home in Ringling while my mother was working. In late 1941, I think my mother worked as a cook there. I would appreciate any information that anyone can give me related to my mother. Thanks." -Jenni Dyman Phone 303-870-7328 [email protected]"Butch, I read this from an old copy of the Baptist Signal, a church paper that someone sent to me. It was written from 1898-1900. This is about a man that started the town of Berwyn or had a lot to do with it. C.W. Henderson is buried north of the Ardmore Air Park in the Henderson Cemetery:
C. W. HENDERSON of Henderson Flat on the Washita River, near Berwyn, was bitten by a mad dog last week. He killed the dog after being bitten in two or three places. When last heard from, he had applied a madstone which stuck to the bitten part past 48 hours.
Scheryl has a mad stone that was used and given to her by her grandfather Charles Winter. The story says that the stone will stick to the wound if the dog was mad or rabid and fall off when the poison was gone.
-Doug Williams
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okmurray/stories/mad_stone.htm
"HELLO BUTCH, HAPPENED UPON THIS JUST TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLICITY...I WANTED TO TELL YOU THE ADDINGTON STATION IN ADDINGTON, OKLAHOMA IS OPEN WED-SAT. FROM 10-5:30...OR BY APPOINTMENT--580-313-0306 AT THE AUCTION BUSINESS NEXT DOOR BELONGS TO MARK AND SHERRIE CHILDERS. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO PRESENT THE BEST AUCTIONS FOR ANTIQUES AROUND THIS AREA AND YOU JUST MIGHT GET ANOTHER PLEASANT SURPRISE THERE. WE HAVE ESTATE GUNS, COINS, OAK FURNITURE AND ALL SORTS OF WONDERFUL GLASSWARE ITEMS WHEN WE HAVE AN AUCTION. WE JUST HAD ONE THIS JUNE 19, 2010 AND HOSTED AN ADDINGTION WESTERN JUBILEE AUCTION, TRADES DAY AND IT WAS ATTENDED BY SEVERAL HUNDRED~ HAD PAINTED PONY RIDES FOR THE KIDDOS, WESTERN BBQ CHUCK WAGON COOKOUT, OUTLAW GUNFIGHTERS, A COUPLE OF COUNTRY WESTERN SINGERS AND THE AUCTION KICKED OFF AT 1:30 P.M. THE AUCTION HOUSE HAS CHURCH PEWS SEATING, AIR/HEAT DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR AND A SAWDUST FLOOR TO KEEP DOWN NOISE AND MAKE IT SOFTER FOR OUR OLD FEET TO WALK ON." -PAT WEBB~Owner [email protected]
"Jerry Pattillo has just opened a convenience store at 315 Sam Noble Parkway in Ardmore. As you might know, he at one time had owned the old Priddy Foods company. He is now selling the old style products, such as Chicken Salad, Ham Salad, Potato Salad, and Pimento Salad Spreads. He has also duplicated the Special Dressing Recipe/w Parmesan Cheese. These were really popular items for years in this area. I am including a copy of his menu, also. Check him out."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PattilloGrocery062910.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PattilloMenu062510.jpg
"Butch, We tried the new Pattillo's chicken salad and pimento cheese spread at the new place on Sam Noble Pkwy. (Sorry...can't remember the actual name of the place.) They claim to have the original recipe for the spreads as well as the original Priddy's salad dressing. Sorry to say the chicken and pimento spreads were NOTHING like the original Priddy's. They tasted OK, but the texture was runny. The original Priddy's chicken salad was sort of shredded and smooth. This new stuff had HUGE chunks of chicken and a runny sauce. The pimento spread was mostly runny mayonnaise with very little cheese, and even the cheese was in big chunks. I'll be curious what others who remember the originals have to say."
NEWSPAPERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/
"Greetings Butch. The advertisement about Medicine Park in This and That Newsletter, Volume 14, Issue 700, June 24, 2010 about Medicine Park awaken an episode that befell me in Lake Tawtonka. The episode occurred 74 years ago in the year of 1936. I was aged 6 at that time in my life.
My father, Chester E. West, regular army, was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was a member of the artillery. One early summer Sunday morning he drove my mother and I for a day at nearby Lake Tawtonka. While they swam in the lake not far from shore, I safely stayed on shore watching them, for I could not swim a lick. My parents had tried to teach me to swim but at that age I was afraid being in a body of water. But I did learn how to swim at age 12 in a pond.
I soon became tired of looking at my parents having fun swimming and playing in the water, so I decided to join them. I approached the water lapping at the shore, tested it for coldness. Noting that the water was not cold I gingerly waded into the water. I took a deep breath and slowly made my way into the lake testing the bottom of the lake with each step into the lake. As I made my way farther into the lake, I noticed that the water crept upward toward my face inch by inch. Soon it reached my nose. I decided that I should stop, turn around and make my way back to shore. I placed my left foot ahead of me and attempted to turn around in the direction of the lake shore. I began to slide farther into the lake. I panicked, but did not cry out to my parents, who were about 100 feet away from me, and who were not aware that I was in the lake. I stopped and reflected, "What can I do now. If I continued I surely will drown." Suddenly a thought popped into my head, "Stand up tipped toed and attempt to turn around." This I did. I successfully turned around and slowly but surely "tiptoed" my way to shallow water. By tiptoeing instead of flat footing I was able to get a firm toe hold into the bottom of the soft mud at the bottom of the lake." -Elmer G. West, San Antonio, Texas
"Hi Butch: For the person with the squirrel problem on his bird feeder, I have a suggestion. I had the same problem and was told to use a child's toy called a Slinky around the feeder's pole. It's worked well for us. I think we actually had to use two of the Slinkys twisted together. The squirrels tried very hard but they've never made it up the pole." -JoAnn Ricks, California
Q. What was Alfalfa Bill's real name?
That's easy. A harder one would be what was Pawnee Bill's real name? Many years ago while he had Pawnee Bill's Trading Post betwen Pawnee and Perry, he once gave me a nickel or dime to put in a slot machine and get nothing back. Then he put me on his lap and pointed out you could never win against the house or in most other bets, A few years ago I was searching for him on the Metropolitan Library System (Oklahoma County) under his real name and couldn't find him. I emailed the librarian and got a prompt reply that is should be listed under his real name, too, and the subject heading was added within a day or two. -Wes Leatherock
RUNNING MY CAR ON KEROSENE DURING WW2 by Bob McCory
A little preamble to set the perspective - I worked for Pan American Airways which operated like a US Navy transport squadron. Pan Am had pioneered Pacific aviation before the war with bases it had established for its operation. We employees were in the US Navy on inactive duty (from which I got an Honorable Discharge after the war). Pan Am entered the war with four 4 engine flying boats, to which the Navy added 15 four engine and 7 two engine aircraft. Our official name was NATS, Naval Air Transport Service.
Returning to San Francisco after a year in Hawaii, the only transportation I could buy was a motorcycle. Almost constant cold wet weather demanded something better. I saw this 1924 Studebaker outside a junkie with grass grown around it. It looked good, inquiry found it held up in an estate probably to be junked. Couple weeks later I got a post card he could sell it. For $35 I got my obsolete car in great condition, with 8 ply tires and two spares. The downside was it was a real gas hog - tragic for me because of wartime gas rationing.
My two gallons a week gas ration was barely enough for my motorcycle. I had heard about running Fordson tractors on kerosene. Being a trained and experienced airplane mechanic I figured I could make this car go with kerosene. Studebaker couldn't be much different from the Fordson tractor. I had no information how to do it so it was start at square one.
Apparently in 1924 gasoline required a lot of coaxing to make it burn properly in cold weather. The primitive design of the old car was such that it would pass the carburetor intake air over the hot exhaust pipe plus a means of warming the fuel-air mixture between the carburetor and the engine. It had to be able to run on kerosene and I would figure out how to do it.
The owner of the car wrecking yard where I bought the car got interested in my project and happy to help. Back to his place and bought a Ford Model T carburetor and intake manifold. I bored a hole in the Studebaker intake manifold, cut the mount flange off the Ford manifold and had it welded on the Stude manifold. This permitted having two carburetors, gas and kero. Made a one gallon tank from a hydraulic oil can and rigged controls so the small tank and Model T carburetor ran on gasoline. Kerosene went into the original Studebaker gas tank and fuel system. The result was better than I had dared hope for.
The only restriction was that it required that the engine be warmed up good
to run well on kerosene. It was about three blocks from where I lived to get on
the highway to work. I started and ran on gasoline the first few minutes, then
start cutting in the kerosene and reducing the gasoline. This was done with the
accelerator and throttle controls. By the time I had gone about half mile I was
on kerosene only. At highway speeds it ran as well on kerosene as it did on
gasoline. When I went into San Francisco, I had to cut in more of the gasoline
because the engine lost heat at slow city traffic speeds.
Kerosene cost ten cents a gallon and was ration free. I had all the gas I needed
for both the car and my motorcycle. I drove the old Studebaker for almost a year
until I transferred to New York in 1945. I then sold it for what I paid for it,
$35."
"Hi Butch, My wife and I did like you and Jill did a while back. We took a day trip to Muskogee and Foyil. The views of the bell are at the Five Civilized Tribes Museums. The state marker tells about the history of the building and its heritage. We then went on to Foyil,OK, but couldn't stay for too many photos as the weather was getting bad and I didn't want the beat up with hail." -Cecil Elliott in OKC
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/UnionAgency.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/UnionAgencyBldg.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/HonorHeightsChapel.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/FoyilOklahoma3.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/FoylOklahomaTotemPole1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/FoyilOklahoma2.jpg
The Daily Ardmoreite June 21, 1919
Ardmore-Davis Good Road Work June 24 and 25
Loyal Citizens Bound For Scenic Arbuckles Battle With Nature
"Just call us the 'Ardmore Citizens'," said Don Cochran in speaking of the proposed good roads building stunt which is to be pulled off on the Ardmore Davis highway on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24 - 25.
As set forth by those who are interested in putting the road over the top of the Arbuckles, it is proposed for a number, not less than 500, if that many may be secured, to gather together their goods, chattels and paraphernalia, including picks, shovels and other sweat-producing implements and go forth to where the trail which leads from Ardmore to Davis crosses the scenic Arbuckle Mountains, there to tame rough nature into a tractable highway over which high speed autos may be driven with safety to the life and limb of the drivers and over which the producers may transport to market the fruits of their toil.
The 500 citizens of Ardmore, lusty of brawn and high in spirit of progress will assemble at the Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 Tuesday morning. Cars will be on hand to transport the willing laborers to the scene of proposed activity, but each individual is asked to come armed with a well sharpened pick and a good No. 2 shovel.
Tractor owners will furnish their gas wagons to pull the plows, while horses if such animals may still be found in this day of mechanical locomotion, will be on hands to draw the slips, the wheelers and the fresnoes after the same have been well loaded with "loose rock, gravel and solid."
Every Ardmore booster is expected to come prepared to stay two days and he is expected to do his full duty while on the road. He is expected to sweeten the bread he will eat with the moisture of his fevered brow and to herd not with the bunch who may be classed as lilies of the valley because they dig not nor shovel.
Upon arrival at the scene of activities the 500, or less, will be divided into squads of ten. Over each squad will be placed a captain whose duty it shall be to stand upon the breezy edge of the roadway, look down the back of the other fellow's neck and tell him to get it.
Experienced foremen will serve as squad captains, so that each volunteer toiler may know that his work has the personal supervision of one well qualified to knowing what work well done consists of.
The places to be graded are located in the midst of some of the most beautiful scenery in southern Oklahoma, right in the heart of the beautiful Arbuckles, with towering peaks and cliffs of unusual grandeur on every hand, with the sun shining down and enhancing all, with the flowers nodding approval and the laughing breezes whispering words of encouragement through the tree tops.
And the work will be well done so that those who pass that way in days to come will say as they speed over the roadway to be built Tuesday and Wednesday, "That shows the Ardmore spirit. Here worked the men who believed in Ardmoreizing Ardmore."
A committee composed of Don Cochran, Sidney Suggs, Tom Cooper, Robert Scivally and the county engineer will go over the road Saturday, making a cursory survey and picking out the spots to be worked.
The Daily Ardmoreite June 22, 1919
Opening Turner Falls Road
Don Cochran, chairman of the special committee appointed to have charge of opening the new road through the Arbuckle mountains by way of Turner Falls, reported that the committee together with President Ramsey and the county engineer had gone over the route and had decided that in order that the work done might be of the greatest possible permanent value the road should be laid out under the direction of the state highway department. It is the purpose to ultimately make this a government highway and all work that is done should be of such a character and so worked that the government would take it over and compensate the county for all that has been done. In order to allow time for the engineers to make this survey and have it approved by the state department the dates for doing the volunteer work was changed from June 24th and 25th to July 8th and 9th.
Museum Memories
Contributed by Melinda Taylor
The Wilson News
August 5, 1916
Mr. E. C. Mobley Has Prospered
Ever Since Coming Here, But He Worked for It: Is Young and a "Goer."
E. C. Mobley is yet a young man, but is already so thoroughly imbued with a business spirit and a commendable ambition to succeed, that he has made marked advancement along the lines which he has chosen to pursue.
Six years ago Mr. Mobley moved here from the "Goober State" of Georgia, and has been an enterprising citizen since. His immediate stopping place was Tulsa upon arriving in Oklahoma, but he says he soon saw his mistake and came on to Carter county, locating three miles west of where Wilson is now located. His total assets upon his arrival amounted to fifty dollars less than nothing, he being that much on the debit side of life's trial balance. However, like one of Opie Reed's characters, spoken of in "The Kentucky Colonel," Mr. Mobley went to work to exchange a large territory of hopes for a fewer number of acres of reality. In this he has been very successful. He rented land the first year, bought teams and other farming necessities on time, all of which he paid for out of his initial crop. Some financing that, for a youngster fresh from the unyielding vales of "Goober-land" He now owns and conducts a farm 3 miles southeast of Wilson, having purchased the land form the government. It is on his land that one of the most recent paying oil wells was brought in, while another is going down. This well is in very close proximity to Wilson. Of course he is hopeful of "striking it" in big paying quantities, and his friends all hope he will.
Mr. Mobley has been away from the farm one year since coming here, he having conducted a gents' furnish-store during that period. He then returned to his farm, which he still oversees, but has established a nice confectionary business on Main street now, to which he gives a portion of his attention, the business being splendid and constantly growing. His brother, Gerald Mobley, is the capable manager of the confectionery and helped materially in building up the trade. Mr. Mobley has cause to feel good over the success with which his efforts have met, and all who know him are glad to say, with Rip Van Winkle, "May you live long and prosper." - Wilson Museum is open Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. http://www.wilsonhistoricalmuseum.org
Caption: The Mobley Confectionery is now "The Store Etc." located at 1192 US Highway 70A
The Star Spangled Banner
By Francis Scott Key 1814
And the
rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a
minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells:
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
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 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
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
Feel free to forward this free newsletter. Mailouts: over 1,600.
To be removed from my T&T mailings, just send me an email.
I do not sell, trade or give my mailing list to anyone for any reason.