Southern Oklahoma and other areas
have received a lot of needed rain this week. Lake Texoma is above normal, it's been
years since we've seen that much water in Lake Texoma. Even Lake Murray is doing
better. Murray is one of the most beautiful lakes in Oklahoma, with people
coming for 100s of miles around to visit.
On 5/6/15 Lake Murray elevation is
743.33ft.
Normal is near 748ft
Spillway is 750ft
Water temp is 68?F
Yesterday evening the Oklahoma City
area was really hit hard with tornados and bad weather. We in the Ardmore area
have not received that bad weather, mostly just large amounts of rain. As I
finished this newsletter this evening we are receiving heavy rain and lightning
with our electricity blinking off several times. Also there were several tornado warnings
south of Ardmore in north Texas. I hope I can get this newsletter finished and
hit the SEND button before our electricity goes off completely.
April 1931
State politicians have enacted a state income tax for all citizens who make $750
or more per year. Some of the authors of the income tax bill may find their
names on this measure somewhat of an embarrassment about March of next year when
election time comes around.
April 1955
When Highway 70 was in swaddling clothes, it was known as the Lee Highway and
was being built to conform to the Lincoln Highway which traverses the county
from east to west. When the government took over the road, it was renamed
Highway 70. It is said to be the first automobile route from Atlantic to the
Pacific.
The first woman to be hanged west of
the Mississippi was Paula Angel, who was dragged to the gallows after stabbing
her lover to death. That day was April 26, 1891, in Las Vegas. Paula was a thin,
nervous wreck by the time the hanging took place. Mainly because Sheriff Antonio
Abad Herrera passed her every morning with the same words, "Paula. The judge
sentenced you to be hanged, and I'm going to hang you until you are dead."
http://murderpedia.org/female.A/a/angel-paula.htm
The Jennings family established the
Healdton Bank. Bill Jennings is fond of repeating his dad, Al's, favorite
quotation, "Old bankers never die, they just lose interest."
A couple of pavers I've done this
week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/JDRobertsonPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/RainesPaver.jpg
I decided to give my old work bench a
facelift the other day. Turned out really nice. What I didn't like about the
stain I used is it was water based. I am partial to oil base paints, etc., when
it comes too outside stuff. But for only $9 for the gallon I can't complain too
much.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/WorkbenchStain050315.jpg
For months a corner of my metal
storage building, cargo container, has been deteriorating with rotten wood, etc.
Troy Loard came over and we used a 12 ton bottle jack to raise the corner up and
put some new hardwood under it replacing the rotten wood. Hopefully the facelift
will last a few years now.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/ShippingCargoCornerFix.jpg
If anyone wants to try it
give me a holler. "I'll meet you at the
Walmart mailbox!" Join us and check
it all out at the link below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/
Hot days just around the
corner, my OKie Power Saver will help keep my electric bill as low
as possible when I crank up the air conditioning this summer. I'm ready to combat that sky high electric bill. I
have created a webpage to tell more about the OKie Power Saver at the link
below. You really have nothing to lose except a high electric bill to try the
power saver. I am guaranteeing the unit to save you money or your money back.
Give me a holler for more information.
http://www.OKiePowerSaver.com
Below is a neat website maintained by
Cartography and geography Department of East Central University in Ada. Lots of
statistical info.
http://www.okatlas.org/
Q. A relatively young city for
Oklahoma, this town was incorporated as a city in 1912. The initial beginning of
the town was a tent housing
orphaned children. The town itself lies in a hilly area in northeast
Oklahoma.
A. Sand Springs, Oklahoma
Q. The first peace treaty
negotiated between the United States and Plains Indian tribes?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That
newsletter archives of May 8, 1999:
A couple a weeks ago, I found this one of a
kind photo. My Grandfather, Stanley Carmon, had a brother named Abe. Abe
Carmon's granddaughter, Bobbye Carmon Tilley, was in Ardmore, and brought with
her a photo of her grandfather's Miniature Golf Course. The miniature golf
course was built in the 1920s by Abe Carmon on Highway 199 east, just west of
the railroad underpass, on the north side of the highway here in Ardmore.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/golf20.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/golf20b.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
In the seventies this strange looking
truck, called a Cab-Under, stopped at Ponder's Restaurant here in Ardmore. It
looked like the forerunner of the army's Humvee vehicle. Guess it never really
worked out. From just looking at it, it was probably a death trap. You'd have to
be a fool to drive it from New York to California. And where's the motor anyway!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CabUnderRig1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CabUnderRig2.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
Here's a pic a friend took, and he can't
remember for the life of him where the cornerstone was sitting. But he knows it
was somewhere in the Ardmore, Oklahoma area. The stone reads, "St Patrick's
Indian Mission" "Founded 1889" "Burned down Sept 26, 1907" "Rebuilt Oct 30,
1910" Anyone recognize this old piece of history?
Mystery solved: It was at Anadarko, Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/SaintPatrickMission.jpg
http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=ST010
http://digitalprairie.ok.gov/cdm/ref/collection/okpostcards/id/1913
Photo gallery with one photo of St Patrick's Catholic Mission school
----------------------------------------------------
Also there is something that you might want to check out is the
renovation of the courthouse in Hillsboro, Texas that suffered a major fire
January 1, 1993. I think it cost 10 Mil."
http://www.co.hill.tx.us/
----------------------------------------------------
"Hello Butch, As you may remember I
am researching Buck Garrett and his number one deputy, Bud Ballew, and from time
to time I come across some neat stuff about one or the other of them that I feel
I should share. This is one of those times. Bellow there is a link to a picture
I found in a book--Alias Frank Canton, by Robert DeArment. n this picture on the
bottom row is Buck Garrett. This picture was taken in Johnson Co. Wy. after he
and the others in the picture were arrested for participating in the Johnson Co.
Cattle Wars. It seems he was a young deputy U.S. Marshal at the time, working
out of Paris, Tx., when he was recruited to act as a hired gunman for the cattle
barons of Wy. At any rate, he and the others lost the war so to speak and were
arrested after a two day long battle with the "Rustlers". The author stated that
when the Texans were released on bail, no one seemed to care that they were
boarding trains heading back to Texas--never to return to stand trial." -Steve
Riner
----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Gas prices today in the Ardmore
area......
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Non-ethanol gas (pure gas) stations
in the Ardmore area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/puregas.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"I had a Truman Burger tonight (Tuesday) at Walker Depot in Gene Autry,
Oklahoma and I didn't take a picture because I ate it so fast! It was
outstanding. I brought an apple dumpling home and I can't say enough about how
good it was. Please try it and share a picture if you beat me there because I'm
going back! I managed to finish half of it and the onion rings are awesome!"
-Johanna Whitener
"Hi Butch Bridges, Thanks for posting a
picture of the Depot cafe in Gene Autry. When we were going to school there in
the fifties it was a sm. little building and there was a guy from Calif. came
through and opened a cafe there. He was touring the country and saw the Gene
Autry sign at the intersection of hwy. 77 and 53 and wanted to see what that was
all about. He had a 40s model Ford convertible and a tear drop trailer. His name
was Bud Dodge and was around for about 2 yrs. and when he left Don Payne bought
his car. Have no idea what happened to the trailer. Maybe some of the other Kids
that were around can add something to this story. You all take care and watch
out for the storms." -Bob Cole in Oregon
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/DepotGeneAutry060306.jpg
Springer Volunteer Fire Department Bar-B-Q ?
Saturday - May 16, 2015 ? 6:00 PM.
Join us at the Springer, Oklahoma Community/ Storm Shelter for the annual Springer
Volunteer Fire Department BBQ along with a dance and pie/cake auction.
Bring your lawn chairs, sit back and enjoy the music!
The smallest good deed is better than
the grandest good intention.
See everyone next
week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
