Vol 20 Issue 1033 November 10, 2016

PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823

Interesting email I received this evening. Maybe some of you have an idea or comment?

“I have been reading your newsletter and note with interest the move of engine 1108 apparently to the old Santa Fe depot location.

Seems like several years ago you mentioned the old metal timetable that was on the outside brick wall of the railroad depot and wondered what happen to it.

I have it.

As it turns out, I was in Ardmore that afternoon in October 1979 when the last run of Amtrak passenger service left Ardmore. One of the Santa Fe employees started to unscrew the time table from the wall and I asked what they were going to do with it.

“Throw it in the junk pile,” I was told. At that point, I asked if I could have it. To my surprise, it was given to me.

I stored it my mothers house on D Street SE for many years. After she died in the mid 80’s , I cleared out her house and moved it to the Dallas area where I kept it in several different storage spaces, garages and offices.

I had plans to put that up on a wall in my office, but the dang thing was so heavy I gave up on that project. I thought I would put it on a wall at my house, but again the weight and size of made it impossible to display.

It is now in my garage gathering dust.

It seems like this might be an appropriate time to get it back to where it belongs. After 37 years, maybe it is time to bring it home. Any ideas or comments are appreciated.” -John

September 1956

A second Carter County Deputy Sheriff, James Woodley, was fired here Saturday, and charges with embezzlement of a delinquent tax check following a preliminary state auditor’s report of misuses of county funds. His indictment came close on the heels of another charge naming former undersheriff Leroy Baker, who was charged with embezzlement Friday afternoon.

October 1932

Jasper Horton, 25, was charged with taking Jasper Gettle’s horse from its hitching post during the fair last week and spend a week in the county jail before escaping Saturday night. Horton was found dead on his mother’s farm on Monday. He had a .410 shotgun in his hand. Burial was in Hennepin.

Big Beaver bridge at Waurika, Oklahoma.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/BigBeaverBridgeWaurikaOK2.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/BigBeaverBridgeWaurikaOK.jpg

Duncan, Oklahoma high school

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/DuncanHighSchool.jpg

Leon, Oklahoma school

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/LeonOklahomaSchool.jpg

Hobart, Oklahoma 1908

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/HobartOK1908.jpg

One of several bricks I sandblasted this week.

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BootsPaver.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/

Q. What is Oklahoma’s official state insect?
A. European honey bee
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/BEES/euro_honey_bee.htm

Q. Where is the oldest burning light bulb in Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)

From This and That newsletter archives of November 9, 2002

A couple of weeks ago we talked about U.S. Deputy Marshal Selden Lindsey (1854-1939) who lived in Ardmore around 1910. I saw in The Daily Ardmoreite Friday where his daughter, Zoma Lindsey Barricklow, passed away this week. Zoma Barricklow was 101 years old.
Z oma on Find A Grave—————————————————-
“Dear Butch you asked for stories that we remember about Halloween. Mine is one of the sweetest in memory, not scary at all. My sister-in-law and I on Halloween night about 1957 I believe took our children my son and her daughter to trick or treat in the neighborhood. Mike (my son) was just three years old and since he was so small and the trick or treat bag was hard for him to carry we gave him a small brown candy sack and I carried his larger one. We stopped at our first house and the lady leaned over to put candy in Mike’s sack he turned and looked at me standing on the walk in front of the house and said “My mommie has a sack too!” He is now 48 years old and still looks out for MOMMIE. What sweet memories. Thanks for letting me share mine.” -Pat
—————————————————-
“Hi Butch, Thank you very much for all you do. Your T&T is a treat. I was raised in the Jones Oil Camp 1 mile east of Dillard and went to school in Wilson. I remember all my friends from Dillard, Rexroat and Wilson who are on my mind all the time. I remember all the huge machinery and old methods used in the oil fields there and memories are refreshed every week in your T&T. Again thank you and all the folks that write in. I now live just north of Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri and get to “go home to Oklahoma” every friday night. Best Wishes.” -Jack Lake in Missouri
—————————————————-
“Butch, I do believe Horse apples come from the tree called Osage Orange. I read an article recently that the Hedge apples scattered around the foundation of your home would repel scorpions. Now wouldn’t that be great.”
—————————————————-
“When you mentioned Halloween stories, I have one I’ll never forget. Living in rural Love county, we knew everyone in the community, so we really had to “dress-up” to fool anyone. (No store bought costumes in those days) My mom always dressed up also so my sister and me wouldn’t be recognized and she’d park the car in a dark spot so people couldn’t see it. Well, the time I remember most, Mom dressed as an old woman, with a nylon stocking pulled over her face which distorted all her features and even scared us. At one house, the people had no sense of humor and were not always glad to see trick or treaters, but they did open the door for us and Mom went in first while my sister and me stayed on the porch watching through the window. Back then a lot of people had beds in the front room as did these folks. Of course, they had no idea who Mom was other than some crazy person in their house. Mom got up on the bed and started jumping up and down and singing some crazy song. Needless to say the looks on their faces was PRICELESS!!! My sister and I didn’t know whether to die from laughter or embarrassment. It’s just one of those things I’ll laugh about forever. Oh, and we had one lady that fixed popcorn balls every year as you said your mom did. I looked forward to those more than any other treat.” -DDollar
—————————————————-
“Butch, some info on the refinery in Ardmore, the first refinery was called Cameron Refinery, then Wirt Franklin Refinery, Ben Franklin Refinery, Bell Oil Refining Company, Vickers Refinery, Total Petroleum Inc., do not know the dates it changed hands each time.”
—————————————————-
“Hello Butch, I just wanted to show you what the cars looked like when I lived at 533 Carter S.E. That’s me on the right.” -Lee Wages, Ft Worth, Texas https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/leewas2.jpg
—————————————————-
“About those horse apples… Daddy calls them “Bo-dark” apples and Mother says they keep bugs out of the house. She has them hidden in corners and around the porch at their lake house at Buncombe Creek. I was interested in them and did a little research last year. They are actually from the “Bois d’Ark” tree, which was used to make crossbows – good flexible wood I suppose. Some people also refer to them as “Osage Oranges”. When we were kids, we used to bean each other with them when we played outside… OUCH! Once when we were camping out at Lake Murray, Daddy had (finally!) gotten the tent set up and sat down under a bo-dark tree to rest. The dang horse apples kept falling on him! So he kept moving his chair, but they kept coming. We finally saw a squirrel up in the tree THROWING them at Dad! I guess he didn’t like us setting up housekeeping in his back yard. Speaking of squirrels, Daddy is a fanatic about keeping them out of his birdfeeder. He hates them! He has taken to shooting them from the house with one of his grandson’s paintball guns! Hahahahaha!! (The “paint” is actually colored, non-toxic soap!) We know it doesn’t hurt them, because they come back for more! Now he has bright orange and purple squirrels trying to pilfer his birdseed. Speaking of Buncombe Creek, there is actually a “Bois D’Ark Road” out there. Some of the most beautiful houses on that road – I’ve got my eye on one that just makes me cry, I want it so badly!
—————————————————-
—————————————————-

Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..“I have been reading your newsletter and note with interest the move of engine 1108 apparently to the old Santa Fe depot location. Seems like several years ago you mentioned the old metal timetable that was on the outside brick wall of the railroad depot and wondered what happen to it.

I have it.

How that came about is an interesting story. I grew up in Ardmore and hung around the railroad station in the late 50s and early 60s. I left Ardmore when I graduated from High School in 1965, but came back from time-to-time. As it turns out, I was in Ardmore that afternoon in October 1979 when the last run of Amtrak passenger service left Ardmore. One of the Santa Fe employees started to unscrew the time table from the wall and I asked what they were going to do with it. “Throw it in the junk pile,” I was told. At that point, I asked if I could have it. To my surprise, it was given to me.I stored it my mother’s house on D Street SE for many years. After she died in the mid 80’s , I cleared out her house and moved it to the Dallas area where I kept it in several different storage spaces, garages and offices. I had plans to put that up on a wall in my office, but the dang thing was so heavy I gave up on that project. I thought I would put it on a wall at my house, but again the weight and size of made it impossible to display. It is now in my garage gathering dust. It seems like this might be an appropriate time to get it back to where it belongs. After 37 years, maybe it is time to bring it home. I am not sure who to contact. Maybe some Readers have a suggestion or comment?” -John
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreTimeable1979b.jpg

1931 group photo of the Ardmore High School football team and listing of names. -Jim Bridges
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreTigersAndListing1931.jpg

“Hi Butch. I read the bit about horse apples. There are two things you can do with them: If you are a child, you can stick them with toothpicks and pretend you are giving “shots”. The other thing is to slice them about 1/4″ thick and put them in your cabinets to repel pests. Put them on a piece of foil as the juice is very sticky. As to Turner falls, my great grandfather either owned or rented one of the cabins. I believe it was near the low-water crossing. They had a family reunion there every summer. Unfortunately, before I can remember it. I have photos of my grandfather Samuel Williams Francis with me and my cousins there. I believe my great grandfather who had the cabin was D.F. Ellis. He died in 1934, well before I was born. There was no kitchen as the cabin was only for sleeping. Cooking was over a campfire. We still went there when I was able to remember (the 1940s) to wade in the creek, wash the car in the low-water crossing, and to picnic.” -Susan Whitten (born Francis)

“I too am a lifelong hamburger fanatic and I have to say that if you’re looking for the best burger in OKC and possibly Oklahoma, you have to try the Choice Cafe at 55th and South Shields. Close by I-35 and well the stop. They close by about 3pm so you’ll have to make it for lunch. You will be impressed.” -Benny Hill
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ChoiceCafeOKC.jpg

John Lafayette Galt, first mayor of Ardmore, IT 1898. Founder and president of the Veterans home on South Commerce, Ardmore. Born 1849, Died Dec 21, 1923. age 87. Wife Ora McGhee Galt, Born July 2, 1862, Died November 9, 1936 age 74. Both are buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Ardmore, Ok.
https://oklahomahistory.net/postcards/JohnAndOraGalt110816.jpg

Confederate parade in Ardmore 1902
https://oklahomahistory.net/postcards/ConfederateVetsParade1902.jpg

At the link below are 10 more scans of old photographs this week. -Robert Hensley
https://oklahomahistory.net/postcards

November 11, 1918 – Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.”

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm’s Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
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 Government Website
http://cartercountyOK.us/

All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
Feel free to forward this free newsletter. Mailouts: over 1,550.