The El Reno Democrat. (El Reno, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 14, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 1903 Page: 1 of 8
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?eno Democrat.
T. F. HENS LEY, Proprietor.
J LI SUED E VER Y TII UK S DA i
$1.25 PER YEAR
VOL XIV.
STATEHOOD
GROWS
STRONGER.
Tuesday another lest vote w a had
e 1 tire statehood proposition i . 'a
Jte sustained Q uya contentio' ill"
to 29. "
Senator Q lay gave notice yesterday
that ho would ask for a continuous
sessson today.
isl Reno. Oklahoma Territory. JANUARY 29, 1903.
Four years ago more than half of the
lots on the branch between town and
Capitol Hill were gold for taxes. Now
they are valuable and desirable
property.
Four years ago the city had $3,120.78
worth of warrants out standing and no
money to pay them. Today there is
not an out standing warrant against
the city.
THEN AND NOW
Four years ago the city was run on
credit, today it pays cash.
Four years ago you paid a poll tax of
$ 4.00 per year, ^ow you pay only $3 00.
V
Four years a/o the City park was in
weeds, now U is fyll of well kept shade
trees.
Four years ago the saloons paid $20
a month license now they pay $10 per
mon a.
Four years ago property of all kinds
was worth A KfcHn 25 par cent, what
it is now.
Never tell an editor how to run his
piper, let the poor devil find out for
himself,
Four years ago El Reno had no credit
at horn j or abroad, today our bonds are
worth 1 per cent premium.
Four years ago nobody dreamed of
such luxuries as a street curbed and
guttered, now we are talking asphalt.
Four years ago there was not a foot
of brick stone or concrete sidewalk in
the town, now we have miles of it.
Four years ago El Reno was paying
six per cent interest on her bonded in-
uebtedness, today she is payingifive.
Four years ago the city owned a half
lot where the city hall now stands.
Now it owns a quarter block worth
$8000.
Four years ago a laboring man never
thought about getting a day's work
from the city, nowall can get work
who desire it.
Four years ago the city had judge-
ments amounting tc over $4800j[whlch
it could not pay. has twice
that sum in the treasury.
Four years ago the city was paying
$10 for each electric light, now it is
paying $7.00 per light aud coal is high-
er than it has ever been,
Four years ago every dollars worth of
El Reno property was taxed 23 mills
on the dollar to run the city. Today
the city tax is only 10 mills.
Four years ago city warrants were
worth 65 cents on the dollar. Today
they are worth 100 cents and the money
is in the treasury to pay them.
Four years ao'0 the tire department
had less than $300 worth equipments.
Now it has men. than $3000 worth of
modereign appliances.
Four years ago the city records were
kept in a wooden desk, today they are
kept in a big iron lire proof safe as
commodious as a barn, and it is paid
for.
Four years ago a police officer shot
a man and a horse down on Bickford
Avenne. Now you can't fine a police-
man in a week if a shooting should
occur.
vFour years ago City prisoners were
kept in a rail pen, today wo have a
nice clean health jail and a neat City
hall. All of which was paid for with-
out taxation.
Four years ago the city was unable
to pay for 12 electric lights at $10 each
and was sued once or twice for the
amount, now the city has 55 lights and
money on hand to pay the bills.
Four years ago Rock Island and
Bickford avenue with their old wood-
en signs and broken down awnings
looked like a row of shanties in Coon
town alley. Now look at them.
Four years ago our beloved dead
were laid to rest on an unfensed school
section. Today the city owns 80 acres
of cemetery grounds planted in trees,
nicely fenced and well kept.
Four years ago El Reno was not
worth governing and nobody wanted
to be its governor. With a full treas-
ury and low taxes the woods are full of
fellows who want to trv their hand.
Four years ago El Reno did not have
a foot of sewer pipe ia the ground.
Today she has the best system of sew-
ers in Oklahoma. Her storm and sani-
tory system is nearly tire miles in
1ength.
Four years ago a killing, a gun play,
or a highway robbery was of frequent
occurrence and a knock down and a
drag out occurred almost daily. Now
we have the reputation far and near,
of being one of the most orderly towns
in Oklahoma.
With Confidence We Direct
You to the Never-Failing
Health Builder
Paine's Celery
Compound
Quickly Elevates the Constitutional
Condition of all Rundown
and Sick People.
In the winter season when many,
people, especially women and children,
are confined in close and stuffy apart-
ments which lack proper ventilation
facilities, the blood becomes watery,
pale, sluggish, and impure: the nerv-
our system is impaired, the brain is
tired, insomnia begins its terrible
work, and a general collapse of the
whole system ensues.
Our obj ct at this time is to suggest
the true means of succor and help for
pale, languid, nervous irratiblo, and
weakened women and children
Thousands of such nerveless and frail
victims will soon be cut down if help
is delayed and time lost.
Paine's Celery Compound is the life
line the sure and tried anchor of fchope
that all may lay hold or with a cer-
tainty of new life and vigorous health.
Paine's Celery Compound is doing the
same Heaven-blessed work today for
sutlers that it has so well done in the
past. ItquicLly lurniSties that new
pure, and fresh blood which is tb e
foundation of true health; it promotes
c3ll groth, builds up lljsh, bono, and
tissue, and elevates the condition
of every sick person, and defends
them from germ and bacterial danger.
Try Paine's Celery Compound, dear
reader, and your etT jrts will bo fully
and happily rewarded.
Mr. Quay is Right.
Our Washington correspondent, In
S.reiking of the significance of the
vote in the United States senate last
Wednesday whereby the anti-
statehood faction attempted to side-
track the omnibus bill, says that it
proves beyond further question that
Mr. Quay represents a majority of the
senate and thgit on a fair vote state-
hood will be granted to the three
territories. Our 3orrespondent fur-
ther observes that tillisbustering is
held in such disrepute that it is now
believed that the republicans will no
longer hold out, and Mr. Quay is con-
fident that Oklahoma, Arizona and
New Mexico will become states before
the fourth of March. The republicans
are talking of a compromise, but after
demonstrating tha'. he has a majority
of ten votes. Senator Quay declares
that he has no intention of compro-
mising and will stand out for the
passage of the Omnibus bill.
Do not Throw away old clothes '
Make them look like new with
IDIAMOND DYES.
Another Suicide.
Enid in order to keep before the
public and keep up her reputation,
pulled ofT another suicide and perhaps
a murder.
Yesterday G H. Price shot his wife,
and then putting the pi-toi to his head
killed himself. The wife is still living
but badly wounded.
Wheat Is doing well except on flat
ground where it suffered somewhat
from too much rain. The ground is
full of moisture and the prospects for a
good crop next year are good.
SDlrci't Ion hook und t"> <I v ;< 1 samples free I
DIAMON DYES, Burlington, Vt,
Want's to Know.
; B )b Neff wants to know what kind
of a democrat a western editor is, who
advocates the candidacy of Gorman for
the Presidency.
We are not ptrticularly 'interested
in knowing, in fact we can hardly con-
ceive of but one kind of a democrat;
but we w >uld like to know what kind
of a pop a man is who advocates the
nomination of Richard Olney. It
seams to us that Richard Olney was
once in the cabinet of the "Stuffed
Prophet" and used to come in for his
share of pop abuse. There were no
Cleveland democrats, and Hill demo-
crats and Bryan democrats, and West-
ern democrats, and Free Silver demo-
crats until the party began tojeonsort
with the pops. Prior to that time we
were all simply democrats. But now
we have as many factions as demo-
crats. It seems that the good Lord
as a punishment for our incontinent
and unholy association with pops, an-
archists, and repudicationists has so
confused the tongues of'democracy
that we are no longer able to communi-
cate, much less^cooperate with 'each
other. The story of Babel is ^recalled
and the fate of Babel will be ours, un-
less heoric remedies are applied. The
good book suggests the remedy in th'e
OUR BIRTHDAY.
The El Reno DEMOCRAT is thirteen
years old today. Thirteen years ago
it was launched by C. W. Gould. Its
earthly possessions then were one small
job press and an apron full of type and^
a Washington ''Armstrong" press.
The present owner purchased it in
1802 and equipped it with modern
power presses and up to date appli-
ances.
During the days of struggle and
dis=apointment in El Reno it struggled
along with other business enterprises
to keep its head above water.
It has always enjoyed the opposition
of the hungry political wolves, who
have preyed upon and sought to prey
upon the substance of the taxpayers.
The county printing has always been
used against it to build up opposition
to it. During the last teu years it has
been awarded the contract for the
county printing one year and then had
over one third of the work which be-
longed to it stolon from it and used to
pay political debts which should have
been paid in cash if paid at all
That the democrat has been a
success financially but few will deny;
but that success has been duo to the
commercial side and not the political
side of its career. The independent
stand it has always taken in support
of what it believes to be right and the
battles it has fought for the taxpayers
has made enemies of every political
grafter and hungry office hunter in its
own party and many in the opposition;
but the loss of one politician has been
the gain of two commercial friends.
Politicians are not good pay, they
are always behind with their subscrip-
tion, always behind on your job books,
in fact they rarely ever pay their
assessments or political contributions.
And when elected to oftiu# they forget
your service the next day.
The Democrat has never depended
upon the office holding or the office
hunting class for business. They are
usually tin uncertain quantity. Like the
poor they are always with you and like
the beggar of Bagdad thero is seldom
anything under the lappel of their
I ulsters.
i The Democrat has always de-
[ pended upon the farmers and the
I business interests of the country for
its support. They kave never, failed
it and never will so long as the paper
continues to do its part.
El Reno has seen twenty-three news-
papers go to the wall during the past
dozen years and each of them was
born into the world with a public nurs-
ing bottle in their mouths and each
depending upon the Board of County
Commissioners, the sheriff or some
other public official to keep them alive
at the expense of the taxpayers.
The Democrat is a business enter-
prise run on business principles and
craves a liberal share of your business,
if it can continue to meet the busi-
ness requirements of the town and
country. Its course in thg future will
be along the same independent lines
of the past. It may becomo suppliant
for old fashioned, necessary calms but
never a business Lazarus.
quotation, "if thine eye offend thee
pluck it out and if thine right hand
offend thee cut it off."
No. 1
CITIZENS WANT
A BRIDGE.
The Okarche Times truthfully
remarks that the citizens in the south-
western part of Canadian county are
deserving of a bridge across the South
Canadian.
It is also true, as the Times
remarks, th t they have enlisted the
aid of the El Reno business men, but
the fact of the business is that the
Board of C unty Commissioners are
opposed to the bridge. They want the
money to bridge every little creek and
ravine in their district so as to give
them a stand-in with the rural voters.
El Reno has lost thousa >ds of dollars
each year through the pig%oadedness
of the different Hoards of County Com-
missioners refusing to promptly re-
pair the roads and bridges, the streams
which makes the town accessible to
the people from the body of the
county. El llenomust tight for justice
along this line, and the tight is on and
will continue until justice is given us.
The treaty between the United States
and the government of Columbia has
| been signed by the interested parties
! and transmitted to the Senate. It
secures to us the right of way across
the isthmus of Panama. The big ditc
will now be dug.
There are 90 members in the U. S.
senate, and 356 in the House of represu- i
tatives.
ASK SOMETHING HARD.
Early last fall tl.o American promis-
ed to investigate the court house mat-
ter, Wc are reliably informed that it
has at last discovered that the bonds
are sold.—Globe.
Yes, and the taxpayers have dis-
covered that the bonds were sold nearly
ay ar before the money was neeJol fo.
the court house. They have discover-
ed that one whole year's interest,
amounting to $-,500,has been wasted.
The taxpayers have also discovered
that the bonds were sold for a premium
of only $65 when, if good business senso
and judgment had been exercised, they
would have brought a premium of at
least $2,500 or $.'lO00.
The taxpayers have discovered that
a collusion on the part of the bond buy-
ers was entered into, whereby one of
their number bid $05 00 above par and
the other three bids were below par,
and two members of the board knocked
them down to the sixty live dollar man
over the protest of Mr. Leeper, who
told them to their teeth that the bid-
ders had combined against the county
and that the proper thing to do was to
reject all bids and readvertiso.
Leeper was sat on and the bonds sold
for only $05.00 premium.
Yes, dear Globe, the taxpayers know
and the American knows that the
bonds were sold for$05.00 premium, as
being the best bid when one of the
commissioners had a bid in his pocket,
that had been ruled out because it
came in a few minutes late which of-
fered to pay a premium of $2,500 for
them or $2,435 more money than they
brought:
No, dear Globe, if you will keep on
asking questions about the court house
deal you may elicit more facts than
you can digest. In other words you
may bite off more than the commis-
sioners can chew.
Church Supper.
The ladies of the South Methodist
church will give one of their famous
suppers at Jackson Bros' parlors Thurs-
day evening, the 29th.
Menu.
Roast turkey and cranberry sauce
dressing.
Mashed irish potatoes and sweet
potatoes.
Homo made catsup and picklos,
Ilot rolls, cake and coffee.
From 5 to 8 p. m.
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Hensley, T. F. The El Reno Democrat. (El Reno, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 14, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 1903, newspaper, January 29, 1903; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc112319/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.