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1907 — In the mayoral election, the Democrats and Republicans held a
"harmonious convention" and joined together to unanimously nominate a
candidate. City political leaders were praised for joining hands in the
effort to do away with political strife. James Hutchison was the
overwhelming, and only, choice for mayor. It required considerable
persuasion to get him to consent to accept the nomination, but he
finally yielded to the popular demand.
Mayor Hutchison issued a proclamation, urging the citizens to clear
their premises of accumulations of rubbish and filth, and cart it from
the city to be properly disposed of, "to the end that our civic pride
may be justified and that the stranger within our gates may realize in
truth the contention of a greater and better Ponca City. Mindfully of
the human tendency of forgetfulness, let me urge that no man be a
laggard, but with faith and hope to go about his duty cheerfully and
quickly."
The city passed a sewer bond. The decision was made to have the brick
and tiling made locally.
Bill Vanselous, owner of the Big V Ranch, purchased an entire herd of
500 mules in San Angelo, Texas. They were range mules, wild and
unbroken, but regarded as "splendid specimens and desired by mule
dealers everywhere." He brought them back to the ranch and branded them
on both jaws with a small "V". He built a special barn for the animals
in which to break them and fatten them up, and then he shipped them to
St. Louis in carload lots. Vanselous became the best-known mule dealer
in the country.
President Theodore Roosevelt invited the Miller brothers to participate
in the Jamestown Exposition in Norfolk, Va. It was so successful that
they organized their first regular traveling show and began playing all
over the United States.
At the Republican state convention in August, Frank Frantz was nominated
as the Republican candidate for governor of the new state of Oklahoma.
When the vote was put to suspend the rules and nominate Frantz by
acclamation, every one of the 1,500 delegates stood in their seats and,
waving hats above their heads, shouted aye for five minutes.
On Saturday, Nov. 16, 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed a
proclamation establishing Oklahoma as the 46th state of the United
States. This proclamation officially joined the "Twin Territories" —
Indian Territory and Oklahoma territory — into a brand new state. The
population census identified that the Indian Territory population was
681,115 and the Oklahoma Territory population was 733,062.
Included in the new constitution was an amendment that would prohibit
the sale of alcohol within the new state. The amendment forced all 18 of
Ponca City's saloons to close.
The Oklahoma Seal was the state's first emblem, as specified in the 1907
Constitution. It was designed by Gabe E. Parker, who was one-eighth
Choctaw and served as federal superintendent of the Five Civilized
Tribes. He also chaired the Constitution Convention. The seal is
circular, with a field of 45 small stars, representing the other states.
In the center is a large, five-pointed star. Each point of the star
contains an image from the seal of one of the five tribes. Around the
seal is a band bearing the words GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA,
1907.
"Kay County is entitled to two representatives in the state legislature
and the Democrats have nominated as their candidates Logan Hawkins of
Tonkawa and Q.T. Brown of Braman. These gentlemen are both young men
possessed with ability to properly represent us at the coming session of
the legislature, and as the legislature is sure to be Democratic, it
behooves Kay county, if we expect any favors in the line of one of the
public state buildings or otherwise, to send Democrats down to represent
us, because they will have some influence with the Democratic majority.
And right here is where Ponca City wants to put in her bid for the state
penitentiary." Excerpt from an editorial column in the Ponca City
Democrat, Oct. 1907.
"The next legislature of Oklahoma will locate the public buildings in
the new state. Ponca City wants to speak up now and ask for the state
penitentiary. We have the building stone right at our door, we have
natural gas for heating the building which would be a great saving in
fuel, we have an inexhaustible supply of pure water and we could supply
a few of the inmates if necessary, to help the cause along." Excerpt
from an editorial column in the Ponca City Democrat, Nov. 1907. |
NOTE:
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