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1908 — E.W. Marland and his wife, moved to Ponca City from Pennsylvania.
Their first residence was a three-room apartment in the Arcade Hotel.
Marland had no money, so the hotel manager, Mr. Wiker, extended him
credit. A relative of Marland introduced him to the Miller Brothers.
When Marland visited their ranch, the Millers gave him a tour of the
area. When E.W. saw the old Ponca Indian cemetery on a hilltop, he was
convinced that it was a perfect geological dome that could produce oil.
The first sewers in Ponca City were laid.
The Miller Brothers took their rodeo show on the road throughout
Oklahoma and the surrounding states.
Ponca City's population was 2,529.
Lester Cann built a nine-room frame house at the edge of town at
Fourteenth Street and Grand Avenue. The residence was a showplace,
reminiscent of a 19th century farm home.
Louis Barnes, son of Ponca City's founder, B.S. Barnes, owned a grocery
store in the 300 block on East Grand. A representative of Kansas City
Oil Refinery visited Barnes and offered to sell him a carload of coal
oil ... 120 barrels, fifty gallons each. It was inspected and stamped,
and would only cost nine cents a gallon, half the standard price. Barnes
agreed to buy it, even though 6,000 gallons was more oil than he would
ordinarily sell in two years. The oil was to arrive on a Thursday, which
was the day both weekly newspapers were printed. Barnes ran a half page
ad in each paper, proclaiming "Louie Barnes cuts prices of coal oil,
Saturday, to ten cents a gallon. Bring your jugs, bring your kegs, bring
your cans, and bring anything that will hold coal oil. And buy all you
want for 10 cents a gallon." The farmers came to town with every type of
container imaginable. That Saturday was the biggest trade day Barnes
ever had. He sold 4,000 gallons of coal oil, and had enough left to
supply his store for a year.
1909 — E.W. Marland and the Miller Brothers organized the 101 Ranch Oil
Company.
William McFadden met Marland in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and came to the
101 Ranch for his health. He brought a suitcase containing $100,000. He
invested in the 101 Oil Company, and became vice president of the
company.
Mrs. W.T. Oates, a member of Twentieth Century Club, wrote a letter to
Andrew Carnegie, requesting a grant for a new library. Mr. Carnegie
delivered a check for $6,500.
J.W. Lynch was a candidate for mayor and a dominant political character.
His opponent was Jim Sullivan, also a long-time prominent figure. In
public speeches, they berated each other unmercifully. A story
circulated through the city that Lynch had secured a federal pardon for
a friend, with a large amount of money changing hands in the deal. On
the eve of the election, the two candidates were having a public debate
when Sullivan asked the crowd, "Do you think that a man who attempted to
bribe the President of the United States should be the mayor of a fine
city like this?" When Sullivan finished his accusation, Lynch rose to
answer him. "The thing about Sullivan's remark is that it is a lie. I
want you folks to know that I did bribe the President of the United
States." Lynch won the election.
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NOTE:
This site is provided by the Ponca City Publishing