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1912 — Brett Implement was the largest business of its kind in northern
Oklahoma. In addition to a full line of farming and ranching supplies,
they also sold Studebaker buggies and Buick automobiles.
In April, a tornado (known then as a cyclone) damaged 161 homes and
destroyed a fairground and racetrack on the west side of the city.
E.W. Marland began construction on the first refinery to be built in
Ponca City, located at the south end of First Street. He formed the
Marland Refining Company, absorbing the original 101 Ranch Oil Company.
Marland had at least 20 wells producing oil. He was drilling in the
Ponca field and at Newkirk. He was out in the fields with his men,
eating out of dinner pails and working alongside them. The Kay County
Gas Company, which E.W. controlled, took over natural gas distribution.
The 101 Ranch Wild West Show toured through 22 states and three Canadian
Provinces, staging 421 shows. In August, as they traveled through
Wisconsin, the train derailed, demolishing five cars, killing 10 horses
and injuring 30 more.
Ponca City administrators made a key decision by voting to approve
$30,000 in general obligation bonds to construct a steam generated
electric plant and distribution system, owned and operated by the city.
The United Sash and Door Company in Wichita, Kan., needed a new
location, since there was a shortage of natural gas in Kansas. The
Chamber of Commerce encouraged the glass plant to locate in Ponca City.
The city donated 15 acres of land adjoining the Santa Fe railroad and
added a switch track to the property, at a cost to the city of $10,000.
1913 — The whole town turned out for the 20th anniversary celebration of
the Cherokee Strip land run.
At the age of 20, Ponca City had 500 phones and a population of
approximately 5,000. The city had four blocks of brick streets and 1.5
miles of "macadamized" streets. The city limits were from South Avenue
to Highland, and Tenth Street to the railroad, with a few streets west
of the tracks and two blocks south of South Avenue between Third and
Seventh Streets.
The city boasted six churches, three lumber yards, nine hotels or
boarding houses, and four movie houses.
William McFadden was elected mayor. McFadden was associated with George
L. Miller of the 101 Ranch, Lew Wentz and E.W. Marland in the oil
business, which made him wealthy. He came to Ponca City from
Pennsylvania, where he had been in the steel business. McFadden loved
being mayor and enjoyed participating in fire and police activities.
The 101 Ranch Wild West Show toured in 13 states, mostly in the
northeast area. They then took the show to Rio de Janeiro on a ship. The
ocean was rough and many people were seasick. One man contracted
smallpox, and begged to be thrown overboard. He survived, but four of
the Indians died of smallpox. The stock became ill with glander, a very
contagious and deadly equine disease. All of the horses had to be shot
and burned. |
NOTE:
This site is provided by the Ponca City Publishing