Old Time Tidbits
The Alva Record
Friday, 28 September 1923
Alva, Oklahoma, Official City Paper

Woods County Man Dies of Injuries

James O. Gregory, of Lookout, Dies of Injuries
Received in Run Away Last Week.

      James O. Gregory, of the Lookout neighborhood, who sustained a fractured skull and other injuries in a runaway on the public highway, two miles from his home on September 18th, died at the Alva Hospital at 8:00 o'clock Tuesday evening.
     The patient seemed much better following the operation in which the broken skull was lifted from the brain tissue, but the shock to the system proved too great and death came after a week of suffering.
     The body was removed to the Garrison Undertaking Parlors to await the arrival of a brother from California. Arrangements for funeral services have not yet been completed.

Receives Bouquet

     Rev. S. H. Raudebaugh, who is here taking treatments at the Alva Hospital, received a beautiful bouquet of cut flowers Wednesday, from his Sunday School class at Dacoma, for which he is truly grateful. Rev. Raudebaugh and wife recently returned from an extended visit in the east. They also spent some time in Colorado this summer. Rev. Raudebaugh is one of the very few survivors of the ship Sultana, which was destroyed on the Mississippi river at the close of the Civil War. He says he enjoys reading the Record very much.

Methodists Have Church Supper

     About two hundred and fifty persons -- members of the local Methodist church and their friends - attended the supper in the banquet hall of the First Methodist Church, Wednesday evening. In addition to the bountiful supper which was served by the ladies of the church, a delightful program was rendered, consisting of orchestra selections, readings and addresses. The orchestra is said to be the best Sunday school orchestra in the state and the church is truly proud of its achievements. Reports of the business affairs of the church were read and plans for the future were discussed by various members of the official board. The church has shown a remarkable growth in every way during the past year and the outlook for the future was never more promising.

District Court Will Meet Next Monday

Jury Summoned to Appear October 8th.
Heavy Docket, but Few Important Cases

     The District Court of Woods County will meet next Monday, October 1st, for the regular October term, with Judge Arthur G. Sutton, presiding. The first week will be taken up with arraignments, motions and non-jury cases. The jury panel has been summoned for the following Monday, October 8th, and the week following will be given over to jury cases.
     On another page in this paper will be found the assignment docket. It will be noticed that while the docket is unusually full, few of the cases are of any great importance and none is of general interest.

County Government Costs $160,974.54

Estimated Cost for Present year Will Be Slightly Higher According to Statement of County Commissioners.

     The cost of conducting the affairs of Woods County during the fiscal year which ended June 30, 1923, totaled $160,974.54, according to the Financial Statement and Estimate for the county which was made public the past week. The warrants issued for the various offices were as follows: County Attorney, $2,534.97; Sheriff, $7,632.02; County Clerk, $5,889.10; County Treasurer, $6,131.99; County Assessor $4,137.26; county Superintendent, $3,526.37; County Surveyor, $620.29; Board of Commissioners, $5,451..56; County Court, $177.16; District Court, $4,908.98; court clerk, $2,743.10; Justices of the Peace, $131.30; Health Department, $164.50; Charitable, $10,001.50; Sundry Expenses, $13,604.75; Agriculture, $2,151.92; Roads and Bridges, $89,073.74.
      The estimated expenses for the present year as given by the commissioners were $172,884.52; $143,055.60 of this being for the General Fund and $29,828.92 for the Road and Bridge Fund. The new gasoline tax fund will help take care of some of the road construction work which heretofore has been paid from the regular funds.

Bennett To Head The Ranger Football Team

     At the annual election of the Ranger football squad of Northwestern, Gaylord (Butch) Bennett was elected captain of the 1923 team. "Butch" is one of the few veterans around whom Coach Wyatt is building his team for this season and is a man of several seasons experience. Usually playing at end or half back, and occasionally at quarter and full, he has been permanently placed at the quarter position for this season. Bennett is a very speedy little fellow, quick, active, heady and possesses an unusual ability for breaking up the plays of an opposing team. His election to the position as captain is an evidence of the respect in which his teammates hold him, and their confidence in his ability. The entire school was elated over the results of the election.

Militia Forbids Special Session

Representatives Disperse Without Argument at Command of Military Authorities. Will Fight Governor in Courts.

     Members of the state legislature who responded to the call of W. D. McBee and assembled in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, with the avowed purpose of holding a special session of the legislative body to impeach Governor J. C. Walton, dispersed quietly when Col. Wm. S. Key, of the National Guards, standing before the entrance of the legislative chambers, commanded them to disperse and forbade them to meet as legislators within the borders of the State.
      The lawmakers made no demonstration but quietly left the building and returned to the down town hotels, where they discussed ways and means of carrying on the relentless fight which they have started against the Governor. Their efforts now will be directed toward forcing the matter into the courts, although just what the next move will be the leaders have not made public.
     The Governor says that the failure of the legislature to hold its special session was a victory for himself and for law and order.
     The public eagerly awaits the next act in this great farce-comedy which is adding so much to the gaiety of the nations.

Birthday Dinner

     A bunch of Grandma Harpman's friends and neighbors surprised her last Sunday with a big dinner. The occasion of the festivities was her birthday. She was 74 years old. In passing I must remark that Grandma is just about 99 per cent American. She was but six months old when her people left Sweden in the spring of 1850. The sailing vessel in which the party left Sweden, was buffeted about on the waves of the Atlantic for three months ere they landed safely on the coveted shore. Thru Mrs. Harpman's veins courses a strain of French blood of one of the numerous families of French emigres who fled their native land during that troublous period 1790 to 1820 to find asylum in Sweden. We may recall that even the royalty of Sweden is the house of Bernadotte, one of Napoleon's famous marshals, who was elected King of Sweden.
     'Twas a happy thankful gathering of friends. Happy and thankful that Grandma Harpman has so completely recovered from her accident and illness of last winter. It had seemed that Heaven was intervening; not so much in her behalf, as in the behalf of those whom she has helped, befriended and cheered. They were so loath to lose her. She means so much to them. The dinner was good. Trust the good Woods County women for that. Among those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Dave Harrington; C. J. Harrington and wife and their daughters Hazel and Leona; Mrs. May Herold and son George; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Nordyke and daughters Addie and Irene; Mrs. Irene Jarred and daughter Minnie; John and Joe Jarred; Mrs. Ed Harrington and son, Ernest; the Misses Agnes, Hannah, Mary Katherine, Berha and Margie Harrington; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ruggles and son Garrett; Mrs. Rita Martin; Mrs. H. Trenary and son Ralph; Misses Alma and Bernice Keck; Miss Elsie Geiger; Miss Ruby Norduke; Miss Florence Atkinson; Messrs. Wm. Mantz, John Miler and Everett Herold.
     The writer joins these friends in wishing Mrs. Harpman many happy returns of the day.

Written by Herb Gold

John E. Kavanaugh

     John E. Kavanaugh died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Lanigan, at three o'clock Monday morning after suffering from pneumonia and a complication of lung troubles for over five weeks. He was a patient sufferer, and being conscious up to a few hours before he died, he retained that same cheerful disposition that won him a high place among men during life.
     The deceased was born in Canada in 1867, and came to Polk county, Nebraska, in 1872. When he was 13 years old he went to David City to learn the printing trade under Colmer McCune While learning the trade he studied law and was admitted to the bar under the late Judge Post when he was only 19 years old, being the youngest attorney ever admitted to the bar in the state of Nebraska. He came to Greeley Center for a number of years, later moving to Spalding, where he edited the Spalding Enterprise and practiced law with the exception of some five or six years, when he went to Oklahoma, where he edited the Alva Pioneer, a daily paper, for some time, and also the El Reno Democrat, another daily. The past years he spent in Spalding, practicing his profession.
     Mr. Kavanaugh had a wide acquaintance among the newspaper and legal men of the state and has received many honors at their hands. He was a staunch democrat and attended all the state conventions, where he was well known. He was an exceptionally good newspaper man and many of his editorial articles found space in the World Herald and other newspapers.
      He leaves to mourn him, four brothers, Dan of Fairbury, Nebraska; Ed of Winner, South Dakota; Mike of O'Connor, Nebraska; and Fred, of Alva, Oklahoma; and three sisters, Mrs. Lanigan of Spalding; Sister Marcella of St. Catherine's Hospital, Omaha, and Mrs. Barney Murphy of Greeley, all of whom, with the exception of Fred, were with him at various times during his illness and who were present at the funeral.
     The funeral was held Wednesday morning when the body was taken to St. Michaels church where mass was said and the body was then taken to O'Connor.

As Others See Us

     A Wichita man attended a lawsuit at Watonga, Oklahoma, yesterday and brings back the story that the trial immediately developed into a contest between the Klan and the anti-Klan.
     "What surprised me," said the Wichita man, "was the frank and open display of the hostility. When a man was sworn for jury service the first question asked him invariably was: 'are you a member of the Klan?' About half of the men answered promptly and aggressively that they were. The others answered with equal aggressiveness that they were not."
     "I found," said the Wichita man, "some of the large business men of the community are members of the Klan, and when I asked if they thought the present situation in Oklahoma was good for the state, they frankly admitted that it was not, but said the fight had reached a point in Oklahoma where all who opposed Walton had joined the Klan and the others were fighting the Klan."
     "It's a bitter condition that has introduced into Oklahoma a feudism that practically wipes out for the moment all that orderly civilization has built. It is the predominant subject of conversation and the quarrel is inescapable."
      "It seemed to have reached a point in Oklahoma where a man must belong to one faction or the other. In my judgment it brings an injury to Oklahoma which cannot be computed thru any ordinary terms of measure." -- Wichita Beacon.
     It is our personal opinion that the Wichita traveling man responsible for this story needs to change his brand of drinks. There may be places in Oklahoma where such conditions exist, but we doubt it.

500 Entries In School At Fair

Farm Boys and Girls Who Were Scholarships

     Five hundred farm boys and girls winners of first and second prizes in the club contests at the county fairs, have arrived at the fair grounds to participate in the annual State Fair school.
     More than half the counties of the state are represented.
     A busy week is ahead of the youngsters, the first lessons of the school having started with the judging of livestock and grain exhibits Monday. Between now and Saturday the boys and girls will hear lectures on every angle of running a farm and home, will judge livestock and all the crops grown in their respective counties, will go on sight-seeing tours of the city and will wind up with a "social whirl" in the form of an old fashioned country party. At this party, Mary of Oklahoma county, will let Reuben of Woods county hold her hand, while the Williams and Janes from all other counties will get acquainted in a regular way with no score cards to face them at the end.
     The boys and girls at the school grow cotton, corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, peanuts, kafir, potatoes, watermelons -- they beat their dads every year -- and the girls make dresses, can tomatoes, peaches and things, raise chickens, gardens and run various other units of the farm home. Expenses of the 500 are paid by the counties and business men of the counties they represent, and they win prizes at the fair besides. -- Oklahoman.

Much Wheat Being Sown

     Reports coming from the country in every direction from Alva indicate that the acreage of wheat sown this fall will be larger than was estimated a few weeks ago. Ground is in excellent condition and every available man is in the fields. The general outlook is far brighter than it was a year ago. There is every reason to believe that there will be an abundance of wheat pasture throughout the winter and this will offset the scarcity of feed-stuffs, which is so apparent in this portion of the state. An adequate amount of wheat pasture will mean a corresponding increase in butterfat and other dairy products during the winter and this in turn means a source of revenue to the farmer, at a time when he feels the need of it greatly.

Three Oil Tests -- Maybe

     There are three oil tests projects under way in Woods County at the present time, and all of them are at a standstill because of the inability of organizers to secure solid blocks of leases. In every case there are a few land holders who refuse to lease their farms, and these farms are so located that it is impossible to get solid blocking without them.
     Just how long the game will be delayed it is hard to conjecture, but it is a settled fact that no oil company will spend any money in development in a wildcat field unless it has a solid clock of at least 5000 acres surrounding its first test.

Marriage Licenses

           A license to wed was granted to Joseph W. Lukens, 21, and Blanche Sheddy, 20, both of Hardtner, the past week.

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