Volume 14 , Issue 21

From Oklahoma 1893

The Western Kansas World dated 30 September 1893, had this to say as the birth of Alva, Oklahoma Territory, 16 September 1893.

Alva, O.T., September 23, 1893 -- "marvelous changes have been wrought in this territory since 12 o'clock on the 16th of SEptember. On the evening of September 16, Alva was a city of white tents and not a frame building on the townsite except the U.S. land office and postoffice. Sunday was generally respected and no work was done. On Monday but little was accomplished as there was a hitch in getting lumber upon the ground, but by Tuesday morning two large lumber yards were ready to accommodate all, and the work of building a new city began. Today, just one week front he grand opening nearly every lot on the principal street is covered with a frame building and some of them are large and substantial (sp). The only limit tot he work accomplished has been caused by the inability too secure all the labor retired, although there is a small army of carpenters on the ground.

Business of all kinds is well represented. There are a present a half a dozen grocery stores, several of general merchandise, a clothing house, drug store, three hardware stores, a dozen or more eating houses and restaurants, lemonade and peanut stands and land offices galore. As we write the lemonade venders are making more noise than they usually do at a country fair or a circus. Almost adjoining our tent is a strong lunged young man who deals in "fresh roasted popcorn and baled hay." Blair says, "Inform our wives that we are in no immediate danger of starvation so long as our neighbor continues in business."

Frank McKnight, a former well known real estate dealer in Wa-Keeney, is here. Frank was unfortunate in securing a lot a block or more from the land office, but being fertile in devising expedients he gives open air concerts every evening which are largely attended. He has employed a colored vocalist and violinist, and after each performance mounts a dry goods box and informs the crowd that he has had much experience int he land office business, in fact that he is the only attorney who can do anything and everything necessary to perfect a title to a homestead. His remarks are always vociferously applauded and the follows another song and some more instrumental music.

The filings here reach over 100 a day. Those waiting to file number 1,800. Tickets are given out format he land office which entitle the holder to his turn and he need not remain in the ranks.

The question of most vital importance - the water supply - has been settled most satisfactorily. A well about 30 feet deep was sank and an inexhaustible supply of pure, fresh water was obtained. The pump throws an inch stream and has been kept running day and night. It has until now been the only well in town and several thousand men and horses have been supplied daily. It is much in the nature of an artesian all the water rising almost to the top of the ground and cannot be lowered. The irrigation problem can easily be solved in this community. If Trego county had such a supply of water at such a reasonable depth it would be worth millions.

Alva is the only land office and count seat town in the strip where pure water in abundance can be obtained and it is very much in its favor. Several business men who had contemplated locating at Enid and Pond Creek were in this place this week and signified their intention of locating here principally on account of the water supply. The following concerning Alva is from the Chronicle, the first paper published in the city:

"Nature has surrounded the townsite of Alva with every natural advantage that goes to make a city great and prosperous. The townsite may truly be called beautiful. Groves of splendid trees are about us on every hand. We have secured an inexhaustible supply of pure sparkling water at the very reasonable depth of 30 feet. The rain age of the city can be made perfect at a trifling expense. In fact our embryo city is located in one of nature's beauty spots.

"M county, Oklahoma is situated midway between the eastern and western boundaries of the territory. It has a mean altitude of 1,500 feet, considerably less than that of Trego county. Those who can speak from personal knowledge assert that the climate is delightful, being neither excessively cold in winter nor excessively hot in summer and that the atmosphere is always pure and invigorating. There is but one doctor in this city and he makes his daily rounds inquiring from house to house and from tent to tent if anybody news his services. He has just left our office and stated that there was absolutely no sickness int eh city or county. The soil is rich, sandy loam and we have every reason for believing that it will prove very productive. Harper county, Kansas, immediately north is one of the finest wheat counties in the state. The soil here is porous and the subsoil is loose and we believe that trees can be grown with success.

"The hardships incident to the opening and envelopment of a new country will be here reduced to a minimum. The erection of school houses and churches will begin at once. Railroad facilities are good and we might add incidentally that twenty-five or thirty car loads of merchandise of all kinds are daily unloaded at this point and the passenger trains come in loaded every day. This is distinctively a Kansas county. Nine percent of our entire population are Kansans and, in an incredibly short time, western enterprise and western grit will have transformed a desert into a garden spot, a wilderness into a land of plenty. We have been west too long to become unduly enthusiastic or excited but,having just returned from a trip to the country, we are thoroughly convinced that this vicinity has a bright future before it."   |  View or Add Comments (1 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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