Henryetta Daily Free-Lance – 1921 (George Riley Hall, Editor & Publisher)

Dec. 30, 1921

EDITOR’S NOTE

Before the Free-Lance issues again, the old year shall have passed into history and 1922 shall have smiled himself into existence. Thus do the years pass silently by and sooner other actors will step onto the stage of human affairs. This, then is the last paper we shall print in the year now about to end.

SLOT MACHINES PUNCH BOARDS ALL UNDER BAN

Slot machines and punch boards in Okmulgee County must go.

Sheriff Frank Sowers has given notice that if these gambling devices are not removed from places of business by the first day of January, 1922, the owners will be prosecuted and the property confiscated.

The sheriff makes this announcement in no uncertain way, but gives the owners until tomorrow night to get rid of them.

There have been a number of both slot machines and punch boards in Henryetta, just as there have been in most of the towns and cities of the state and it is more than probable they will go to the discard when the owners read the sheriff ’s notice.

HENDEN-VOGT

The wedding of Mr. Merle Henden, of Fulton, Kentucky, and Miss Leona Vogt, of this city, was solemnized last evening at 9:00 o’clock at the home of the bride’s sister, Mrs. Wm. Brink, 511 North Fifth Street, Rev. C. Bowles officiating.

Guests were limited to the immediate family of the bride and the rooms were beautifully decorated with carnations and ferns. Following the ceremony, a lovely two-course supper was served. Mr. and Mrs. Henden left this morning for a three weeks’ wedding trip to Sapulpa, Chandler and Oklahoma City, after which Mrs. Henden will return here and await the return of Mr. Henden, who is a lieutenant in the army at Seattle, Washington. They will make their future home in Fulton, Kentucky.

The bride is a sister of Mrs. Wm. Brink and has spent the greater part of her life in Henryetta, where she has a host of friends. For the past six months she has been a nurse at the Henryetta Hospital. Out-of-town guests attending the wedding were Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Chappell and Mr. and Mrs. La Van Warren, of Okmulgee.

MINSTRELS NOW A NOVELTY

It has been so long since we have had a real old fashioned Minstrel show, that the announcement that the Famous Georgia Minstrels will be at the Morgan Monday that their coming will take on the aspect of a novelty. Time was when the minstrels were good for two to three visits a season, but of late years they have seemed to be scarce but from the report of the leading theatrical papers minstrelsy has taken a new lease of life, and there is no less than a half dozen large minstrel shows touring the country and all reports are that they are playing to packed houses everywhere.

The daily “Courier” of Ottumwa speaking of the Georgias says: “It is one thousand percent entertainment for a dollar,” which tells the story in a nutshell.

MAKING PROTEST ON THIRD STREET PAVING

Protest has been entered with the mayor against the paving on North Third Street, between Main and Trudgeon.

The part of the street already paved, from Main Street north to the alley is from curb to curb, the full width of the street, but it appears that the plans and specifications on which the present contract was let provided that for a parking on the half block from the alley north to Trudgeon, thus making a “jog” in the middle of the block.

North Third, particularly through that first block north of Main, is a business street and it is held that the entire width of the street should be paved.

When a paving district is formed all the plans, specifications and estimates are published in the notice to bidders, and also a day is fixed for hearing protests of property owners as to the paving as a whole or any part of it, also the plans and specifications.

That was the time when the protest should have been made as the law does not provide for a hearing on any protest after that date.

CASE OF DIPHTHERIA

A case of diphtheria was reported yesterday by Dr. Mooney, at 611 N. Third Street, that of a child of 4 or 5 years. The second treatment has been given and hopes of the child’s recovery are entertained.

This is the second case within the past few weeks. Mayor Hawes said today that the manner in which cases of this terrible disease have appeared in the city is unusual. There has been about one case each month and at no time has an epidemic followed.

Tex Gunter quarantined the house where this last case appeared and no spread of the disease is expected.

THANK YOU ELKS

We who helped in delivering some of the Hundred Christmas Dinners and also the stockings and underwear furnished by the Elks of Henryetta, to families less fortunate in the possession of this world’s goods, wish to thank each Elk for this privilege and to assure you that there is a question in our hearts, as to whom you have the greater pleasure, the recipient of the dinner, or we who were privileged to place them.

We are wishing for you and yours a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

REMODEL STORE

The Help Yourself Grocery does not look like itself now. It is in process of change in the interior arrangements, and Mr. Ellis says the improvement will be great.

This institution has grown steadily since it began, and is now enjoying a fine business. The new plans will aid both the management and the public. The impelling force that prompted the change was in order to handle a greater volume of business in the one store room.

CAMERON HERE

Dr. E.D. Cameron is here with his family. He has been at his new pastorate for some time, and is merely visiting his home town.

But his appearance on the street starts talk at once. He is addressed as “Governor” and spoken of in the same manner. Henryetta people are very earnest in the opinion that this fellow townsman may occupy that office after the next election.

Jan. 1, 1922

BIG FIRE LOSS MOST OF WHICH ON FURNITURE

Mr. Hammon, of the Hammons Cleaning and Dyeing Company, suffered a severe loss by fire when the house in which he was living caught from some unknown cause and by the fire that followed all of his furniture was virtually destroyed.

The house is a 6-room frame at the corner of Thirteenth and West Division Streets and owned by C.M. Walker, of Coalton. It had been occupied by Mr. Hammon and his family since October 12.

The alarm was turned in at 4:40 Friday evening. When a woman near the house discovered the fire, smoke was coming forth from all parts of the building.

Ṫhe firemen made no delay in getting to it, but when they reached the house it was on fire all over the interior, but the fire had not proceeded far enough to greatly damage the house, the loss on that probably amounting to from $50 to $100, according to the fire chief, but the heat was sufficient to ruin all the furniture. All the upholstering and veneering was burned off and every piece blistered by the heat.

Mr. Hammon estimated his loss as $4,000 and carried insurance in the sum of $4,500. Mr. Hammon recently moved here from Ardmore and said yesterday that he did not believe in moving furniture, so he purchased everything new after arriving here and the furniture burned Friday had been in use only a few weeks.

The fire chief said it appeared to him that the fire had started form a gas stove being placed too near a wall and that the wall paper had caught from it and the fire, running up the wall, had spread to all parts of the house.

Mr. Hammon said Mrs. Hammon was positive the stove had been turned off before she left the house, all the family being away from home at the time of the fire.

The firemen put out the fire quickly with a chemical but fearing, it was still burning in the attic, they cut a hole in the roof and flooded that with a stream of water.

Mr. Hammon said the firemen certainly did prompt work but the house was evidently burning all over when they were notified.

The loss by the fire is not all of Mr. Hammon’s troubles. He wanted a larger and better house when he took this one, but it was all he could find vacant. He has frequently advertised for a hose but so far without results. He was house hunting with all his energy yesterday.

PROSPEROUS HENRYETTA

You hear men say that Henryetta is the best town in the state, and when that assertion comes from men who travel over the state, it means much. We who remain here day after day, and seldom spend more than a day elsewhere, can have little idea of the comparison. One thing is certain.

One thing is certain. That is the fact that we have moved steadily forward throughout the past year – the most trying and critical year imaginable. Even now there are four new business rooms being made ready for occupancy on Main Street.

One man remarked yesterday that fifty office rooms might be let in a day if only they could be built and supplied at once.

There are many people who desire to come to Henryetta, but cannot find locations in either residence or business quarters. This means that the growth of the town must be great in the immediate future. There is everything to make it grow, and it simply must grow.

The long strings of laden trucks and wagons plying the road to the oil fields indicate how heavy the traffic is from that source. The lumber yards are supplying large material consignments to the oil industry, and thus the marts of trade keep busy. The past year has witnessed a most satisfactory

The past year has witnessed a most satisfactory amount of progress. Merely one item for example – the city has collected twice as much occupation license tax in 1921 as in 1920.

Possible this does not mean a doubling of the business and professional people, for industrious collections might account for some of it. But in the main it is a simple increase in the city.

What the new year will do for us depends largely on what we, ourselves do. There has been a decided disposition on the part of some of our business people to reef sail and stay close to the shore.

This may wisdom if not carried too far. But we simply must evince confidence in our home town and its people. There can be no such thing as Henryetta ever taking a backward stip. Let us keep our eyes on the future, and step out with that confidence which of itself helps to win.

Free-Lance admits great growth in circulation and usefulness.

We shall put our fate to the test and install a duplex press in the future, and if the people of Henryetta remain as loyal as in the past, we shall soon be in position to put out a real city paper.

The future is all right, if YOU are all right. Let us go forward in the fullest confidence. This city must go forward. If we do not keep pace we shall simply lose out – for Henryetta cannot stop.

OCCUPATION TAX MORE DOUBLE IN THE YEAR

Mayor Hawes and Chief of Police Stormont were discussing occupation tax yesterday and it is found that the sum collected for the year 1921, has been about double that of 1920.

Asked if this came from increased number of men in business this year, over last, the mayor replied, not all of it, but most of it.

He said the officers had been more diligent in collecting the tax but as there has been no increase during the year in the occupation tax on any industry, it is very patent that the increase is largely owing, as the mayor says, to the fact that the number of people engaged in business in the city has increased at a great rate throughout the past twelve months.

RESUME SCHOOL TUESDAY

At the last meeting of the board of education arrangements were made for the holidays, and it was ordered to resume work January 2.

After consultation with the board members and the superintendent yesterday it was agreed that since business places will observe the holiday Monday, it seems only fair to let the schools have the day.

Therefore schools will resume work Tuesday morning, January 3, 1922.