Stories from the past
114 YEARS AGO The Checotah Times
Friday, November 19, 1909
The Bonds Badly Defeated
The proposed $87,000 bond issue for bridges was given a black eye by the voters of McIntosh county in the election held Tuesday of this week.
Not that the citizens of the county are opposed to public improvements, but that they do not approve of voting bonds that will eventually cost the taxpayers double the face amount, at the present time.
The result of the election shows some remarkable returns. No campaign was made either for or against the bonds and the voter was left to make his own decision without interference or persuasion.
Thanksgiving Services
Thanksgiving services will be held at the Episcopal church Thursday morning of next week at 11 a.m. Offertory for all Saints hospital at McAlester will be taken. All are invited to attend these services.
Starr in Colorado
Lamar, Colo., Nov. 17 – Henry Starr, the noted bandit, surprised a court room full of people here this afternoon by pleading guilty to the charge of having participated in the robbery of the bank at Amity, Colo., last spring.
MINERS ENTOMBED
Bodies of 300 Men May Never be Recovered.
Cherry, Ill., Nov. 17 – After claiming them for four days the St. Paul coal mine, in which are still entombed the bodies of 300 or more miners as a result of last Saturday’s disastrous fire, today refused to yield up its dead. Utter failure to devise any satisfactory method of recovering the bodies attended the work of the rescuers.
Tonight the interior of the mine is burning almost as fiercely as ever, lifting the seal over the mouth of the hoisting shaft, and indicating by frequent puffs of smoke the fury of the smothered flames.
••••• 100 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, November 15, 1923
KUPPENHEIMER DISPLAY AD FOR SUITS: COLLEG MEN KNOW WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD APPEARANCE A true “Investment in Good Appearance.” $40 – $45 – $50
BIXBY DEFEATS CHECOTAH
One of the largest crowds that ever attended a football game in Checotah turned out Monday afternoon to witness the heartbreaking defeat administered to the local boys by the fast Bixby eleven. The final score stood Bixby 18, Checotah 6.
Ladies Attention
The first meeting of the local bureau of Child Hygiene will be held in the County Court Room Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock.
Every woman in the city and especially the women who live in the country are cordially invited and urged to come.
Miss Georgia Harrison, a graduate nurse, will be in charge of the program and a supply of free literature from the main office in Oklahoma City will be distributed at this time. Don’t forget the time and place. Be there.
••••• 80 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, May 20, 1943
Bob Boyd Is Back From Pacific Area
Back home for the first time in three years is Coxswain Bob Boyd wearing three gold stars that denote extensive combat experience in the Pacific.
Discounting a rumor that he had been severely wounded, Boyd said that he never had been hit, “only blown into the water a couple of times, that’s all.”
Books For Soldiers Requested In City
An appeal for more books for men in the armed forces was issued this week by Mrs. B.H. Tabor, who asks that those desiring to donate books and bestselling novels to call her.
TWO MEN DROWN IN FLOODWATERS NEAR EUFAULA Rampaging floodwaters of the North Canadian River claimed two lives during the past week, adding to its previous toll of death and destruction.
Orville Allred, 25, plunged to his death in the swirling torrent last Saturday night, when the truck he was driving crashed through a guard rail, three miles north of Eufaula where the highway had washed out.
Floyd Summers, 34, bridge construction worker of Denison, Texas, drowned Wednesday morning when he fell from the Katy railroad bridge into the strong current. Searchers had not located his body up to Thursday noon.
HEALTH BOARD FEARS EPIDEMIC IN FLOOD AREA Steps to avert a threatened epidemic of typhoid fever and dysentery in McIntosh county flood areas were taken by public health authorities this week.
An immunization clinic has been set up in the Pierce store building and a registered nurse will be on duty Saturday, May 22 and remain here as long as it is necessary to give inoculations.
••••• 75 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, November 25, 1948
EUFAULA DAM GETS APPROVAL OF PRESIDENT Mass Meeting Is Called At County Seat On December 21
Plans to start construction at an early date of the giant Eufaula dam on the South Canadian river were given impetus in Washington this week following official visits by Senator-elect Robert S. Kerr with President Truman and congressional leaders.
Kerr told reporters after his White House visit that he planned to ask the budget bureau for a $3 million authorization to start work on the reservoir.
FLAMING TRUCK BLOCKS U.S. 266 FOR SIX HOURS
Driver Dashes Through Fire; Is Badly Burned A flaming gasoline truck blocked U.S. Highway 266 for several hours near Checotah early Sunday after its driver escaped death by plunging through a sheet of flames.
The driver, Gerald M. Cole, 28, of Stigler, suffered first, second and third degree burns on his legs and lower part of his body. The attending physician described Cole’s condition as serious but said he would live. Cole was taken to the Muskogee Baptist hospital.
Cole was driving a semi-trailer gasoline transport east on U.S. 266. The vehicle crashed into a concrete bridge a mile west of Checotah. Loaded with 4,060 gallons of gasoline, the machine jackknifed and skidded 50 feet before it burst into flames.
Cole, who was alone, jumped from the cab and ran nearly 30 feet through the flaming gasoline.
Huge Copper Still Taken By Sheriff
Capture of a huge whisky still in the process of manufacturing corn liquor in the northwest corner of the county was reported Monday by Sheriff Clarence Douglas.
Claude Grider and Allen Free were arrested by the sheriff and his deputies and are being held in the county jail after failing to make $1,000 bond each.
••••• 50 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, December 13, 1973
Explanation of ‘74 License Plates Prison riot requires changes
Although delivery of 1974 vehicle license validation tabs barely made the deadline, all tag agents were ready for business December 11 as scheduled, the Oklahoma Tax Commission reports.
But instead of a shiny new license plate, Oklahoma vehicle owners will get only a trading stampsized plastic sticker as their receipt for paying 1974 taxes on their cars and trucks.
The sticker system was necessitated by the prison riot that destroyed not only thousands of 1974 plates, but also the factory that made them.
Mayor Announces Landfill Opening
We have started landfill operations. The old dump ground is closed. The landfill will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 am. To 5 p.m. and will be closed on Sunday. Please cooperate by using the landfill.
We were to stop burning by July 1, 1973; however, we obtained a six-month extension to January 1, 1974.
Floyd Beaird, Mayor
Country Music Show Tonight
The Checotah Jaycees will present a Country Music Show Thursday, December 13, 1973 at 7:30 in the High School Auditorium. Cost will be $1 for adults and 75 cents for children. Children under the age of six will be admitted free.
Guests will be Calvin Christian and the Nashville Sounds, Ray Robinson and the Eldon Valley Boys, and Jim Fritz and the Get Togethers.
••••• 25 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, December 3, 1998
Two Charged In Drug Case
Two Checotah residents, Archie Smith, 52, and Tracy Glover, 25, have been charged with one count each of the unlawful manufacture of a controlled dangerous substance.
A suspected meth lab was discovered by Checotah Police on Nov. 24 at a residence on West South Avenue in Checotah.
Andy Blizzard, Checotah’s assistant police chief, said the police department received a call telling them someone was chopping up a car at that location.
“When we – Blizzard and Police Chief Jimmy Hamm – arrived at the scene, we saw an individual take off running. We gave chase, and when we turned the west corner of the house, an odor almost dropped us in our tracks,” said Blizzard.
First Main Street Giveaway Slated This Saturday Checotah Main Street’s first drawing in the $3,000 Main $treet Dollar$ Giveaway is this Saturday, Dec. 5 at 12:30 p.m. in downtown Checotah.
The drawings will be for five $1000 Main $treet Dollar$ and one $500 Main $treet Dollar$ prizes to be spent at participating merchants.
City Council Meeting
James Swadley voiced his concern over the sale of Onapa Lake. “It may be legal to sell it but it has been a part of us, having been constructed in 1933.”
Other business, after considerable discussion on setting salaries for Street Commissioner, council members, City Clerk, City Marshal/Chief of Police and Mayor, it was referred to a committee to review
