Stories from the past
114 YEARS AGO The Checotah Times
Friday, December 24, 1909
J.B. Pickett Painfully Injured
On last Monday afternoon while Mr. J.E. Pickett was firing the engine at the Aud grist mill the engine exploded and the cross-head of the cylinder flew off striking Mr. Pickett on the back of the left knee fracturing the bone and causing a most painful injury that will lay him up for days.
Local Items
– J. Nixson was down from Muskogee Monday – Wanted – Girl for general housework. Apply at Grown Mer Co.
– Mrs. Herbert Wetzell and little son Herbert Jr., Monday for a visit with relatives in Illinois.
– Miss Olive York of Muskogee was down to attend the Pierce Douglas wedding Wednesday.
••••• 100 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, December 13, 1923
COUNTY TEACHERS HOLD SESSION HERE In point of attendance the meeting of the McIntosh County Teachers Association, held in this city last Friday, was one of the largest in the history of the association, over 100 teachers answering roll call.
Death of Charles Gibson
Charles Gibson, one of the pioneer Creek Indians of the Creek Nation, died suddenly at his home in Eufaula Wednesday night of last week.
Mr. Gibson was on the streets Wednesday apparently in good health and retired as usual at an early hour Wednesday night. Mrs. Gibson says she was awakened about 11 o’clock by moans from Mr. Gibson’s bed and thought he was having a nightmare. She turned him over on his side and in the next instant he was dead.
The doctors said it was heart failure.
••••• 80 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, June 17, 1943
WOMEN’S CLUB LAUNCH DRIVE FOR SCRAP TIN
A concerted tin can drive to provide copper for the munitions of war has been launched in McIntosh county by the home demonstration clubs, according to the announcement of Mrs. Litha Travis.
CITY RESIDENTS ASKED TO GIVE GIFTS TO CAMP
Mrs. John Burford and Mrs. Chas. R. Freeman attended a meeting of the Camp and Hospital council at the Severs hotel in Muskogee Tuesday afternoon as delegates of the North McIntosh County Red Cross unit.
The council is responsible for obtaining articles needed by the soldiers in the hospital at Camp Gruber, which are not furnished by the army.
County Jail House Empty Of Inmates
Having placed more men in the county jail in Eufaula than any other man, Sheriff John McQuillen set another mark for other officers to shoot at on Thursday, June 1, when he reported the jail was empty of prisoners for the first time since statehood.
Our business, like everyone else’s located outside oof the war industry, is slow, McQuillen said. Sometimes we have a handful of drunks or a few persons with minor charges hanging over their heads, but for some time things in general have been quiet with us.
••••• 75 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, December 23, 1948
Engineer Swamped By Protests At Dam Hearing In Eufaula
Still Have Chance To Block Revised Project Proponents of the single dam project on the Canadian river calling for construction of a $150 million reservoir 15 miles southeast of Checotah were in command at the public hearing conducted by army engineers in Eufaula Tuesday.
Opposition to the two-dam system was far greater than anticipated.
Eufaula was the lone town supporting Colonel Chorpening in the contention that two dams were far more feasible than one. Sentiments of the assembly were at least 10 to one in favor of the original dam.
Milam King, Checotah’s city attorney, was the star witness for the opponents of the two-dam system. He lambasted the new proposal as utterly ridiculous, since it had so many faults, it should never have been considered.
Longfellow Students Give Christmas Play
A large cast of Longfellow grade school pupils were presented in the traditional Christmas story Thursday morning at 10 o’clock in the high school auditorium.
Okmulgee A.&M. Expands Courses
A continued increase in enrollment at the Okmulgee branch of Oklahoma A.&M. college is predicted by L.K. Covelle, director.
Approximately 150 new applications have been accepted to date in the various divisions of industry, agriculture, intensive business, food trades and regular college accredited courses.
••••• 50 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, January 10, 1974
White Stag Has First Retiree
Rose Lee Bookout became the first employee to retire from White Stag on Jan. 4, 1974, after 18 years of service.
White Stag, which bought the local factory in 1970 and has a half million-dollar payroll per year, made the retirement plan retroactive all the way back to 1953 when the plant first started operation.
Rose started to work as a single needle operator on Ladies Clam Diggers on Sept. 24, 1956.
Smith Funeral Home Leaves Ambulance Service Soon after passage of the Federal Highway Safety Act in 1966, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare contracted with the Committee on Emergency Medical Services, National Academy of Sciences – National Research Council to develop criteria and standards for emergency vehicles.
Due to stricter regulations and pending state and federal legislation, funeral homes all over the state started discontinuing their ambulance services.
Kelley Funeral Home of Eufaula discontinued their ambulance service on Sept. 5, 1973.
Smith, in Checotah, discontinued its ambulance service on Jan. 7, 1974.
••••• 25 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, January 15, 1998
State Auditor’s Report Pints Out Discrepancies The cover letter on the latest look by the Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector’s look into how Checotah City Government operates the cemetery, payment of water bills, mowing contracts and installation of drainage pipes (tin horns) and gravel on private property reveals poor bookkeeping as the major problem.
Council Tables Police Raise Request
A 30-minute executive session of the Checotah City Council failed to produce agreeble terms for the full-time employment of James Martin.
Councilman Jim Adamek made a motion to employ Martin at a monthly salary of $1,760 plus benefits but the motion failed to draw a second at the Monday night meeting.
