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Ft. Gibson Post
Vol III No 36
Thursday July 21, 1898 (Part 1)
Abstracted / Transcribed by Linda Haas Davenport
When the print is so faded that it cannot be read <.....> will be used . All transcription will be as found in the paper, misspellings and all
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Page 1, column 1
SHAFFER ELECTED AS MAYOR.
The Progressive Party Wins the First Victory.
A Good Set of Officers Named
for Fort Gibson's Municipal Government.
Fort Gibson's first municipal election under the laws of Arkansas has come and gone, the cheers of the victors and the jeers of the vanquished have ceased to permeated the air and the great wheels of progress are being oiled up for action. The local political pot, which was boiling to the brim a single week agone, has cooled down to its normal state, and the white dove of peace is cooing to its mate from the pedestial of the city hall.
It was a hard day's work for both the opposing parties, every inch of ground being bitterly contested to the last ditch. The "ward-heeler" and razzle-dazzler was in his glory and worked the weak-kneed voter to a finish, but the sturdy, progressive citizen was invicible and went to the ballot box with his mind settled as to his choice, voted and returned to his usual avocation feeling that he had discharged his duty to himself, his town and his country.
Then, when the sun went down and all the votes were counted carefully by the judges and the results announced.
For Mayor - Chas. H Shaffer 83, Harry Sisson 62.
The faces of the few Shaffer men who still lingered at the polls to hear
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the welcome or unwelcome announcement became radiant with victory and victorious cheers rent the stillness that settled down over the town.
Twenty-one majority! It surprised them, for many of the Shaffer men had long since sought their home and retired to bed with doubt and uncertainty as to the result. The good news soon reached them, however, and many arose cheerfully and joined the anvil celebration at Jesse Bagwell's blacksmith's shop.
The defeated candidates and their friends took the mattea physophically, and accepted defeat gracefully, as all good citizens do. Something was said about an "unfair election" and a "contest" and such like, but it was only an election joke, and the majority of the defeated party are no less ready and willing to assist in building up the town than their victorious neighbors.
For recorder, Alex R Matheson was elected by 21 majority over H C Meigs.
The alderman elected were: Percy Hicks, Jesse McLain, John Berd, James Coleman and J B Young.
The election, although an earnest and important one was very quiet, but one fist fight occurring during the entire day.
The list of officers elected could not have been improved upon very much and a feeling of satisfaction, security and confidence has taken the place of uncertainty as to the future of Fort Gibson.
Claremore has at last decided to incorporate under Arkansas law and go ahead like other progressive towns. At a mass meeting last week J M Lahay, E C Alberty, and W M Hall were selected as the agents to represent the town before Judge Springer in asking for incorporation.
Page 1, column 3 -
[Rebuttal from Robt L Owen to the editorial comments of last week's issue]
Page 1, column 4
STILLWELL'S TRADEGY
Stillwell had a remarkable as well as exciting tragedy last week. Joe Morris, a butcher, shot and killed Wm A Allison, a merchant. This so excited John Sellers, another merchant, that he dropped dead from heart failure. The grandmother of Allison was very low at the time with fever, and when she heard the shocking news she too died suddenly, making three deaths from the effects of one shot which struck but one person. Morris was arrested and is now in jail at Muskogee.
Page 1, column 5
The National part of the Cherokee Nation met in convention at Oil Springs last week and decided to go ahead and make nominations for chief and circuit judge in August, as usual, Curtis law or no Curtis law. The Downing party, however, decided several weeks ago to postpone their nominations until next April.
Jas L Taylor of Claremore is in receipt of a letter from the acting commission of Indian affairs stating that all questions arising under the provisions of the Curtis law must be determined by the United States courts in Indian Territory. If this is a fact there should be several more courts and judges created at once, as the present court dockets are already several years behind.
A A Taylor, auditor of the Cherokee nation, of Tahlequah, was in the city Sunday last, returning home from a business trip to Claremore.
Page 1, columns 1-5 bottom half of the page
Ordinances of the Incorporated town of Fort Gibson, Indian Territory
[The when, where and way meetings are to be held, duties and authority of mayor, recorder and aldermen and the committees to be appointed (Finance, ordinance, streets & alleys, police, fire department, cemetery, sanitary, on public buildings & market house, light, water and education) and the duties of each]
Page 2 & 3 - preprinted
Page 4, column 1
FORT GIBSON, JULY 21, 1898
It is estimated that the copious rain of Sunday last was worth something like $20,000 to Fort Gibson and vicinity.
Since the municipal election there are no flies on fort Gibson. Property has increased 50 percent in value, and the good work of our progressive citizens has just commenced.
Page 4, column 2
If the commissioner who are looking out for a suitable location for the new United States jail will come over to Fort Gibson they will find the place they are looking for. Fort Gibson is undoubtedly the most convenient point for all concerned in the Northern district.
With no water except artificial pond water, there should be little wonder that the jails at Muskogee and South McAlester are reputed to be the filthiest holes on earth. The same would apply to Wagoner should that prairie town get the new jail, because it hasn't enough water for drinking and cooking purposes. This new jail should be located at Fort Gibson, where there is abundance of pure running water, a high, healthful location and all other natural advantages for such an institution. Not only this, but Fort Gibson is more centrally situated between the various places for holding court than any
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other place in the Northern district. Tahlequah to the northeast, Wagoner to the northwest, Muskogee to the southwest and commissioner's courts in all directions. If the convenience of the majority of the people is considered the new jail will be built at Fort Gibson.
When the Cherokee nation sold its town lots only an occupant title was given the citizen purchasers. Every other citizen of the Cherokee nation still has an equitable interest in these lots, because all lands of the Cherokee nation is common property, which all purchasers knew could not be sold outright by even the Cherokee nation itself without a change of the constitution by a popular vote of the people This being the case, all Cherokee town lots still belong, so far as the title is concerned, to the nation, and as their intrinsic value was undoubtedly not considered when they were sold, it is but right that the
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nation and the common owners of the same should now receive the balance of their real valuation. The common people will agree with the Curtis law on this point.
Certain Cherokee papers, in the interest of town lot holders, are attempting to create sentiment in favor of the next Cherokee council confirming the absolute sale of town lots to the present holders without requiring any further payment for an individual title to the same. This is wrong, and the common mass of Cherokee citizens who own no town lots should watch the progress of this scheme of the town lot portion of the public domain.
Page 4, columns 1-5
ORDINANCE NO. 4 - An ordinance providing for the election of a town marshal, prescribing his duties and fixing his compensation.
Section 1 - That there shall be elected by the town council of the town of Fort Gibson, a town marshal, who shall also be ex-officio collector.
Sec. 2 - It shall be the duty of the marshal to thoroughly inform himself of all ordinances of the town, to report all violation thereof, and to bring the offends before the mayor to be dealt with according to the penal provisions of the ordinance violated. He shall have the power to appoint one or more deputies with the approval of the council, whose compensation shall be fixed by the council. He shall give a bond in the penal sum of five hundred ($500) dollars good and lawful money of the United States, with good and sufficient security, to be approved by the town council, conditioned for the honest and faithful performance of all his duties as marshal.
Sec. 3 - The marshal shall be ex-officio collector of all fines, forfeitures and licenses due the town, and shall give a bond as such collector, separate and distinct from his bond as marshal, with good and sufficient security, to be approved by the council, in the penal sum of one thousand ($1,000) dollars, in good and lawful money of the United States, conditioned that he will honestly collect said fines, forfeitures, licenses, etc., and faithfully pay the same into the treasury in the same kind of funds in which collected. He shall take duplicate receipt for all sums of money turned into the treasury, one of which he shall file with the recorder, to be by the recorder charged against the town treasurer. He shall render to the council on the first Monday of each month a statement of all moneys collected during the previous month, with the second receipt of the treasurer as vouchers for the amounts turned in. Provided, that no member of the town council shall be allowed to become surety on any bond given to the town.
Sec. 4 - That the compensation and salary of the marshal for such duties as are now, or may hereafter be prescribed by ordinance or resolution of said office, shall be a monthly salary, and the same is hereby fixed at thirty ($30.00) per month in lawful money of the United States.
Sec 5. - But in no instance shall said salary be paid until the committee on finance have examined his accounts as town collector and approved same. The marshal shall in addition to his salary be allowed the following fees, viz: For each license for one year (dog license excepted) $1.00; for each license for 6 months, 75 cents; for each license for three months, 50 cents. For removing dead animals from the streets, alleys or other public places, to be paid by the owners of said animals, if they can be found, fees as follows: For a horse, mule, jack or cow, $1.00; for a hog, dog or calf, 50 cents; for a cat or rat 10 cents. Provided, That in all charges against the town for such removal, the marshal itemize the account therefore, verify it by his oath that it is correct, that the animals therein named were actually removed or caused to be removed by him, and that the owners of said animals could not be found. For all services connected with the mayor's court the marshal shall receive such fees as are allowed by law to constables for similar services. Provided, That in no case shall fees be paid by the town.
Sec 6. - The marshal as ex-officio collector shall receive, as compensation for all collections made by him, and turned into the treasury of the town 2 1/2 (two and one-half) per cent commission on all moneys so collected, licenses excepted, and turned in to be paid from the same funds as collected.
Sec. 7 - That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect on and after its passage and publication.
Passed and approved this 18th day of July, 1898. Attest: Charles H Shaffer, Mayor; Alex R Matheson, Clerk
ORDINANCE NO. 5 - An ordinance defining gaming and fixing the penalties for same.
Sec 1. - Any person who shall have, keep, set up or exhibit in the incorporated town of Fort Gibson any e. o. table, keno table, faro table, rondo table, faro bank, shuffle board, bagetelie, three-card monte, lottery, dice, playing cards, letter or figure, or any other gaming table or gaming device, or bank of the like or similar kind, or of any other description, although not herein named, be the same or denomination what it may, adopted devisedor designed for the purpose of playing any game of chance, hazard or skill, whereon or with which money or any other article or valuable thing in any manner be played for, risked or wagered, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof before the mayor shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars.
Sec. 2 - Any person or persons who shall within the incorporated town of Fort Gibson exhibit the game of bunko, or who shall keep and exhibit or control any gift enterprise or dollar store, or any other device at which money is risked or waged in or at any place used, occupied or controlled by such person or persons, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction before the mayor shall be fined in any sum not less than ten dollars nor more than twenty-five dollars.
Sec. 3 - For each day any of the games, gift enterprises and gaming devices named in the preceding sections, shall be exhibited, continued, kept open or pursued the same shall be considered a seperate offense and the person or persons offending shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in the foregoing sections.
Sec. 4 - That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect on and after its passage and publication.
Passed and approved this 18th day of July, 1898. Attest: Charles H Shaffer, Mayor; Alex R Matheson, Clerk
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