March was a month of utility and commercial growth in anticipation of a secure gas and water supply, A through stage between Oklahoma City and Amarillo wasestablished. TheOKC company would make a connection in Elk City with the Union Stage Lines of Amarillo, which operated a daily service each way between the two towns using fine Packard cars. The connection of these two stage-line companies in Elk City gave the town nothing less than another excellent transportation company.
Mrs. Pinkie Swafford had another old landmark removed from Elk City on North Jefferson Street that was the site of old frame buildings of a wagon yard and store. She planned to build some modern brick flats and stores.
Frank Kostka, president the old American Milling Co., completed a deal with B. O Davis of Carter for the purchase of the entire block and buildings on South Jefferson St. He also sold property to a new ice company at the corner of South Jefferson and SeventhSts. Practicallyall of the property had trackage locations. Daviswasanexperienced flour, feed and grain dealer and proposed to install a flour mill on his new property.
Eleven new industries including a smelter plant, flour mill, another railroad, carbon black plant, natural gas supply, brick and tile factory, gas refinery, ice and cold storage, railway shops, cotton compress and warehouse, and cotton mill and knitting factory were anticipated for town. These were all dependent on an adequate water supply of less than a million gallons of water daily and an adequate supply of gas.
The Chamber of Commerce meeting regarding the water and gas supply questions was held. The$5,000($91,125 in today’s values) bonus for a promoter who promised the gas for this amount was not raised, but it was to be secured withintheweek. TheChamber unanimously endorsed the committee report on a deep well water supply for Elk City to provide 800,000 gallons of water daily for $139,50 ($2,545,000).
In a paradoxical situation, the city water plant burned. It was claimed that the entire water plant was in peril from a small blaze for a short time, but the town still had some water. Thetowngot60,000 gallons from two wells daily.
Charles (14 years old), Melvin (16 years old) and Barton Smith (11 years old) were buried in a sand cave seven miles northeastofFoss. Twohours after the boys went out to play, a bedraggled dog, the only witness to the tragedy, came home and pawed at the door untilhewasadmitted. Sand wasonhispaws. Hewhined to get out and paced back and forth. Thisstartedasearch that lasted nearly twenty-four hours until the boys were found. Thetwoolderboys were completely buried but Baron’s leg protruded from the sand.
Elk City was placed on the Rotarymap! Agrandevent was held with a lovely meal and Rotarians from around thearea. GovernorTom Butcher of the Twelfth Rotary District presented the charter and officially inaugurated the local club.
Luanne R. Eisler authored this article taken from The Elk City Press and the Elk City News-Democrat, all of which may be found at the Elk City Carnegie Library. Supplementary information was taken from dollartimes.com.
