This and That Newsletter
Vol 21 Issue 1042 Circulation 5,000 January 12, 2017
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: bridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-490-6823
In Oklahoma's oil boom days of long ago, one thing people didn't talk about much was Drip Gas. In October of 1997 I did some searching on the internet for information on Drip Gas. I found hardly nothing on the subject. I had heard about drip gas all my life, and found it strange there was nothing available on the Internet as to just what was drip gas. I sent out an inquiry in one of my "This & That" issues, and the following is what I received back:
"In response to your inquiry of "drip gas"..... it is "white" gas that separates from raw oil. As the raw crude is being pumped to a storage tank, every "X" amount of feet there is a separator tank in the pipe where the "drip" gas is collected. It is very volatile because it is, for all practical purposes, condensation from raw crude. I have been told that it is this "white" or "drip" gas that is refined into unleaded fuel. Many "pumpers" that watch over the pump jacks of Oklahoma's oil fields, use this unrefined drip gas in their personal vehicles (which is illegal)."
Another reader forwarded to me the following message:
From: Clark, Sue D.
To: Inline Internet Addressing
Subject: Drip gasoline
Date: 11-11-97Mr. Guthrie,
Thanks for your inquiry regarding drip gasoline. Personnel in our pipeline/transportation area have given me the following information to pass on to you.
Drip gasoline was found at some wells in the field where crude comes directly out of the ground into the well. Some product had high enough gravity and viscosity and volume enough to be used as gasoline. Drip gasoline is untreated, unrefined, directly from the ground product.
There were a few places around in oil fields in the countryside where some of this drip gasoline accumulated. Also, some drip gasoline accumulated at the oil well site where the crude passed through heat treaters on each lease.
Some gas wells produce very little crude and are more apt to produce drip gasoline. There is still some of it out there. It is not supposed to be used or sold. Even in the old days, very little was used as it made an engine knock more. Also, our resource noted that for the most part drip gasoline was not more volatile than refined gasoline.
I hope this information is what you were looking for.
Sue Clark
Conoco Customer Service1931 - Buddy Moorhead left the Ardmore police station late Friday afternoon to take a set of second-hand tires to a family of campers who had camped on the property just east of the underpass on the Santa Fe on highway 70 (now Hwy 199). The family, destitute, had promised to move on if they were provided with the casings. Someone provided the tires and Moorhead took them to the scene.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/moorhead.html
Below is a picture taken January 6th at Turner Falls when we had a snowfall in Southern Oklahoma. Lots of ice at the waterfalls.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/TurnerFallsSnow010617.jpg
This is a view of the snow from our front porch on Saturday January 6, 2017.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/snow010617a.jpg
A little history on the 1947 Taliaferro Grocery in Lone Grove, Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/TaliaferroGroceryLoneGrove.jpg
Old photo of downtown Marietta, Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/DowntownMariettaOK1.jpg
Defunct Eagle Amusement Park and Quanah Parker House near Lawton was in operation from 1957-1985 and was the vision of Herbert Woesner Jr. He wanted to create an amusement park that would replace the one in Craterville which was forced to close by Ft. Sill. The fort was expanding the base due to the cold war and needed the land.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2j8LVwmlj8
What's left of the Sasakwa, Oklahoma City Hall.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/CityHallSasakwaOK1.jpg
This is a pic of the water tower in Maude, Oklahoma during the cold snap January 6th. I read the City tried to knock the ice off later by shoot at it with a gun.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/MaudeOKwaterTowerIce010717.jpg
Some pavers I recently sandblasted.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/PorkchopDogPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BSA/BSA_JohnMcCourtPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BSA/BSA_JamesIsbellPaver.jpg
You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/Q. We all know Oklahoma is home to a vast amount of beautiful chapels and churches, but there is one tucked away in the rolling hills of northeastern Oklahoma on 19 acres in the most unforgettable setting. Where is this old-world style European chapel located?
A. Vesica Piscis Chapel at Catoosa, Oklahoma
http://www.vesicapiscischapel.com/Q. In the 1940s Oklahoma had what people called the "hex house". Where was it located?
A. Answer in next week's newsletterBelow is from This and That newsletter archives of January 11, 2003
"Hi Butch, I received my rodeo program book cd today and am enjoying it very much. Thanks for putting it together. Here is a little more about the crushed limestone business in Murray County. When to Santa Fe Railroad was pushing its way through the Arbuckles in the late 1800s, the Carter Brothers established a quarry at the present site of Big Canyon. There was a spur track called "Carter Spur". The purpose of this quarry was to furnish track ballast for the Santa Fe. A few years later their operation was purchased by Dolese Bros. Co. Dolese was established in Chicago by three brothers, Peter, John and Henry Dolese. They had also crushed stone in New Mexico and Iowa. Their home office remained in Chicago until the 1940's then moved to Oklahoma City where it remains today..I am not sure of the dates involved but later there were two crushers. One at Carter Spur and also "Crusher Spur" located about 1/4 mile south. Dolese operated both crushers. We called the north plant "Little Crusher" and the south plant" Big Crusher". There was a hill between them and over the years the entire hill was blasted down and hauled to the two crushers and the little crusher was shut down and all the stone was processed at the big plant. Most of the stone moved to market by rail in the early days but later stone began to move more and more by truck as it could be hauled directly to the jab site without having to be unloaded at the railroad spur and then hauled by truck to the jobsite. When I-35 was completed, a competitor became closer to the main market in Okc and it became necessary to establish a crusher west of Davis in order to compete due to the difference in the truck freight. The Davis plant is still operating and is one of Dolese's largest plants. Big Canyon is closed but has left pleasant memories for myself and the many employees over the years. More at a later time.... Best regards." -Roy MillerRoy Miller Obituary
On January 7th 2017 Roy Lee Miller passed away peacefully in his sleep, at the age of 89?. He was born in Drake, Oklahoma on August 8, 1927, the only son of Archie D?Lewis ?Doc? Miller and Ethel Peak Miller. Soon the family relocated to Buckhorn, where he spent his boyhood riding horses, hunting and fishing. At age ten, Roy and his family moved to Sulphur, where he finished high school and played on the football team.The attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 was a turning point in his young life. His life-long patriotism and love of country was sparked by that event. At age 17, he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Tsingtao, China. In 1946 he was honorably discharged from active duty. He continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until August 15, 1951.
Two qualities defined his life: His faith in Christ and his love of country. These two qualities made him the man he was. In Sulphur he served as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church and sang in the choir.
On August 28, 1946, he married the love of his life, Carrie Jane Peak. In 1949 they had their only son, Rocky S. Miller. Roy worked most of his life for the Dolese Brothers Company, spending many years at Big Canyon, Oklahoma and eventually transferring to the home office in Oklahoma City. Roy and Carrie Jane spent 63 happy years as husband and wife. After Carrie Jane?s death in 2010, he continued living in Oklahoma City but due to a decline in his health, he was persuaded to move to Plano, Texas in 2013 to be near his son. Nevertheless, the entire Miller Clan, though living in Texas, will always be life-long O.U. Sooner fans, and he would be upset if this was not mentioned in his obituary.
Roy was preceded in death by both parents and by his wife, Carrie Jane Peak Miller. He is survived by Rocky S. Miller and wife Linda of Plano, Texas, two grandchildren: Jason Michael Miller and his wife, Nicole of Dallas, Texas and Rachel Miller Hassenteufel and her husband Manny of Frisco, Texas. Roy had four great-grandchildren whom he loved dearly: Abigail, Alyssa, Grayson and Liam.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20th at the Clagg Funeral Home, 1129 West First Street, Sulphur, Oklahoma.
Talking about aerial photos, here is one taken by photographer Joyce Franks back in the 80s of the old Skyview Drive-in on Highway 199 East (Highway 70 back then). That's the old Pepsi Plant in the foreground and the Skyview in the background. Remember those old electric heaters that worked about half the time? You keep going from one parking spot to another trying to find one that would put out some heat in the winter months. I can even remember a couple of car fires started by those eaters.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/carrcard.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/skyview.jpg
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There is a clock in the Carter County Clerks office hanging on the wall that has been there since before 1977. That year it fell from the wall and broke. Ardmoreite Mike Carr was running for the office of County Surveyor and took the clock to repair. He found another glass face for it at the Light Gallery and then had his "Vote for Mike Carr - Surveyor" painted on the face. Mike won that race and was County Surveyor from 1978 to 1982 when the office was abolished. His office was in the Annex Building next door to the courthouse. Mike was paid a whopping $36 a month for his services as County Surveyor during those years.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/carrclock.jpg
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By the way, in 1947 the Carter County Commissioners offices were located on the first floor of the courthouse.
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A Reader gave me the name of the man who pushed the hot tamales cart on Main Street in the 60s and 70s. His name was Manuel Montemayer. Maybe someone has a pic of him and his famous cart.
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"Just a quick note to ask if you ever used or had an experience with "Dry Ice". I have used Dry Ice before but had not seen any for many years. Several days ago Jimmie and I were shopping at "WalMart" in Ardmore and they now have a freezer up front near the checkout stands that has Dry Ice in it. They sell it for $.98 per pound. This is one of the cleanest and safe ways of keeping something cold without worrying about the ice melting and water running everywhere."
UPDATE: Homeland in Ardmore and Marietta sells Dry Ice.
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"Butch, I look forward to your newsletter each Friday night. My family grew up in the Ardmore and Arbuckle area and as a child my family and I would travel from our home in Duncan back to the area to visit family and places of my mother and fathers youth. I was wondering if anyone remembered the Bowling family who lived in the area. My grandfather John and my two uncles use to play for country dances back in the early 1900's in the area there. My uncles names were Roy and George Bowling. Their were 6 sisters one which was my mother. One of those sisters married a Opie Bridges from the area there. He was killed when a tractor turned over on him and crushed him. My grandparents were married in Woodward in 1903. Many of my ancestors are buried in that area. My grandfather and his brother George lived and farmed in the area there. My grandfather John Bowling was involved in a gunfight I believe in 1898 with a man by the name of Shadin. Shadin shot at my grandfather while he was reaching for wagon bows from a tree in the front yard. John swung around the tree and pulled his pistol and shot back at Shadin hitting him in the head killing him. My grandfather was shot thru the lung and kidney and took a year for him to recovery. There was a trial and my grandfather was found innocent of any crime. Trial records said found innocent do to self defense. I was wondering if anyone remembers them or has any information on the family. I would love to hear from them. Keep up the good work Butch. Your newsletter is certainly looked forward to around here. Thanks" sanfordjl@aol.com----------------------------------------------------
"Boy, Butch, the photo of old Cardinal Park opened up a torrent of memories. As a kid I spent many, many happy evenings at that place, rooting on the local team and dreaming of the time when I would be a professional baseball player. Ardmore had a team in the Sooner State League in every year of its operation, 1947-57, and was one of only two cities which lasted all 11 years. The SSL was a Class D league, the lowest classification in professional baseball. The team was nicknamed the Indians thru 1952 and was then renamed to the Cardinals in 1953 when it became a farm club of the St. Louis Cardinals. The ball park was called Tribe Park until it was renamed Cardinal Park, also in 1953. It was demolished after the 1955 season to build Will Rogers Elementary, which opened in September 1956. I'm thinking most of your readers will comment on things outside the park, but I am drawn mostly to the park itself. I recognize so many features. There are the dugouts, clubhouses, press box and concession stand. In the third base grandstand about even with home plate there is a bandstand where the Community Band would give a short concert and then play the Star Spangled Banner before Monday home games. There is the single row of box seats at field level running from dugout to dugout. There is the gravel walkway between the box seats and the grandstand. I think the top row of seats were also reserved. The dimensions of the field were 312 feet down each foul line and 358 feet to straightaway center field. The center field fence was painted dark green to give the hitters a friendly background, while the rest of the outfield fence was festooned with advertisements for local businesses. The only one I remember specifically was the Grapette sign adjacent to the right field foul line. In the photo the outermost section of the right field stands, nearest the camera, is empty. The seating was segregated, and that is where the 'colored' customers sat. There don't seem to be any attending the game in progress. At the moment caught by the camera, the Ardmore team is at bat. There are runners on 2nd and 3rd, and less than 2 out, because the infield is playing in to cut off the run. A right handed hitter is stepping in and there is another right handed hitter in the on-deck circle. The pitcher has not yet assumed his pitching position on the mound. There is a relief pitcher warming up in the visiting team's bull pen. As I write this I have been giving a good deal of thought as to when this picture was taken. Games were played almost exclusively at night. Exceptions were the first games of double headers, which were scheduled to start at 5:00 or 6:00, I'm not sure. The shadows, however, seem to indicate that this game is being played earlier in the afternoon. I remember attending an afternoon exhibition game on Apr 18, 1954, when the Cardinals played the Ardmore Fliers, the local AAFB team. I had an old car buff look at the photo to see whether he could tell what year it was. He said that the car body styles and some 2-tone paint jobs indicated that the year was probably 1953 or 1954. The lack of leaves on a number of the trees tells me that it is early in the season. However, the bus parked near the visitor's club house doesn't look like something an Air Force team would be riding in, but rather a professional team bus. I looked at it with a magnifying glass, but I couldn't make out any writing on the side. One more thing, though I could go on and on. At the games cigar smoke always hung heavy in the air. I have never been a smoker, but to this day when I catch an occasional whiff of cigar smoke, it gives me intense pleasure because it takes me back to those summer nights in that old ball park." -Rob Askew
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"Butch, I was passing through Ardmore this weekend and stopped off at new Fulton's Fried Pies. Not sure if you have tried them out yet, but I was very impressed with the food there. They're located off exit 32 on I-35 right behind Braums. You should give them a try if you haven't already." -Anthony Wilson
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"Butch- The Officer's Club for the 395th Combat Crew Training School, Ardmore Army Air Field, occupied the second floor of the BPOE building (North Washington and West Broadway) during WWII. The club was opened in December of 1943. There was a blue identifying neon sign outside the building. The second floor was 75 x 93 feet, providing plenty of room for recreation and dancing. Hours were from noon to 12PM. Not known as to whether it was there until the war's end or not. Maybe some of the present day "not so spry" belles of yester-year, who were guests there, can tell us more. An Army Officer's Club was known to exist at Dornick Hills at a later date. The clubhouse was destroyed by fire in early August 1944. A civilian employee of Dornick Hills Country Club, Bobby Lively, 19, who worked and lived there, died in the fire. Cpl. Robert W. Gallup, Ardmore Army Air Field, who was staying there, received injuries in his leap to safety." -Gary Simmons
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A T&T Reader sent in a fantastic photo of Ardmore's police chief long ago, Les Segler. It is such fine detail. I tried to make out what is on his coat.... looks like a whistle? And a white cross?? Maybe someone knows what is on his lapel.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lesliesegler.jpg
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----------------------------------------------------Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch, yesterday we lost a member of our Big Canyon group. Roy Miller passed away Sat. about 6:30PM. He worked for Dolese Brothers Company. back in the 50's and 60's and shared many photos of the area including the one that shows the Washita River covering the Santa Fe main when he and crew dumped rip-rap for 30 straight hours trying to save the line. He enjoyed the Big Canyon Photo Sessions with us in later years. Here's a photo of Roy at one of the B.C. Sessions and a link to the Santa Fe washout back in 1957." -C. Dwane Stevens
https://www.flickr.com/.../153523.../in/album-72157648772299605/
Big Canyon Operations album:
https://www.flickr.com/.../railheadok/albums/72157648772299605
"Butch, The picture of the police officers you had a couple of weeks ago (12/15/16) brought back a ton of memories. Wes Henderson (3rd from the right) was my next door neighbor, on Elizabeth Drive, for many years. Him and his wife Florence were always really nice to all the kids in the neighborhood. Being 10 years old, when I would see him dressed in his police uniform with that gun strapped on, I was in total awe that a real live policeman with a gun lived right next door.Sadly Wes was diabetic and they had to amputate one of his legs. After he died Florence continued to live there for many years but I'm not sure whatever happened to her.
Thank you for all the hard work you do with your newsletter. Growing up in Ardmore in the 60's, it's always great to read things that I hadn't thought of in years. " -Greg DeBerry
"Butch, we lived on the corner of G & 7th NE from 1964 to 1972ish (attending Washington Elementary from 2nd to 6th grade) and my brother & I would sometimes walk down to Raymond's BBQ and get a bucket of BBQ brisket & potato salad for dinner during the summer when it was too hot to cook in the kitchen. The best part was that he put that brisket in a plastic pail or bucket & there was always juice/drippings in the bottom and my brother & I would argue about who was going to get to dip our bread in bottom of the pail. Oh my gosh, that stuff was sooooooo good I can literally still smell it now. The only other BBQ in town who could beat it was probably Lt. McKerson's on East Main by the train tracks. I think that was his name. -Kathrine in AR
Last week we talked about the Simpson/Little/Colston building at West Main and A Street SW. Below is a 1918 postcard of the office building.http://www.oklahomahistory.net/postcards/SimpsonBuildingArdmore1918.jpg
An old postcard of the 1904 Elks Lodge at North Washington and West Broadway. The building had to be torn town after a vehicle crashed into the front of it in February 2014.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/postcards/ElksClubArdmoreOK.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/airbase/ElksBuilding021914s
Folder of postcards and cabinet photographs from the past -Robert Hensley
http://oklahomahistory.net/postcards
"Let's Roll" -Todd Beamer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Beamer
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us
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