This and That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication

www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 17  Issue 847      Circulation 5,000       April 18, 2013

PO Box 2

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

email address:  butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net

580-657-8616


There has been a number of mentions about Wobblin' Willie the past few years in some of my newsletters.  He seems to be a mystery in himself, with not much info about him, and a lot of what is there, sometimes seems to contradict what is said in another article.  Steve Riner has done a lot of research on this mysterious man and dedicated a webpage bringing much of the info on this man to one place. I guess the one thing for sure is Wobblin' Willie was shot and killed in the Carter county courthouse in 1911. Much of the rest is debatable. Thanks Stephen for sharing your information.

http://bsriner0.tripod.com/wblnwill.html

Back in 2001 we first mentioned a body being found in 1954 in a burned-out car south of Davis, Oklahoma in the Arbuckle Mountains. His body was never identified and he was buried in a pauper's grave at the Davis cemetery. A man named David Hagler was arrested for the murder, but was acquitted. I have had so much info submitted to me since 2001 I made a webpage just for the Hagler mystery.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/DavidHagler.html

I talked this week about how great my gas mileage is if I use the cruise control. I always hated to use, felt like I didn't have control.  But after doing some tests the past couple weeks, and know its the only way to go, if you want to save gas. Normally on the 6 mile stretch of highway between Lone Grove and Ardmore I'd get about 24 miles per gallon.  When I set the cruise control on 43 and left it along, my MPG stayed between 35 and 37 MPG in our 2006 Sonata. On a down hill grade it would go up to 39 MPG. I never dreamed there could be such an improvement just by using the cruise control.  All I can say is wow.

Here is just one Post I received on gas usage and cruise control:

"Cruise control works with ECM which works with oxy sensors and timing. These parameters are set from the factory to work in harmony together, when they are left alone to do their job. When using the foot pedal you are forcing them to do things that they are capable of doing but its at the cost to the driver."  -Keith Postlewait

Q.  Where is the highest elevation point in Oklahoma?
A.  Black Mesa at 4,973 feet in Cimarron County in the panhandle.

Q.  What is the longest highway in Oklahoma?
A.  (answer in next week's T&T)

From This and That newsletter archives of April 15, 2000:

This week I had my first experience using Paypal.com and it was a most interesting concept. A reader emailed me $25 to go on the memorial stone using PayPal.
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This week I was talking to some friends and they mentioned something about a "mad stone". I had never heard of such a thing. They told me it was in their family for 80 or so years. When someone was bitten by a rabid dog, the "mad stone" was soaked in milk and held against the bite. It was suppose to some how render harmless the bites from the rabid dog. Using http://www.metacrawler.com I did find some information about the Mad Stone and its powers used by the Indians before 1900.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okmurray/stories/mad_stone.htm

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In the April 6, 2000 edition of The Healdton Herald there was a nice write up with lots of photos about Dundee school holding their 48th reunion.
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"Butch: Augusta, Oklahoma is one mile west of Carmen, Oklahoma on the Eagle Chief Creek. My husband also had family there."
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"I love your web page - one of the best I have visited. I am particularly interested in the history of Ardmore since my husband's mother grew up there and I am currently researching her side of the family. Her mother was Zella Orr who was killed in the tornado of 1946. Of particular interest to me is Zella Orr's father - John Williamson. He apparently owned a saddle and harness shop in the early days of Ardmore - do you have any idea of where I might obtain a picture of John Williamson or if anything has been written about him?"
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"hi, i am looking for information on a circus train that crashed around Tahlequah , OK in the 1930's. do you have any knowledge of this or know where i might look ??
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......

http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754

Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.

http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy

Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....

"Butch, You had a short story about Otto Powell in the last news letter. Here is a couple of stories about Otto. When asked one time how would he get a prisoner to Ardmore to jail if he arrested someone in Healdton, Otto said he would walk them, they surely would learn a lesson. Otto also hitch hiked across America, he once was standing on a corner in Phoenix, Arizona when Farmer Guthrie, an over the road truck driver, saw Otto, stopped and told him because of insurance and company policy he could not give him a ride, Otto said not to worry he would be just fine, when Famer drove down the street of Wilson, Otto was on the corner and smiled and waved. He would make the Cheyenne rodeo each year by hitch hiking and leave with no money in his pocket, he would make all the shows and sleep in a bed each night then return with money in his pocket. He was a fun man to talk to. These stories were told to me by Otto himself."  -Ken, Whitesboro, Tex
"In 1963 we built a new house on North Washington and the man we hired to level our yard was a Mr. Bailey who had a team of mules. He lived somewhere around Refinery Road and did a outstanding job leveling our lot for us. Also the Sunday morning sale in Sulphur is called the Dog Trade. It began in the later 40's or early 50's when local Coon hunters met at Blevins Filling station to talk about their Saturday night Coon hunts and traded dogs. Everyone needs to go at least once. It is an experience you can't describe."  -Charlene
Couple of BIG events the week of April 22 in Tishomingo/Johnston County.

1st - "Remembering Our Fallen", a photo exhibit of Oklahoma's Fallen on display at Murray State College. There have been approximately 117 soldiers killed in action in the past 10 years since the Iraq war began. Julie Carroll, Tishomingo 6th grade 4-H leader has put this outstanding event together.
Opening Ceremony is Tues, April 23 - 6 p.m. - Fletcher Auditorium
"Remember Our Fallen" exhibit opens at 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. MSC Ballroom
April 24-26 - Memorial "Remember Our Fallen" opens 8 a.m. - 9 p.m

Also April 24-27 - Troop Tribute opens 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Troop Tribute is a collection of photos of military personnel of all wars on display boards.
**Also General Tommy Franks Museum opens April 24-26, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
April 25 - 7 p.m. Fletcher Auditorium Veterans program: Salute to Veterans, Troops, Home, State and Country, honoring W.W. II veterans. Music and artistic presentation by local schools. GREAT Event.

2nd - Arbuckle-Simpson Nature Festival - Begins Friday, April 26 and runs through Saturday, April 27. This event has a facebook page with details. Many things are FREE and a great family event for all to enjoy.

"Butch: The comment about the Southern Oklahoma "drawl" brought memories to me. About 20 years ago my wife & I were in New York City for a vacation. We were in an elevator of a hotel that was occupied only by us and another fairly young, distinguished man. Cheri and I were chatting back and forth and when the elevator door opened on the ground floor, the man, who had not said a word, walked out, but commented "......that accent has to come from South Central Oklahoma." We were shocked and delighted. It must have been very obvious to him." -james clark
"Here's something folks might want to come up this way and see. On May 4th in El Reno, Oklahoma they're having a city fair of sorts and the big draw is going to be there 850 pound hamburger. Starts at noon and closes at five - everyone present gets a free burger. Admission is free with lots of free stuff. Here is the May 4th's schedule."  -Poss
http://elrenoburgerday.wordpress.com/

"You had in one of you late issues an article (and video) of the world's fast man with a pistol (quick draw). I evidently hit a wrong button, at some time, and I have LOST it. Could you possibly resend it to me PLEASE!!!"

A.  World's fast draw with a gun - Bob Munden  1942 - 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRXXxQ1OuDc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bh4FBFZVXk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGl8ocDWggM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H0dYEjR-jA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRwb_A-Gc1w

http://www.bobmunden.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Munden


"Butch, This is something that will not mean much to your Readers. But sometime back there was this article about the stud horse Little Joe, that was owned by Mr. Goddard, of Goddard Ranch. My uncle Ira Wells, bought one of the horses that was out of Little Joe's herd.  Ira Wells, was the father of Bobby Gene Wells, that lives there in Ardmore."  -Bennie Wells
"I've been following your instructions for creating my own wood pallet shed. I'm just a bit stuck on the roofing. Could you give more details on how this is constructed, what brackets were used etc? Many thanks in advance!"  -Keith in England
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/palletshed.html
3rd Saturday Sale
Saturday April 20, 2013
6:00 am - 6:00 pm (GMT-06.00) Central Time (US & Canada)
1100 Woodall-Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX
http://www.SideWalkSale.com
Where is the location to get the free Okie Dirt?
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/maps/OkieDirtMap.jpg

A Thing Called Love by Johnny Cash

You can't see it with your eyes, hold it in your hands
But like the wind it covers our land
Strong enough to rule the heart of any man
This thing called love
It can lift you up never let you down
Take your world and turn it around
Ever since time nothing's ever been found
That's stronger than love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QLSwGvotas

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
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 schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
Ardmore School Criterions
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com

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