By J. M. Hall

© Karolyn Kay Garland 1997

Page # 19

a similar line in plain sight. The captain gave the order to charge and with a yell the soldiers dashed toward the Indians who hesitated a moment and then began running away from the well-armed, well-trained troopers. Not a shot was fired, though it took some days to round up all the rebellious Creeks and start them for the guardhouse at Fort Gibson. They were held under guard there for a short time, but were released when a written agreement was entered into between the leaders of the two factions. This agreement ended civil war among the Creeks though a small band on each side continued a guerrilla warfare for several months near Tulsa.

READY FOR BUSINESS

Hall's store opened March, 1883, and trade was brisk, on a stock of drygoods, boots, shoes, clothing, hardware, furniture, farm implements, groceries, lumber and coffins.

As expected, the Indians were the principal customers. They would come in to trade with their ponies loaded with venison hams, wild turkeys and pecans. The early white settlers had plenty of wild game for their tables.

The Indians had a way of curing and dressing deer hides to make a very fine buckskin that commanded a good price. Many furbearing animals were to be trapped all around Tulsa, too, and their pelts were traded at the store.

HONEST INJUNS

The Indians were permitted small lines of credit at the store. The full-bloods were very honorable. They bought only one "bill of goods" each few weeks. When they came for the second they would pay for the first. The author remembers one day when a full-blood woman came into the store. She could not speak a word of English but her son-in-law interpreted for her.

"The old lady wants to pay her bill", he said. Her account was presented and the young man told her the amounts. Then she engaged him in very earnest conversation and Jim turned back to the counter with the remark. "Old lady owes $36 more and she wants to pay it. She told what she bought and would know clerk she bought from." The clerks were called in and she was right. One had sold her the goods and forgotten to make the charge.

 GENERAL PLEASANT PORTER

 This noted chief of the Creeks was pronounced by President McKinley as one of the greatest American Indians. (Deceased years ago.)

The writer knew General Porter intimately. Am sorry we do not have a better picture of him. He had a fine personality, weighed over 200 pounds. He was the chief entertainer in any crowd. He was the most progressive citizen in the Creek Nation, as well as in the entire Indian Territory.

ANOTHER STORE

Soon after the Hall building was under construction, J. C. Perryman and "Has" Reed, the latter of Coffeyville, Kan., began the erection of a store building across First street, fronting on Main street. Not knowing where the town was to be built, a few weeks before they had erected a store building on the Arkansas river near the present bridge site.

W. B. HOGAN

In this day and age who owns a livery barn is not important. But for early Tulsans it is interesting to note that W. B. Hogan built the first stone livery barn here. It was located on Second street, between Main Street and Boulder avenue