The Beginning of Tulsa
By J. M. Hall
© Karolyn Kay Garland 1997
Page # 51
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CHARLES HAAS
Charles Haas was one of the traveling men who came to early Tulsa. He used to put $2 in the collection plate every time he attended services in the old Mission Church, which was every alternate Sabbath night. He was representing the Ed Haas Wholesale Grocery Co. of Neosho, Mo., where he and his family still live.
O. D. Strothers represented the Brown Shoe Co. of St. Louis for many years, coming to the Indian Territory long before statehood. He was always a welcome visitor in Tulsa. The friendships he made continued after he left the road and until his death more than a year ago at Seminole, Okla. He helped discover the great Seminole oil field and his estate is valued at several millions. His son-in-law, J. R. Simpson, is the administrator and is having a monument of Vermont granite erected to his memory. The stone weighs 19 tons. Mr. Strothers was a member of the Pioneer association and often came from his home to attend its annual meetings. He was the long time personal friend of C. B. Lynch of Tulsa.
A. C. Orrick was another who made regular trips to Tulsa in the early days, representing the Alkire Grocery Co. of St. Louis. He was often the house guest of Tulsa families. He was troubled with rheumatism and always carried a green walnut in his pocket. When it would be hard as a rock he would get another. He died many years ago.
HE COULD RUN!
One of his favorite stories in the old days is still told with adaptations. An eccentric old fellow by the name of Blackwell conceived the idea of building a town and naming it the City of David. He chose a site two miles west of Chelsea and erected several wooden buildings. One day while Bradford was calling on the Chelsea merchants, the cyclone alarm was sounded. The merchants ran for their homes and storm cellars while Bradford and two farmers remained standing in front of one of the stores.
One of the farmers suggested that they could hide in a culvert a quarter of a mile down the tracks. Just then the wind picked up the buildings in the City of David and carried them high in the air. Bradford and the farmers took to their heels, Bob in the lead, hat in his hand and his bald head shining. Two jack rabbits jumped along in the path he had chosen, Bob overtook one and then the other and yelled for them to get out of the way "and let a fellow run who can run."
D S G Kennedy
Dr. S. G. Kennedy. The writer has known Dr. Kennedy for over forty (40) years.
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