LOCAL CHAMBER TO SPONSOR SEMINAR

The Henryetta Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a Seminar on the Federal Legislation on American Indian Land Usage for Business and American Indian Employment in Oklahoma. Reggie Palmer, CPA, has agreed to do a presentation on the significant Tax Benefits available to most businesses in the southeastern two-thirds of Oklahoma. The Seminar will be Thursday, November 6, 1997, at 7 p.m. at the Henryetta Civic Center.

This issue deals with tax incentives on “Indian Lands.” The unique history of our state and the definition of “Indian Lands” means that businesses in this area are in the tax incentive area. The benefits are in the form of faster depreciation for capital assets placed in service between 1/1/94 and 12/31/03 and tax credits for wages paid to “enrolled members” of Indian tribes and their spouses during the same time period. The benefits of this new federal legislation is accelerated Federal Property Depreciation Schedule and Federal Employment Tax Credits of up to $4,000 per qualifying employee per year.

Palmer will fully discuss this issue in detail and answer pertinent questions. If these provisions apply to you, it will be necessary to begin the accounting and tax amendment process immediately, as you could be affected by the statute of limitations and other timing issues. Mark your calendar and make plans to attend this very informative seminar, Thursday, November 6, 1997 at 7 p.m. at the Henryetta Civic Center.

50 YEARS AGO – 1972

MCAULIFFE COMING

TUESDAY

Leon McAuliffe and his Cimarron Boys will get back together next Tuesday in the Henryetta high school auditorium when the Arts and Humanities Council presents its second program of the year at 8 p.m.

Mrs. Ernest Smith, program chairman, said, “The Council has gone to some lengths to bring Leon and his nationally famous western band together for a special concert here.”

McAuliffe and his boys have been disbanded for several years in order to spend more time with their families and only get together about nine times a year.

“Henryetta is very lucky to be one of the cities they chose this year,” Mrs. Smith said. Tickets are selling briskly for the much anticipated performance, according to Ticket Chairman Mrs. Kirk Woodliff, but some are still available.

“You can get tickets at all three drug stores, both banks and the public library,” said Mrs. Woodliff. “In Okmulgee, tickets are on sale at MacGregor’s.” Price is $2 for adults and $1 for students.

McAuliffe, who is known as “Mr. Steel Guitar,” used to live in Tulsa, but now lives in Rogers, Arkansas where he owns and operates radio station KAMO.

He is identified by many people as “Take it away Leon” a holdover from his days with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. McAuliffe is a composer, in addition to being a musician and singer. Some of his more famous recordings are “What’s the Use,” “My Love,” “Johnny Cake Road,” “There’s That Smile Again,” “Steel Guitar Polka,” “Along the Navajo Trail” and “Steel Guitar Rag.”

His western band was voted No. 1 Western Band by the County Music Association for seven consecutive years. He was voted No. 3 Instrumentalist behind Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer for three consecutive years.

A pilot, McAuliffe will fly in at Henryetta airport Tuesday evening.

CABLE TV HOOKED UP IN HENRYETTA

Cable TV came to Henryetta today. Residents in the north half of Henryetta who have signed up for it will be able to get eight TV channels and four 24 hour FM radio stations with 24 hour weather conditions and forecasts.

Ben Campbell, President, TV Cable of Henryetta, demonstrated the new facility in a talk before the Rotary club today at the 100F hall. With the assistance of Bud Gaither, vice president of the new company, Gary Dale, manager, and Roger Humphies, chief engineer, Campbell hooked up two television sets in the 100F hall and switched from one channel to the other.

There was no difference in the reception of Tulsa channels and Oklahoma City channels. “We have received approval for a microwave relay of two more 24-hour TV stations from Dallas and Fort Worth,” Campbell said. “In the near future, Henryetta citizens will have 24-hour television at their disposal.”

He told Rotarians that many more sports events and a lot more movie selections will be available to local residents now. The company has its offices on the 100 block of North 8th Street and its receiving antennae tower is located Northwest of Henryetta near the old Granny Campbell airport.

The four FM radio stations that will be on the air 24 hours as background to the weather reports on the screen include one easy listening, one country music, one hard rock and one light rock station. In answer to questions, Campbell said homes with more than one TV set can get different channels at the time.

He said people can hook up to the service now and if they don’t like it and disconnect before the first month’s billing, they can discontinue the service at no cost. “We don’t require any contracts,” he said. “You can stop any time you want.”

Bud Gaither, the Rotary club sergeant at arms who usually fines other members for “advertising” at Rotary club, suspended the rules today and said there would be no fines.

Gaither, part owner of the new cable company, was program chairman introducing the speaker and there were rumors in the club that Gaither may be fined next week.

LOOKING BACK 75 YEARS – 1947

EDITOR'S NOTES

THE TWENTIETH Century Club, a local study club of Henryetta women, is staging its annual benefit performance for the city library tomorrow night.

Some of you may never have heard of the Twentieth Century Club, many, I’m sure, do not realize what a fine work organization is doing for the community.

Quite frankly, if it were not for this club we wouldn’t have much of a city public library for long. The city administration has practically cut off this cultural center from its budget as far as maintaining it is concerned.

Nearly all new books purchased are obtained with funds derived from the Twentieth Century Club. If you’re a music lover, or if you’re not, go out to the benefit program tomorrow night for this once-a-year event to help the library.

THE COMMUNITY CHEST

Drive starts tomorrow. Mayor Lumpkin, drive chairman, and his workers, want to complete the job in two days. There really is no reason for stringing it out. The solicitors all are busy people.

There’s no use going into the worthiness of the cause here. Everyone knows how much we need these charity and other funds. The thing we’d like to stress now is to help speed up the collection by having your check ready. Make it out to the Henryetta War Chest and Community Fund and have it ready for solicitors. “Everybody benefits...everybody gives.”

As fine a tribute as could be paid a man who has died was paid E. W. Smith yesterday by the crowd at his funeral.

The Baptist church, Henryetta’s largest auditorium, was filled to overflowing with people standing in the aisles. I looked around the big room and it looked like a Who’s Who of Eastern Oklahoma. All the big men of Henryetta, city officials, county officials, lawyers from far and near, all important, busy people, took time out to pay their last respects to a man who has done so much for his fellow man.

100 YEARS AGO – 1922

FRISCO DAY LUNCHEON, BIG ONES HERE

Today was “Frisco Day” at the weekly luncheon of the Chamber of Commerce when this body entertained officials of the Frisco railroad who are on an inspection tour of the company’s lines.

The party included: A. Hilton, vice-president; J. N. Cornatzer, passenger traffic manager; G.W. Greene, industrial commissioner; H. J. English, of the farm and market bureau, and E. E. Carter, general agent at Tulsa. These gentlemen had been invited to be present at the luncheon given in Community hall.

Following the luncheon the members of the party were introduced by Earl Morgan, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and then Mr. Hilton made a short address in which he pointed out some of the reasons for the present high rates and showed that these rates are somewhat of a blessing in disguise, for they tend to bring new manufacturing enterprises into the southwest. He said that the Frisco is friendly to Henryetta and is willing to aid in every possible way.

“I see a great improvement in business conditions throughout the southwest,” Mr. Hilton stated. “This is caused to some extent by the natural resources of the country, but to a larger extent by the co-operation of the citizenship of the southwest, and I want to say that in this direction Henryetta is doing more than her share.”

Mr. Hilton said he would not give two cents for a town or city that did not kick once in a while about its train service and he asked that Henryetta let Frisco know whenever things were not going to please them.

J. N. Cornatzer was then called on and he stated that he wanted to correct the impression that Mr. Hilton had left to the effect that the people of Henryetta did not let the Frisco know when the service did not please them. “Some time ago,” Mr. Cornatzer stated, “we decided to make Henryetta a limited stop with one of our trains and immediately got a letter from Ben C. Eastin that almost took the hide off. I then fixed up a nice telegram to him and got one back that really did take the hide off. Henryetta people let us know all right,” he concluded.

S everal questions were asked the officials by local people and answered to their satisfaction.

J. E. Thompson, of the sales department of the Crowe Coal Company, was called on for a speech and responded with a fine tribute to the manner in which the Frisco has been serving the coal operators in this district. He pointed out that they have been giving the best of service.

While talking about coal and the Frisco, Mr. Thompson got side-tracked and commenced to talk about politics. He stated that the country is in a serious condition and recommended one candidate in particular, whom he praised to the skies before mentioning his name. First, the Walton men would smile for they were sure that Mr. Thompson would mention their candidate, and then as the speaker continued, the fields men smiled and a shadow settled over the Walton group. However, all smiled when Mr. Thompson, rising to oratorical heights said: “Gentlemen in this hour of our country’s need, one man has arisen above the heads of ordinary politicians and when you go to the polls next Tuesday, cast your vote for Andy Gump.”

HEARING DATE FOR ARRESTED MEN

Thus far there has been no preliminary hearing arranged for the men accused of the murder of John Gray.

Relative to the story carried in the Okmulgee Democrat, stating that Chief Stormont had caused the arrest of Patrick Collins, at Miami, on a charge of murder, the chief says Collins is charged with automobile stealing, and that the Miami officers alone are concerned in it.

It is true that the local officers are still hoping to apprehend the slender man engaged in this crime here, but thus far they have not been successful.

There was a rumor last evening whispered around that a confession had been made in the case, but the officers deny this. Chief Stormont stated today that here is no change whatever in the situation. At a proper time there shall be a preliminary hearing for the two men already under arrest, and doubtless that is being deferred in the hope of getting the other man wanted.

ALARM SYSTEM INSTALLED

Fire Chief Boaz has received the apparatus completing the fire alarm system recently purchased. The employees of the fire department some time ago put up all the necessary wires lacing them on telephone poles, the city council in ears gone by, having had the foresight when granting a franchise to a telephone company, to reserve the right so to do.

The indicator and the big gong have been received and are being connected up. At present the instruments are in a small room opening off the city attorney's office in the city hall.

The chief has caused to be prepared a map showing every fire hydrant in the city. For each plug, on the map, are three numbers, the first giving the number of the ward, the next the number of blocks from the division line, this being Sixth and Trudgeon streets, north and south and east and west and the other the number of the hydrant. With the number of the hydrant given over the telephone, the operator can at once set the indicator and if not given, from the numbers he can at a glance locate it on the map.

It is expected of the citizens that they will learn the number of the hydrant nearest their place, just as they memorize their own telephone number. When they keep this in mind and they discover a fire, all they have to do is to phone in the hydrant number.

Then the operator sets the indicator, pushes the button, the number is counted on the big gong in the station on the fire bell and the whistle at the pumping station sounds the number just as it is sounded on the gong and on the bell, all this being on the same electric circuit.