Kansas City Railroad Officials Say ‘Sorry’

This Week in County History

25 Years Ago

From Dec. 28, 1997, issue of the Sequoyah County Times — If convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was ever at Elohim Cit, “I would remember it,” said the compound’s spiritual leader, The Rev. Robert Millar Carol Howe of Tulsa testified Dec.10 before a federal jury in Denver which was considering the fate of McVeigh’s accused co-conspirator Terry Nichols. the jury Tuesday found Nichols guildty of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass distruction and guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of eight federal agents.

The jury also found nichols not guilty of using a weaon of mass destruction, and destruction by explosive. That verdict dismayed many Oklahomans who believe Nichols was a major player in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995.

— It is not everyday complany offical pay a personal visit to apologize. But that is what three high-ranking administrators with the Kansas City Southern Railway company did recently.

The occassion occured after train cars blocked the crossing at Marble

— Sequoyah County Times, Dec. 28, 1997

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times City for about four hours on Nov. 16. When investigating, Police Chief Micah Reason found equipment on a train car had malfunctioned and employees had abandoned the car. Tickets were written, however, the town discovered only one would be valid. IN a letter to town officials on Dec. 10, Robert Dawson, an attorney for the railroad, said federal regulations prohibited employees from doing more work on that day.

“We apologize for this unfortunate incident and can assure you that we have taken steps that will prevent this from occuring again,” he said.

A check for $122 was included and a no contest plea on the ticket.

50 Years Ago

From December 21, 1972, issue of the Sequoyah County Times — Sallisaw High School this week received a Certificate of Academic Excellence and Achievement from Oklahoma State University.

Superintendent of Schools Richared Mosely said the certificate was presented to the school for excellence in high schol training as exemplified in students from Sallisaw that go on to attend college at OSU.

75 Years Ago

From Dec. 26, 1947, issue of the Sequoyah County Times — the Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative received word Tuesday that REA officials in Washington have approved the “main line” of the greatly desired rural power set-up for Sequoyah and Haskell counties, according to the warehouseman, Mayo Ferril.

Approved by the REA “master minds” was both sections one and two in district A, which covers the installation of poles and line in 78.8 milkes in Haskell and 118.2 milkes in Sequoyah. The contract will be sighned with the low bidding Line Construction Co., Clarksdale, Miss.

District B concerns a number of “feeder” lines throughout Haskell and Sequoyah Counties and about 85 milkes of power line in eastern Muskogee county.

REA officials did not approve the B section giving as their reason, “bids too high”.

Ironically, all board members of the Cookson Hills Co-op live in territory which would be served only by the section B construction.

100 years ago

From Dec. 22, 1922, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat

— A large number of stock men of this county met Thursday, December 13th at the county court house, in this city, to arrange with the county commissioners, state and federal representatives for the beginning of cattle tick eradication in Sequoyah county. Prominent representatives of the state and federal animal industry were present: Dr. L. J. Allen and Wyatt of the federal department spoke to the oin and told the local authorites just what they would expect of them and what to do when the dipping was resumed. Their remarks were attentatively received and all present agreed with them as to the cause of failure in this county in the past and as to the way to succeed in eradicating the cattle tick.

Senator Edmondson spoke for the state board of agriculture department having this kind of work in charge. He hit the real thing when he said that the failure in the past was largely due to the appointment of “political favorites as dipping inspectors in this county” the meeting sitting as a committee of the whole agree heartily with him in this.

Sidney suggs, former state highway commissioner, was also present in the state’s interest.

The meeting was harmonious and all present agreed where the “holes” have previously been. The county has $4,000.00 to carry on this work for the rest of the fiscal year and dipping will start as soon as practicable.

— Dogs belonging to a farmer liiving on the Leathers place at the north side of Badger Mountain, four miles northwest of this city brought to theri master’s home a human skull which it is supposed they found on the mountain side.

The sheriff’s office was notified and Sheriff C. M. Gay and a few of his deputies went to the scene and after a short investigation they found a pair of old shoes, rotted overalls, and shirt and only a short distance from the clothes a bone, thought to be the thigh bone was discovered by the hunters and on account of darkness overtaking them further hunting was abandoned until Wednesday. Badger mountain has long been one of the hangouts for the bank of bandits which have terrorized Sequoyah, Adair and Cherokee counties and it is though that possibly a bank bandit had been wounded and died while eluding a posse following a bank raid. The Skull was partly bleached and dried and according to County Physician R. T. Kelleam, it is thought probably the body had been exposed not more than twelve months and that hogs or wild game had destoryed the body and carried the other bones away. Another theory is that possibly an overland traveler had been murdered, robbed and his body hid in the unexplored parts of the mountain.