Sallisaw high auditorium burns Saturday

-Sequoyah County Times-, March 14,1974

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the March 18,1999, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —The Sequoyah County Board of Commissioners met Monday to sign an agreement with Cherokee Nation for a $3.1 million road resurfacing project.

The project calls for the resurfacing of Marble City Road from Marble City to the Henderson School. The project is being funded by the Cherokee Nation.

—Crystal Stephens officially became a Muldrow police officer Monday when the Muldrow City Council approved her employment through a U.S. Department of Justice COPS grant.

The grant also provided for the parttime employment of Alisha Allen who will serve as a part-time patrolman.

Stephens, 24, joins eight other Muldrow police officers and a growing number of female police officers in the county Sallisaw has one female police officer and Roland has two.

50 Years Ago

(From the March 14,1974, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —A fire of undetermined origin roared through the historic Sallisaw High School auditorium Saturday night and within several hours left only the walls of the structure standing.

Superintendent of Schools Richard Moseley said Monday the fire alarm was sounded around 9:30 p.m. and firemen from Sallisaw, Muldrow, Vian, Roland and Poteau responded to the call.

He said the fire apparently began at stage level on the east side of the structure that was built in 1938 as a WPA project.

Firemen and many volunteers fought the blaze for several hours in an attempt to keep it from spreading to the north wing of the high school which adjoined the structure.

Heavy smoke damage was incurred to part of the west wing, enough to call classes off on Monday But Monday, teachers from throughout the school system were at the school cleaning and classes resumed Tuesday though a smokey smell filled the halls and classrooms.

Flames shot 200 feet in the air during the peak of the blaze but firemen miraculously kept the fire under complete control and confined to the old native stone structure.

Also lost in the blaze were two carpentry classrooms that were located in the basement of the auditorium under the stage.

75 Years Ago

(From the March 18,1949, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Brockman’s Stores, Vian, will sponsor a “Family Party” Friday night at Vian, according to Lewis Brockman, manager. The stage show will be held in the Vian High School auditorium and will start at 7:30 p.m.

Those appearing on the stage will be such radio and stage personalities such as Linda Gerry, personality girl and singer; Lexie Lou and Ray Schelp, noted for their western songs and yodeling duet; “Cousin Jack Beasley” comedian and Chuck Davis, violin and accordion player, plus new color movies on education, travel and comedy.

Brockman’s, International Harvester dealers for Sequoyah County, are bringing the show to Vian through the courtesy of the makers of tractors and other farm and home equipment.

Everyone is invited to attend the show, Brockman said today.

—The McDonald Chevrolet Company has started a building in the 200 block of Wheeler Avenue that is to be of steel and sheet metal construction.

Mr. McDonald said that the building will be used as temporary headquarters for the company and later will be used as the paint and body shop.

100 years ago

(From the March 14,1924, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —Sheriff John E. Johnston last Sunday effected the capture of Jim Wiswell in a hurried trip to Claremore, Oklahoma.

Wiswell a few days before had taken on too much mountain dew at his home near Brent, and it is alleged that he attacked several of his neighbors and ended the day by beating his father into insensibility and near death. The Sheriff’s force proceeded at once to the scene of the depredations and captured one of the men involved, but Wiswell eluded them and escaped. He caught a Missouri Pacific freight train and it was thought that he had gotten into Kansas or Missouri, but Sheriff Johnston stayed close on his trail and captured him at Claremore. Wiswell was returned to Sallisaw on the noon train Sunday and lodged in the county jail. It is said that he will be held until the May term of court without bail pending trial. The crime was a most serious one and came near resulting in death for the father of the boy.