Pressure cooker explodes, Maple home damaged

25 Years Ago

—Carl Albert State College’s branch campus in Sallisaw will receive additional classrooms and the parking lot at Sequoyah ’s Home Site northeast of Sallisaw will be redone thanks to a $100 million bond issue package recently approved by the Oklahoma Legislature.

In the last few days of their session, Democratic Lawmakers in the House and Senate designated projects for the bond package. Gov. Frank Keating and Republican lawmakers are still working on their list which will add another $50 million in projects, a state official said.

In Sequoyah County, the Legislature approved nearly $2 million for capital improvements to various state funded projects.

New Classrooms at CASC. In State Rep. J.T. Stites’ district Carl Albert State College will receive $775,000 for new classrooms at the college’s branch in Sallisaw. The college is also expected to receive an additional $700,000 at Sen. Larry Dickerson’s request.

50 Years Ago

—Mrs. Mae Wallace of the Maple community escaped injury Saturday when her pressure cooker exploded. She had been pre-cooking green beans when the explosion occurred.

She said that she had just left the room moments before the blast and at first thought lightning had struck the house.

The lid from the cooker went through the ceiling, according to Mrs. Wallace.

She said the explosion was so great tiles were loosened in the bathroom, windows in the kitchen were broken out, the lid knocked a hole in the ceiling and broke a rafter, a new stove was severely damaged and walls in the kitchen were cracked.

—A ten-inch main located in the Sallisaw Industrial Park burst Sunday about 3 p.m. dropping water pressure all over town and stopping water service in some higher elevations of Sallisaw.

Sallisaw City Manager Lloyd Haskins said the water escaped from the main for about one hour.

City water department crews had the broken line repaired by about 4 p.m.

75 Years Ago

—“It’s A Date,” Lions Club benefit production, will be presented for the second and last time at 8:13 tonight in the Sallisaw High School auditorium.

Part of the proceeds from this local talent show will be used for a children’s playground and part to buy awnings and fans for the Sequoyah Memorial Hospital, Gene Hunt, Lions Club president, said.

—The Sequoyah County Flower and Vegetable Show, held in the Vian High School Thursday, June 22, and sponsored by the Vian Home Demonstration Club, was well attended and a huge success in every way. According to Mrs. B. Trotter of the general committee.

There was entrants in every division of the show except one vegetable and visitors were surprised to see the wide variety exhibited at the show.

The general committee for the event was composed of Mrs. Trotter, Mrs. Mae Connelley and Mrs. Herbert Wrigley.

100 Years Ago

—The Arkansas Bankers association with headquarters at Little Rock, this week transmitted a check to Sheriff John E. Johnston through the First National Bank in Sallisaw, for $500.00 in full settlement of the reward offered more than one year ago by that able and efficient organization, for the arrest and conviction of Charley Cotner, charged with holding up the First National Bank of Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Cotner was arrested about one year ago on the Al Todd ranch south of Muskogee, during participation in a big round-up and rodeo, by Sheriff John E. Johnston, Undersheriff Bert Cotton and Deputy Roy Cheek. The officers had received word that he would attend the big rodeo and enter the roping contests.

The Arkansas bankers paid a $500 reward to Perry Chuculate also, about two years back, when he apprehended and had returned to that state, a fugitive from justice charged with the same crime as Cotner. Bank robbing in Arkansas is looked at askance and but few robberies are known in that state, due to the vigilance of the officers and to the heavy sentences imposed by juries when convictions are had.

—Wanted: Eighteen boys, age from 12 to 18 years. Must be neat in appearance, clean in character, willing to learn, as caddies for Sallisaw Country Club. All caddies have the ground privileges till noon every day—a fine opportunity to learn clean sportsmanship and the National Game of Golf.

—The Ikes of Sallisaw are laying plans to stop the wholesale dynamiting of fish in Big Sallisaw Creek. Dynamiters have been busy between Brushy Springs and north of Marble City where thousands of fish have been destroyed by the low law violator, it is said.

A heavy penalty can be dealt out to the dynamiter, if caught and the Ikes of Sallisaw and Sequoyah County are going to put a stop to fish dynamiting, if they have to station a patrol along the creek banks. Word has come to Sallisaw that dead fish can be seen floating on the water and along the banks of Big Sallisaw to north and south of Marble City.