The First Eight Months of Oklahoma.

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, APRIL 25 and 26

These two days marked the birth of the gambling epoch. The immediate space west of the depot was thick with tents and pavilions where stud poker, faro, craps, shell games and monte reigned supreme. These places were open day and night and when the first fiddler arrived there was sharp competition for his services. These re-sorts were always crowded, and many a poor fellow who came to make for himself a little home in the new land out of his scanty savings, went dead broke within an hour after his arrival.

Instructions had been given the military to keep a sharp lookout for the introduction of alcoholic liquors and the soldiers on this detail, under the immediate command of the provost marshal-Captain D. F. Stiles, of the Tenth infantry - were vigilant and but little whiskey found its way into the city, and a drunken man, in the first week or two of the city's history, was a rara avis.

The citizens' committee labored faithfully, and did their best to mete out fairness and justice. Strenuous efforts were made during these days to harmonize the conflicting lines of the surveys, but without tangible

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results. Individual grievances were poured upon the committee, railroad representatives clamored for a hearing and it was invariably the small hours of the morning before members of the committee closed their eyes in sleep.