The Enid–Pond Creek Railroad War occurred in Oklahoma Territory between 1893 and 1894, and pitted the citizens of two United States designated county seats against the Rock Island Railroad.
In the late 1880s, the Rock Island Railroad built a rail line into Indian Territory, entering near Caldwell, Kansas, and following the Chisholm Trail. Along the infrastructure, the company established railroad stations near a couple of the existing stage stations along the trail. The original stations, Round Pond, built at Pond Stage Stand on Round Pond Creek, and Skeleton Station (later known as Enid station), located in North Enid, Oklahoma near the Skeleton Ranch headquarters, would become involved in a controversy between the railroad, the new county seats, and the Department of the Interior.
Controversy
The troubles began when the United States Department of the Interior set about opening the Cherokee Strip (or Cherokee Outlet) to settlement. Hoping to lessen the problem of county seat wars—a common event in newly settled areas of the American Old West—the Department divided the strip into counties and assigned them county seats. They picked Pond Creek in "L" County and Enid in "O" County. Following the Interior Department's announcement of the official county seats, several citizens of the Cherokee Nation exercised their options to select their land allotments in the Outlet, and chose them at the two designated stores county seat town sites. Railroad officials were accused of conspiring with the Native Americans to speculate on town development, so officials in the Interior Department moved the government approved towns to different but nearby locations.
A land run opened the Cherokee Outlet in 1893, and settlers, mainly from Kansas, occupied all four town sites; railroad Pond Creek, government Pond Creek, railroad Enid (North Enid), and government Enid (South Enid). The Rock Island responded to the government's action by refusing to stop trains at the government towns. Citizens in the government towns at first applied political pressure to get the railroad to provide service, and the Oklahoma Territorial government and United States House of Representatives backed them up. But the United States Senate took the railroad's side and refused to act. Government officials then notified the Rock Island that they had to furnish mail service to the two government towns. Rock Island responded by installing a hook to pick up and deliver mail, without slowing their trains. When the mail pouches broke open, citizens accused the railroads of purposely strewing their mail along the tracks.
With the stalemate in Washington, D.C. and intransigence by the railroads, citizens of both government towns began direct actions. Enid passed an ordinance setting a speed limit on trains passing through town; the Rock Island ignored it.[1] Citizens in both government towns began attempting to flag down trains, placed dummies on the tracks, and then left wagons and debris across the rails.
With no relief from Washington or the railroads, citizens began further actions. In June 1894, citizens of Pond Creek tore up about a hundred yards of track and wrecked a freight train. No one was killed, but by then citizens of both South Enid and Pond Creek were taking potshots at trains passing through. By July citizens were placing bombs on the tracks, and, in the most drastic action of all, unknown persons sawed partially through a number of supports on the trestle near Enid, wrecking an unscheduled freight train preceding the scheduled passenger train.[2]
Finally the U.S. Senate decided to move and on August 8, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed an act (28 Stat. 263) requiring railroads "to establish and maintain passenger stations and freight depots at or within one-fourth of a mile of the boundary limits of all town sites established prior to August 8, 1894, in said Territories."
Aftermath
Railroad Pond Creek was renamed Jefferson and relocated to higher ground; government Pond Creek (often called Round Pond by the Rock Island) remained but the Grant County seat (formerly "L" County) was eventually moved to Medford. Railroad Enid became North Enid; government Enid, or South Enid, became simply Enid, the county seat of Garfield County (formerly "O" County).
^Chapman, "The Enid 'Railroad War'", 162: "On December 14, 1893, the Wave [Enid Daily Wave] noted that 18 suits had been brought against the railroad company for disobeying ordinances 'regarding the running of trains in the city, faster than a walk.'"
^Chapman, "The Enid 'Railroad War'", 177: "At dawn on Friday, July 13, occurred the best known train wreck of the "Railroad War." Bridge supports of a trestle were sawed in two obliquely, wrecking a freight train of fourteen cars and a caboose."
^Chapman, "The Enid 'Railroad War'", 179: "On July 16, Deputy Chris Madsen sent the following telegram to Brooks: "Two bridges were burned near Pond Creek this morning. One dynamite cartridge exploded under passenger train Saturday night, and attempt to blow up Enid bridge same night."
^Chapman, "The Enid 'Railroad War'", 181: "On July 17, Madsen sent the following telegram to Brooks: Coming over on extra tonight with the Military, we passed over two bombs inside of the city limits of Round Pond, which had evidently been placed to explode as we passed. They exploded when we had passed about one hundred yards. ..."
Bibliography
Chapman, Berlin B. "The Enid 'Railroad War': An Archival Study". Chronicles of Oklahoma 43:2 Summer 1965 126.
Lemon, G.E. "Pond Creek History". Chronicles of Oklahoma 22:4 Winter 1945 452-456. (accessed October 23, 2006).
Milam, Joe B. "The Opening of the Cherokee Outlet". Chronicles of Oklahoma 10:1 March 1932 115-134. (accessed October 23, 2006).
Stagner, Lloyd (editor). . Great Plains Dispatcher 4:11 November 2005 3. (accessed October 23, 2006).
January 07, 2023
enid, pond, creek, railroad, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2016, learn, when, remove, this, templa. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Enid Pond Creek Railroad War occurred in Oklahoma Territory between 1893 and 1894 and pitted the citizens of two United States designated county seats against the Rock Island Railroad Enid Pond Creek Railroad WarMap of L and O counties in 1894 Date1893 1894LocationOklahoma United States Contents 1 Background 2 Controversy 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 Notes 6 BibliographyBackground EditIn the late 1880s the Rock Island Railroad built a rail line into Indian Territory entering near Caldwell Kansas and following the Chisholm Trail Along the infrastructure the company established railroad stations near a couple of the existing stage stations along the trail The original stations Round Pond built at Pond Stage Stand on Round Pond Creek and Skeleton Station later known as Enid station located in North Enid Oklahoma near the Skeleton Ranch headquarters would become involved in a controversy between the railroad the new county seats and the Department of the Interior Controversy EditThe troubles began when the United States Department of the Interior set about opening the Cherokee Strip or Cherokee Outlet to settlement Hoping to lessen the problem of county seat wars a common event in newly settled areas of the American Old West the Department divided the strip into counties and assigned them county seats They picked Pond Creek in L County and Enid in O County Following the Interior Department s announcement of the official county seats several citizens of the Cherokee Nation exercised their options to select their land allotments in the Outlet and chose them at the two designated stores county seat town sites Railroad officials were accused of conspiring with the Native Americans to speculate on town development so officials in the Interior Department moved the government approved towns to different but nearby locations A land run opened the Cherokee Outlet in 1893 and settlers mainly from Kansas occupied all four town sites railroad Pond Creek government Pond Creek railroad Enid North Enid and government Enid South Enid The Rock Island responded to the government s action by refusing to stop trains at the government towns Citizens in the government towns at first applied political pressure to get the railroad to provide service and the Oklahoma Territorial government and United States House of Representatives backed them up But the United States Senate took the railroad s side and refused to act Government officials then notified the Rock Island that they had to furnish mail service to the two government towns Rock Island responded by installing a hook to pick up and deliver mail without slowing their trains When the mail pouches broke open citizens accused the railroads of purposely strewing their mail along the tracks With the stalemate in Washington D C and intransigence by the railroads citizens of both government towns began direct actions Enid passed an ordinance setting a speed limit on trains passing through town the Rock Island ignored it 1 Citizens in both government towns began attempting to flag down trains placed dummies on the tracks and then left wagons and debris across the rails With no relief from Washington or the railroads citizens began further actions In June 1894 citizens of Pond Creek tore up about a hundred yards of track and wrecked a freight train No one was killed but by then citizens of both South Enid and Pond Creek were taking potshots at trains passing through By July citizens were placing bombs on the tracks and in the most drastic action of all unknown persons sawed partially through a number of supports on the trestle near Enid wrecking an unscheduled freight train preceding the scheduled passenger train 2 Men of the United States Marshals Service and troops from Fort Reno and Fort Supply were sent in to restore order and patrol the railroad right of way but violence continued 3 4 Finally the U S Senate decided to move and on August 8 1894 President Grover Cleveland signed an act 28 Stat 263 requiring railroads to establish and maintain passenger stations and freight depots at or within one fourth of a mile of the boundary limits of all town sites established prior to August 8 1894 in said Territories Aftermath EditRailroad Pond Creek was renamed Jefferson and relocated to higher ground government Pond Creek often called Round Pond by the Rock Island remained but the Grant County seat formerly L County was eventually moved to Medford Railroad Enid became North Enid government Enid or South Enid became simply Enid the county seat of Garfield County formerly O County See also Edit Oklahoma portalFamily feuds in the United StatesNotes Edit Chapman The Enid Railroad War 162 On December 14 1893 the Wave Enid Daily Wave noted that 18 suits had been brought against the railroad company for disobeying ordinances regarding the running of trains in the city faster than a walk Chapman The Enid Railroad War 177 At dawn on Friday July 13 occurred the best known train wreck of the Railroad War Bridge supports of a trestle were sawed in two obliquely wrecking a freight train of fourteen cars and a caboose Chapman The Enid Railroad War 179 On July 16 Deputy Chris Madsen sent the following telegram to Brooks Two bridges were burned near Pond Creek this morning One dynamite cartridge exploded under passenger train Saturday night and attempt to blow up Enid bridge same night Chapman The Enid Railroad War 181 On July 17 Madsen sent the following telegram to Brooks Coming over on extra tonight with the Military we passed over two bombs inside of the city limits of Round Pond which had evidently been placed to explode as we passed They exploded when we had passed about one hundred yards Bibliography EditChapman Berlin B The Enid Railroad War An Archival Study Chronicles of Oklahoma 43 2 Summer 1965 126 Lemon G E Pond Creek History Chronicles of Oklahoma 22 4 Winter 1945 452 456 accessed October 23 2006 Milam Joe B The Opening of the Cherokee Outlet Chronicles of Oklahoma 10 1 March 1932 115 134 accessed October 23 2006 Stagner Lloyd editor Historian Recalls Enid OK Railroad Wars Great Plains Dispatcher 4 11 November 2005 3 accessed October 23 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Enid Pond Creek Railroad War amp oldid 1092789955, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
