OKLAHOMA. 



609 



Banks. There are 6 national and 49 Territorial 

 banks, with an aggregate paid-up capital of $789,- 

 986.69. During the fiscal year 6 new Territorial 

 banks have been started, 2 were consolidated, and 

 1 failed. One national bank went into voluntary 

 liquidation and 2 new ones were established. 



A statement in regard to the Guthrie banks 

 shows $374,816 on deposit in the Guthrie National, 

 $100,000 more than ever before. In the other 

 Guthrie banks are deposits amounting to about 

 $225,000. The average loans and discounts are 

 but one third of the capital and deposits. 



Loan Associations. There are 4 of these, pay- 

 ing dividends averaging 12 to 18 per cent. 



Insurance. The life insurance in force, Jan. 

 1, 1898, amounted to $2,212,142, the losses paid in 

 1897 to $8.368.40. 



The fire insurance written in 1897 amounted to 

 $5,567,211 and the losses paid to $28,656. 



Other companies casualty, etc. wrote $449,221 

 and paid $261. 



Railroads. Se.veral roads have extended their 

 lines in the Territory this year, and surveys have 

 been made for others. The Hutchinson and South- 

 ern had trains running March 1 on an extension of 

 26 miles. The Choctaw began running to Geary on 

 an extension of their line July 1. The St. Louis 

 and Oklahoma have built to Oklahoma City 103 

 miles, and will extend farther to the southwest. 

 The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe laid 62 miles 

 of heavy steel and ballasted 40 miles of track in the 

 Territory with cracked rock ; placed a large num- 

 ber of ties, replaced several wooden bridges with 

 steel ones, making a total of 740 feet of steel 

 bridges put in ; rebuilt half a dozen old bridges, 

 and are building many brick and stone arches. 

 They have also completed a new depot at Seward ; 

 new depot, reading room, bathrooms, and eating 

 house at Purcell; and a new eating house and 

 reading room at Woodward ; have put in 4 addi- 

 tional 2,000-foot passing tracks and 8,500 feet of 

 side track to accommodate new elevators, grain 

 bins, coal bins, lumber yards, and other local indus- 

 tries at different points between Arkansas City and 

 Purcell. 



Military. In response to the first call for troops 

 for the war, Oklahoma sent a company of cavalry 

 composed of expert marksmen, accustomed to the 

 care and management of horses. They became a 

 part of the Rough Riders and participated in the 

 fighting at San Juan hill, where one was killed and 

 several were wounded. 



Under the second call the Territory furnished a 

 battalion of four companies of infantry, which was 

 made a part of the first regiment of Territorial 

 volunteer infantry, and has been assigned to take 

 second division of the First Army Corps. At the 

 close of the year these companies were in camp at 

 Albany, Ga. 



The militia of the Territory was somewhat dis- 

 organized early in the year, and so many of the 

 men entered service for the war that a reorganiza- 

 tion has not yet been effected. 



Exposition Exhibit. Though the Legislature 

 made no provision for a territorial exhibit at the 

 Trans-Mississippi Exposition, funds were advanced 

 by counties, corporations, and individuals, and 

 about $7,000 was expended. 



Mob Law. Two Seminole Indians charged with 

 assault and murder were burned at the stake, in 

 January, by a mob. Their victim was a farmer's 

 wife, and the crime was most atrocious. The In- 

 dians lived in Indian Territory and were brought 

 back to Oklahoma and burned near the scene of 

 their crime. The Governor offered a reward of 

 $1,000 for the arrest and conviction of members of 

 the mob. A dispatch of May 30 said : " The United 



