It's taken a while to get done, but Jack and I are ready to begin our series of stories about Atkinson and his challenge to The Daily Oklahoman

It's taken a while to get done, but Jack and I are ready to begin our series of stories about Atkinson and his challenge to The Daily Oklahoman

That should be interesting. I used to subscribe to both papers. I wonder how many people remember that Al Eschbach was a sports writer for the Journal.

That should be interesting. I used to subscribe to both papers. I wonder how many people remember that Al Eschbach was a sports writer for the Journal.

I do!!

That should be interesting. I used to subscribe to both papers. I wonder how many people remember that Al Eschbach was a sports writer for the Journal.

Big ol' picked out hair and those big ol' eyeglasses.........almost spookier looking than today. Knew his sports, though, even then. Also remember they carried Doonesbury because it was too politically incorrect for the Oklahoman and Times. Alas, money finally won out....

Steve, I ran across a couple links you and Doug might want to look at.
http://www.genealogy4all.org/OKCPD.html
http://www.historynet.com/hell-on-rails-oklahoma-towns-at-war-with-the-rock-island-railroad.htm

I used to subscribe to both papers.
We subscribed to all three.

We subscribed to all three.

If you mean the evening Oklahoma City Times, I got that too. I always just considered them to be basically the same paper. I used to subscribe to the Norman Transcript at the same time since I lived there then. Three papers was more than I really had time to read.

I was a carrier for all 3. At one point all 3 at the same time. Only used Times for late baseball scores and football scores.

Steve, I ran across a couple links you and Doug might want to look at.
http://www.genealogy4all.org/OKCPD.html
http://www.historynet.com/hell-on-rails-oklahoma-towns-at-war-with-the-rock-island-railroad.htm

Great links, Frisky. Thanks!

Steve, I tried to leave a comment in your history blog's article area but can't figure out what I'm doing wrong .... perhaps I've forgotten my username. Anyway, great article that you are putting together, fascinating stuff.

Your comment posted Doug. Ever since the site got hacked we've had all comments hold for moderation.

The second installment is up: W.P. "Bill" Atkinson: City Builder (http://www.okchistory.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=285:wp-qbill-atkinsonq-city-builder-part-two-of-an-ongoing-series&catid=41:people&Itemid=78)

It's taken a few months, but the series is complete. You can see part three now - "W.P. Bill Atkinson for Governor" (http://www.okchistory.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=287:bill-atkinson-for-governor&catid=41:people&Itemid=78) - and part four will be up next week!

Steve, very good work. I do remember much of the goings on back then. I graduated from Midwest City High School in '61....He gave a talk at the High School during my senior year. Used to subscribe to the Oklahoma Journal. Read Al Eschbach's articles, and listened to him when he first started radio on KTOK.

I was always rooting for the Journal to make it, even against the stacked deck. That was my introduction to the power of corporatism. Just as now, a fair and balanced (right vs left) media is impossible when the rich and corporations control the advertising dollar.

Even in the era of the Fairness Doctrine, which Reagan destroyed along with America's future, there was no fairness. Unless a politician or businessman kissed Gaylord ass, they had no chance. The Gaylord's were THE ruling class.

Noah, I was pulling for it, too. I still have the first and last issues of the Oklahoma Journal for posterity.

Noah, I was pulling for it, too. I still have the first and last issues of the Oklahoma Journal for posterity.

I'd love to read them and compare the simplicity in thinking.

Bury them in a time capsule for the Chinese to enjoy.