Vol. Four
For The Years 1935 - Now
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TENANT FARMERS TO TAKE OLD RANCH October 29, 1936--Reno Evening Gazette-- Ponca City, Oklahoma-- The plows of tenant farmers soon may furrow the broad acres of the old 101 Ranch, once ridden by famous cow punchers in Oklahoma's territorial days. Arrangements to "stake" farmers there from other parts of Oklahoma were announced by D. P. Trent, regional director of the resettlement administration, in Dallas. It was apparent however, that tall, stately Zack Miller, only survivor of the three brothers who made a showplace of the "101," would fight any attempt of the government to deprive him of the interest he claims in the property. It has been in litigation for years. The ranch house and grounds would be converted into a community center and recreation Park, under plans for the resettlement project. Trent said options had been taken on about 8000 acres of the ranch, which in its heyday gained its name from 101,000 acres owned or leased by the Miller brothers. The resettlement director said money had been allocated for the purchase. The famous brothers combined ranching with the circus business. In Oklahoma City, Sid White, attorney for Miller, contended his client still has a legal claim to the land. "We will file an appeal in the federal circuit court this week involving our rights in the White House (administration center of the ranch) and the surrounding acre of ground," White said. Miller, now living in Louisiana, claims the right to redeem the entire ranch upon payment of approximately $500,000 to the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance company. He contends that sheriff’s deeds to the property were, by oral agreement, mere mortgages subject to retention. Miller has had a stock report for each defeat he suffered in his effort to maintain his immense ranch: "Not yet unhorsed." |
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OLD 101 RANCH IS CUT UP INTO A PROJECT FARMS June 27, 1937--The Helena Daily Independent-- Ponca City, Oklahoma--A new empire for poverty-bitten tenant farmers is arising from the dismembered historically 101 Ranch. "Titles have been examined, loans are being approved to build houses and barns and 26 families will be ready to move in by autumn," said Paul V. Maris, Dallas, acting regional rule resettlement director. ******* Tracks of the tenant farmers will hem in the famed white ranch house and its one acre plot, which Col. Zack Miller, last of the Cattlemen Miller Brothers, still hopes to salvage from his wrecked empire. The ranch--which once sprawled over 110,000 acres--has passed into hands of creditors, or has reverted to the Ponca and Otoe Indians who leased it years ago. From an insurance company creditor of the Millers, they bought the 3000 acre tract on which it will transplant tenant farmers from submarginal, stubborn soil near Stillwater, Oklahoma. "Most of the farms range from 80 to 215 acres," Maris said. Construction of the first houses, which will cost between $1200 and $1500, will begin July. With credits up to $2700 each tendered by the R. A., Maris hopes the tenants someday can pay back what they borrow and become land holders ****** George W. Miller founded the far-flung ranch empire in 1879 when cattle were being herded along the old Chisholm Trail from the Texas ranchlands. His three sons took over the vast enterprise at his death. Two of the Brothers, Joseph C. Miller and George L. Miller died. TEXT COL. ZACK T. MILLER SURRENDERS PROPERTY April 1, 1937--the Helena Daily Independent-- Ponca City, Oklahoma--Broke and weary from years of fighting to retain his "Inland Empire" of 101,000 acres, Col. Zack T. Miller surrendered the historic 101 Ranch White House to creditors today. "He just didn't have the money to keep up the fight," said Sid White, cowboy attorney who aided Miller in a long legal struggle. The ranch once was home of the famous 101 Wild West show. Miller told friends when he turned over the White House--Ranch court headquarters-- to the U. S. deputy marshal Roy Hopper that he was "heading for Oklahoma City to see about a job with the State Board of affairs." |
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TEEPEE POLES May 1, 1939--Mansfield News-Journal-- Col. Zack Miller, one of the most colorful figures in the American Circus world and he is 101 Ranch outfit, on the way to the world's fair in New York City, stop in Crestline the other day. Someone remembered that they hadn't brought along poles for the teepees for the Indians with them. A suggestion was made that they might get young saplings from the woods of the Richland County farmer and they did. They got the green poles from a farm near the Richland County line and then these will be used when the Circus lands at the fair. THE DUEL June 23, 1939--Iowa City, Iowa Press, Citizen-- New York--Mr. Gladwin Hill, one of my better spies, has just written in breathless and dusty, with the story of the screwy as duel ever fought. Col. Zack Miller, who was proprietor of the famous 101 Ranch and the old 101 Ranch Circus, told to Mr. Hill. The Col. is currently and John Ringling North's Cavalcade of Centaurs show. "Miller," said Mr. Hill, "was running the 101 as a dude ranch long before dude ranches were even thought of. Working for him was a cow puncher named Tom Mix--the same next, I wot, and who came later to be big stuff in the cinema. "A city slicker from the East came out to dude on Col. Miller's ranch and he and Mix started sparking the same gal across the river. (Mr. Hill's language is a bit unorthodox at times, but he's really a charming fellow personally--D. H.) The dude finding got tired of Mix is cutting and on his time. He went to Col. Miller and complained the Col. suggested that the dude challenge Mix to a duel. *****
The goof (such language!--DH) had never seen a pistol, so Zack wrote all down on a piece
of paper what kind of weapon to buy and what kind of cartridges and sent the dude to the
store after them. The purchases made, the Col. told the chump to practice marksmanship.
"Practice," he said, "until you can shoot a telegraph pole insulator riding at a gallop.
(I have never seen a telegraph pole insulator riding a gallop, but I have a most faith in
Mr. Hill's accuracy--DH)."The dude went out and practice for a couple of days and finally by sheer accident he busted in insulator. He came panting back to the ranch and hauled Col. Zack out to view his handiwork, and Zack allowed us how the dude was ready for the duel. "Zack helped the dude draw up a formal written challenge and then tipped off Mix on the quiet what it was all about; and their respective seconds arranged to load the dueling pistols with blanks. The duel was to be in a barn at sunrise, complete with doctors to repair the wounded and pronounced death, if such in be there should be. The duelers were to stride 13 paces and whirl and fire. Zack whispered to Mix to jump the gun and whirl and fire at the 10th pace, thus catching the dude unaware. Then he told the dude: Mix may take off his coat, but you keep years on because I am going to give you a Second gun to shove in your belt under your coat. If you use up all the shots in the first pistol, hall out the second at once and let him have it." *****
"Then Zack loaded the second gun with blanks too. The duel came off as arranged. Mix
whirled early and blasted the daylights out of the dude with blanks. The dude got started
shooting late and of course emptied his gun without hitting anything, so he whips out the second gun.
"That’s where the kick came in. Zack hadn't told anyone about the second gun and
everybody--Mix, doctors, seconds and spectators--thought the dude had pulled a fast one
and was running amok."And", said Miller, "the started running and took the side right out of the barn getting away, with Tom Mix in the lead!" That is the story as Mr. Gladwin Hill, one of my better spies, reported to me. There was a P.S., however, in his manuscript: "this story has the same old Hill ending, Dale—"I don't know what the heck ever happened to the girl." |
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COL. MILLER OF 101 RANCH FAME SUCCUMBS AT 74 January 3, 1952--Dixon Evening Telegraph--Waco, Texas-- Col. Zack T. Miller, who with his brothers once on the largest Ranch in Oklahoma, died today. He was 74. Miller, who lost the famous 101 Ranch near Ponca City to mortgage companies in the 1930s, had been ill since last summer. He was a pioneer of the Old Wild West and the last of three brothers who built the Ranch and the Miller Wild West show internationally known attractions. Before the Ranch became involved in litigation it included 110,000 acres. Miller had been ill ever since a bunch of donkeys tromped him last summer while he was trying to load them into a traitor. He had been a familiar sight at cattle auctions in his later years--the closest he could ever get to cattle, he said. A small Negro boy pushed him around in a wheelchair. The Inland Empire near Ponca City fell apart with the Depression of the 1930s and the stranding of Miller Wild West show in Washington. Management of the ranch went to Miller after his brothers, Joe C. and George L. died, the former in October and, 1927, and the latter in 1929. Adverse business conditions and decreased cattle prices led to abandonment of the wild when show early in 1931 of Washington. He watched the huge Ranch go into receivership. Miller was in the spotlight in 1930 when he won a $90,000 breach of contract against Tom Mix, cowboy actor. At the same time he lost a libel suit against Mix. ZACK MILLER OF WILD WEST FAME DIES IN TEXAS January 3, 1952--News-Tribune, Fort Pierce, Florida-- Waco, Texas-- Col. Zack T. Miller, who with his brothers once on the largest Ranch in Oklahoma, died today. He was 74. Miller, who lost the famous 101 Ranch near Ponca City to mortgage companies in the 1930s, had been ill since last summer. He was a pioneer of the Old Wild West and the last of three brothers who built the Ranch and the Miller Wild West show internationally known attractions. Before the Ranch became involved in litigation it included 110,000 acres. Miller had been ill ever since a bunch of donkeys tromped him last summer while he was trying to load them into a traitor. He had been a familiar sight at cattle auctions in his later years--the closest he could ever get to cattle, he said. A small Negro boy pushed him around in a wheelchair. The Inland Empire near Ponca City fell apart with the Depression of the 1930s and the stranding of Miller Wild West show in Washington. Management of the ranch went to Miller after his brothers, Joe C. and George L. died the former in October and, 1927, and the latter in 1929. At his bedside when he died was his son, the Zack, Jr.., of Ponca City and his daughter, Mrs. James Gibbs of Valley Mills, Texas. NEED TOUCH AS BASS DRUMMER October 28, 1957--Atchison Daily Globe—(Atchison, Kansas) Pittsburgh, Kansas--Now, after all these years with the general populace just taking for granted that you "beat a bass drum," along comes a veteran pounder of the percussions with the revelation that you don't. Instead, cites Jimmy Williams of Pittsburgh who for more than 50 consecutive seasons has been a bass drummer with professional and semi-professional bands, you stroke the head tenderly with expression and feeling like a violinist draws a bow across strings of a Stradivarius. And another thing, a good bass drummer never strikes the drum head in the center. That creates a w-h-u-p instead of a round, firm boom. Normally the stick strikes six to eight inches from the rim. As volume is to be stepped up, the stick strikes nearer the center but never, never in the center. Further than that, points out the veteran, bass drums are tuned the same as other instruments. A bass drum is played in the pitch of G., but there is a trade secret. Obviously there is a bit of give to the drum head. To overcome this, the drum is tuned to A. just before a concert. Admittedly this makes the first few booms out of tune, but by that time the head has slipped a bit and the drum is in tune. Williams began his career as a drummer when in his early teens in Weir, Kansas. Listening to the town band practice in the building near his home he sat in the yard and kept time with sticks on a rock. He was seen by the band director and encouraged to study. At this time Williams' father kept chickens and sold eggs. The hens were tagged "your chickens" when the father talked to the son whose duties are to care for the birds. One day when the senior Williams was out of town the son took his expression literally, sold the chickens and ordered a drum from a catalog. This was a snare drum however. Then against his father's wishes, the teenager went on the road as a member of a professional circus band, switching almost immediately to the larger drum. He continued trooping for years, playing with the Ringling Brothers circus band, before the consolidation, and others. He signed up once for the old Miller Brothers 101 Ranch circus but his stay was a brief duration. He couldn't stand the Cossacks who were quartered in the band sleeper. Williams recalls "they smelled like their horses and slept with their boots on." Since the first day he went on the road he has not missed a season. Occasionally he has taken off for a few weeks but for the most part his drumming has been with the Pittsburgh municipal band and other semi professional bands over the area. For many seasons he played under the baton of the late J. J. Richards under whom he had played in the Ringling band. The municipal band was an outstanding organization and the bass drummer was a big attraction. He played with zest, emphasizing flourishing cymbal crashes with a toss of his head that made his long, black hair fly. Concert fans came for miles around to watch Williams. Williams continues his expressive cymbal crashes but it isn't quite the same these days. He has lots of hair left but after more than a half a century behind a bass drum, the color has changed completely. It isn't so visible anymore |
Compiled and Submitted by Mollie Stehno