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Show JEFF DAVIS AT FORT GIBSON. Toe Houe He Orraolrd Half a fentary 4(0 Still Heads. An order was recently issued by the war department, turning over the abandoned military reservation of Fort Gibson, I. T., to the Interior department de-partment for disposition as provided by law. Jefferson Davis ut ono time lived ut Fort Gibson, which is ninety-live miles south of Coffey villo, Kas., and about twenty-five miles from Tallequah, tho territorial capital. It is a small place. A railway station, a small tavern, a cotton gin and a few scattered houses identify it completely. Davis lived there in 1K:!S, when it was a fort in more than name. His houso was the first white man's dwelling dwell-ing erected at the place. Ho was captain of a company of soldiers which was stationed tlioro to preserve peace among tho Inditins. Tho government gov-ernment had just been engaged in wars with tho Comanches, Seminoles and Pawnees. Several tribes had boon confined in tho territory and tho troops were established thereto prevent un uprising. The fort has now been abandoned by the government and tho troops stationed at Fort Heno, just i i west of Oklahoma territory. The fort still stands. Davis being an ofllcer. had quarters outside tho regular barracks and lived in a small house some distance from the fort His wife, the daughter of Zachariah Taylor, was with him, and the sensation of their elopement had hardly subsided at this time. The houso they lived in stands yet, but it is in a dilapidated condition. It was built in 1S38. It has never been kept in repair. At ono time It was a respectable re-spectable and even elegant domicile for that country. It is ono story high, built of logs and covered with weather boards. At each end stands a large, square brick fireplace. These fireplaces fire-places are now the only substantial looking parts of the building. The roof sags, many shingles swell tho number of mysterious disappearances, a narrow porch along the sido of tho houso is battered and decayed, doors are broken down and windows broken in. The houso is located on tha military reservation and the late order from the war department turning it over to the interior department will probably prob-ably be the cause of its being torn down. In Davis's Fort Gibson days there lived at tho fort a Catholic priest, Father Dodsoo. Among his accomplishments accom-plishments was playing the piano and he hud an instrument with him. lie died some years ago and bequeathed this instrument to Mrs. W. P. Boss, who keep, the Kos3 hotel, a homely hostelry of six rooms at tho fort This venerable musical mechauism has still a remarkably good tone, although it is now over seventy-five years old. |