Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-09-05
Our Guests.

made upon Col. Law and his party while here
last week the Intelligencer has Interviewed
some of the gentlemen whose duty it was to
entertain them. Being the chairman of the
committee we first called Upon
VIM. H. CHILES, ESQ.
"Mr. Chiles, what of importance did you
find out from the railroad men the other
day?'
1.-THE way we were divided of I was thrown
with Col. Law, the superintendent of the c.,
B. & 4. c. R. R., and the Information OF any
value was all derived from him. NV CONVEX
sation with the other members of the party
was casual and fragmentary. But In our
long drives, coming from twelve to fifteen
miles altogether, l saw and heard q good deal
of Col. Law"
"To what points did you drive and to what
did you call their attention"
sou object was to show them the ground
over which their road could run after cross
ing the river. give them some idea of the ex-
tent and importance of our coal fields. and
also the strong points Of our present advan-
tages and future probabilities. On crossing
the river the party had already seen the
bridge site at the head of the island. below
town, and the proposed route for the road
along the bank running west along our entire
river front, SO that we first took them to the
high point back OF Central College from which
they could get a general view of the branch
east of our city, which commences near DR..
Wilmot's farm and crosses Old Lexington in
two places, one just back of Fishers Hotel,
and the other near Judge Walkers residence,
along which their road could run to bring
them up on the bench.land from the river.
Later in the day we resumed this same route,
and followed it out to where it could intersect
the old Gulf Railroad bed in the neighbor-
hood of DIR. Belts place. We also assembled
the hill at DR.. Belts from which We enjoyed
a fine view of the country south east, and from
which we could see MAYHEM and Higgins
vile. We took them along the coal front
west of Lexington as far as the Grady
mines, and in the afternoon went to the
shaft mines, east of Lexington. A train of
about 40 cars of coal which happened to be on
the track was a very substantial proof that
we had plenty of COAL"
"What did he think of the Gould people
having such large coal interestsT
IA SuAlC il III ~ SA~s
they owned it all. that Is, all that were easily
accessible. and we had two objects in view.
first to disabuse his mind of the idea that the
Gould system owned all the mines, which we
easily did by showing him the u~noccupied
ground which could be had, and In the second
place to show him the Importance with which
Mr.. Gould, one Of the most sagacious men In
the country, regarded the Lexington mines,
and the consequent wisdom which their man
agement would display by obtaining in time,
as they now can, equally as strong a foot-hold
and gratifed at the knowledge be thus OBJ
tanned Of our coal interests"
"What do you think of the prospects for the
road to come to Lexington%'
"Col. laws said that it was no secret that
sOhen they pushed their road south they would
come to Lexington on the way, but no one
could tell when that would happen; that at
present they were looking for q way to Kan
sas City only, and it was a question whether
they would 60 across the country north of the
river, or cross the river here and then 60 to
Kansas City. The difficulty with the Lexing-
ton route was the cost of q bridge, which
would be about 5000, 900; they can go to Kan
sas City on the north side of the river and
cross on the bridge there which their system
virtually owns. Col. Law was pleased with
the advantages which he said would result by
taking our route, and promised to return in
about ten days and look into the matter fur
Their. One of the last things he said to me
was to tell the people that If his road came 1t
would not ask any subscriptions; that
would not influence them either way; they
would only ask our good will. But l really
have talked enough. try some of the Others"
Mr.. C. o. GRIMES.
No one of the reception committee was
more Jealous than Mr.. c. O.. Grimes. He
was also approached by the In%telligencer.l
Mr.. Grimes, what did you think of the
impressions made upon the G., B. b X. C.
men when they were here last week."
"Well. sir, 1 think the impressions made
upon them were decidedly favorable. 1 tried
my very best to impart all the information 1
could, and at the same time l endeavored to
get as much as was possible. My CONVERSE
ton was principally with Mr.. Gilchrist, the
engineer Engineers do not exactly build
railroads, but railroads are never built with
out their advice. 1 therefore attached great
Importance to the views formed by Mr..
Gilchrist OF what he saw, and 1 am happy to
state that he was very frank, and said more
than l had any right to expect. He seemed
very favorably impressed indeed. The party
came here thinking that Jay Gould practically
controlled all the available coal lands of this
section. Mr.. Tilton Davis is now q stock
holder In the Gould mines, and has been in
terested in the coal business here for many
years. He is also a lawyer, and has been
counsel in the conveyance of the lands to the
Gould system; so that he is thoroughly in
formed as to the extent of the Gould mines at
this place. 1 asked him the question, in Mr.,
Gilchrists presence, What is the extent of
the coal lands owned by the Gould company
in the vicinity of Lexington" To which he
replied, 'Thirty-three hundre ed acres I then
asked him how much land up and down the
river, within a few miles Of Lexington, con-
tanned coal, available to be worked. Mr..
DAVIS answered, why, over a hundred
thousand acres.' SO there seemed to be no
question left about "a suficiency of coal lands
for any railroad company that shall choose to
develop Them"
ibid the gentlemen see any of our coal?'
"Yes. 1t. 50 happened that 40 cars, loaded
with coal, stood upon one of the side tracks
as we passed by. The gentlemen could see
the excellent quality Of the coal, and that it
was produced in quantities. 1 told them that
the entire train of coal might not have been
one days output. but that if it was not there
was no trouble in a cOmpany's producing that
much aud even more. MIR. Gilchrist assured
me that he would be with US again very soon :
that he had seen many things here to make it
worth while to look further into our sur.
roundings, and that when he came he intend
ed to walk over the old road bed of the L., l.,
& G. road. Altogether, l am satisfied that
MIR. Gilchrist was very much pleased with
what he saw"
"Did he say anything as to the comparative
advantages OF the northern route to Kansas
City. and the southern one to Kansas City by
way of LexingtOn"
"Only this: lie seemed particularly struck
with the itself; with the availability of
the coal, and its great importance; mt with
what was said about the practicabllity of the
route from this place to Kansas City. While
Mr.. Law and Mr.. Gilchrist were both sitting
In my store l asked them this question; is it
not true that there are about five miles of
bridges to build, some of them large ones. on
your survey from Bogard to Kansas City: ?,
This was partially admitted. Then l asked the