Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-12-26
THE ST. JOSEPH & ST. LOUIS Rail-
ROAD.

If n one thing could convince b
owners of the above company, that IL
would paw them to extend their ROAD
to the Chicago s. Alton railway, eve
the entire cost to them OF a brloge
over the Missouri river at Lexington,
the meeting of the board of trade OF
St. Joseph, last Tuesday, and the eS-
pressions there made pv its prominent
members, the heaviest shippers oil the
northwest, must have done So.
They were expressions of interest
and friendship from the men who have
it in their own power to make Oh the
road a success. We need not represent
how strong these expressions were as
they are embodied and condensed III
the resolutions which they unanimous
" adopted. Practically they promise
TO give to the road that patronage
which it is necessary for it to secure IN
order to succeed; and this promise
comes from men who are able to per-
form what they pledge, and who know
the solemnity of the obligation winch
they assume.
The arithmetic which figures out thai
the road does not pay now is, to say
the least of it, peculiar. The necessary
business for a profit is most certainly
done over the road; it carries enough
people and freight. Sufficient was said
at the board of trade meeting TO show
this to be true. If it is true, then how
much more certainly would the road
become remunerative if it a into
Lexington instead of stopping at the
Junction? if it were continued to the
Chicago s. Alton, and thereby secured
az additions! connection for st. Joseph
to St. Louis without passing through
and paving tribute to Kansas City?
But the st. Joseph road should not
have to build the bridge alone. 1t can
scarcely be doubted, after all that has
passed. that the c., B. q Q. railway
people really desire to extend their
road southwest to Fort Scott. AS in
the case of the St. Joseph road they DC
not wish to shoulder the entire cost OF
a bridge across the Missouri river
| One half of the amount, however
would be a very different thing. Both
| of the roads want to cross the river
Lexington desires them to cross. st
| Joseph joins Lexington in this desire
and through her business men prom
ises the route its support. Either OF thu
companies is financially able to dt
its part. or even to construct tn
bridge alone. Assurances hat the bridg'
stock will pay come from every reliable
source consulted. Then why, as
business proposition, is it not feasible
and even wise, for these two railwa,
companies to come 10 an amicabl'
understanding, whereby they can built
the bridge together, and then afterwar'
40 work as to be of common benefit
the one to the other? 1t seems to u
that it is a golden opportunity for bot
corporations, which if not seized ant
utilized will be regretted in the future
Lexington is certain at no distant da
to have a railroad bridge. Sooner o
later the owners OF the St. Joseph roat
must find their way across the Mis-
souri, river. Sooner or later, too, tn
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railwa'
is certain to penetrate to the south
west. What time could be SO oppor
tune as this And why should not th
latter company make a favorable al
rangment with the st. Joseph people
They cannot keep them out of the ter
ritory if they would, and there is n
good reason why they should. Th
true policy for both roads, is to make
friendly alliance, share the expense {
the bridge, and then for each 10 bel
the other to make money, in a countr
that teens with produce, is filed wit
i Negligence and wealth-a countr
where the people have passed tt
crude, unprogressive days of frontie
c ,n~servatism; entered upon the pr
gressive, liberal ideas of q presel
whose characteristics are energy al
~liberality, and looking to a futul
bright with oil the blessings OF a CT
ilizalion largely brought to their doc
BY means of the railroad.