Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-01-02
The meeting then adjourned.
THE ST. JOSEPH & ST. LOUIS RAIL.
ROAD.
From Lexington Intelligencer, Dec. q

From Lexington Intelligencer, Dec. 26.1
If any one thing could convince the
owners of the above company, that it
would pay them to extend their road
to the Chicago & Alton railway, even
at the entire cost to them of a bridge
over the Missouri river at Lexington,
the meeting of the board of trade OF
St. Joseph, last Tuesday, and the ex-
pressions there made by its prominent
members, the heaviest shippers OF the
northwest, must have done 80.
They were expressions of interest
and friendship from the men who have
it in their own power to make of the
road a success. We need not represent
how strong these expressions were, as
they are embodied and condensed i'll
the resolutions which they unanimous
ly 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, aud who know
| the solemnity of the obligation which
they assume.
The arithmetic which figures out that
| 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 remuncrative if it ran into
Lexington instead of stopping at the
junction? if it were continued to the
| Chicago g. Alton, and thereby secured
! an additional connection for st. Joseph
to St. Louis without passing through
and paying tribute to Kansas City2
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. s. Q. railway
people really desire to extend their
road southwest to Fort Scott. AS in
the case of the st. Joseph road they do
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 the
companies is financially able to do
its part, or even to construct the
bridge alone. Assurances that the bridge
stock will pay come from every reliable
source consulted. Then why, as a
business proposition, is it not feasible,
and even wise, for these two railway
companies TO come to an amicable
understanding, whereby they a build
the bridge together, and then afterward
so work as to be of common benefit,
the one to the other? 1t seems to US
that it is a golden opportunity for both
corporations, which if not seized and
utilized will be regretted in the future.
Lexington is certain at no distant day
to have a railroad bridge. Sooner or
later the owners OF the St. Joseph road
must find their way across the Mis-
souri, river. Sooner or later, too, the
Chicago, Burlington s. Quincy railway
is certain to penetrate to the south
west. What time could be so oppor-
tune as this ? And why should not the
latter company make a favorable ar
rangment with the St. Joseph people?
They cannot keep them out of the ter
ritory if they would, and there is no
good reason why they should. The
true policy for both roads, is to make a
friendly alliance, share the expense of
the bridge, and then for each to help
the other to make money, in a country
that teens with produce, is filled with
intelligence and wealth-a country
where the people have passed the
crude, uuprogressive days of frontier
conservatism; entered upon the pro-
gressive, liberal ideas of a present
whose characteristics are energy and
liberality, and are looking to a future
bright with all the blessings of a civ
~ilization largely brought to their doors
by means of the railroad.