Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-01-02
A BRIDGE AT LEXINGTON.

In the interview held in Chicago be-
tween our committee and Mr.. Thos. j.
Potter; first vice-president of the C. =,
B. & q. railroad, Mr.. Potter stated that
the greatest deterrent to the extension
of the road southwest, is the building
of the bridge across the Missouri river
The sounding of local tom-toms will
avail but little in the contest for the
securing of this valuable railroad.
Business considerations alone will de-
eide when and where the road will be
built. Lexington has to offer the
largest and most important town: the
most valuable coal fields: and a road
bed already graded. These induce.
ments alone will be apt to secure the
road; but we are not satisfied to rest
our claims here; and in what we have
to suggest we desire to ask the atten-
ton and the cooperation of the city of
st. Joseph.
The st Joseph Il st. Louis railroad
for long time was very successfully
operated. OF late it has appeared that
the Wabash railroad company has
sought to wreck it. Its road-bed, ties,
rails, etc., have been suffered to run
down to degree 1t will be remem-
bered that when Mr.. Talmage, in an
swer to letter written to him by our
citizens some weeks ago, said that he
thought it would not be the policy OF
the Wabash company, after the road
was sold, to retain control of this
! branch, the 1ntelligencer said that this
determination was not an unmixed
evil, and intimated that it might be OF
benefit TO Lexington. Since that time
we have been endavoring to develop
that idea. AS a result we have some
facts to lay before our readers,
The st. Joseph Il St. Louis railroad
extending from st Joseph to Lexing-
ton, is now leased to the Wabash, The
owners of the road are dissatisfied with
the lease. The Wabash processes also
to be dissatisfied. The terms OF the
lease have been SO far forfeited that the
owners may without difficulty resume
control of their property. That prop.
erly and fairly managed the road car
be made to pay well, no one who
knows where it lies and what it is cap.
able of doing, doubts.
Cut off from all communication in
this direction, St. Joseph was, only q
short time ago, contemplating the build
ing OF a narrow gauge railroad into
the coal fields of Lafayette county.
What we have to offer is this: that i
the merchants and other business mer
of that place will extend to the owner:
of the St. Joseph IL St. Louis railroad
the proper encOuragement(n no money i!
asked; only promise of cooperation
and patronage) they can, we believe
be induced to operate their railway i,
first class style from st. Joseph into
Laxington,a aud also assist largely in the
building of a bridge at this place.
The railroad in question is out O
debt, and able to build the bridge by
itself if its owners thought it would b,
profitable to do so, the latter beins
capitalists OF very large means. Thi:
they might not at this time undertake
but from an investigation of the sub
iect very thorough and very close tc
the source OF power in the matter, W,
are convinced that the gentlemen cOult
be induced to undertake one-half O
the bridge, the c., L. 4 q to furnisl
the other half of the necessary sum
The two roads would not conflict il
the least-indeed they would be mutu.
ally helpful.
What is ST. .jpseph's interest in thi:
matter! First. it would aid in rehabil
itating one Of its railways which has
for some years past been systenaticall,
prevented from being a feeder to its
business; second, il would be enabled
for its large and growing mercantile
and manufacturing interests, to pene
trate a country now entirely tributary
to St. Louis and Kansas City; third
1t would gain access 10 a coal field neal
TO its doors, which produces a better
article of coal, at less cost, than any
fuel which is now produced for the ST.
Joseph market; and, lastly, it would
with the connections proposed in this
article, give to st Joseph connections
at Lexington with the southwest with.
out passing through Kansas CITY, some
thing which 1t has not now. The Goa
and passenger business alone which
would pass over this road would make
it profitable; and the intimate associa-
tions which would spring up between
the two places would develop man,
| business interests between them which
do not now exist.
Steps are now being taken to secure
at lexington, some time in January,
meeting of the capitalists who are in
terested in the two roads. We writ,
this article to call the attention of tn,
business men of ST Joseph to the sub
ject, and to ask their cooperation il
it. May we not hope that they will b
well represeutpd Mt the ,naetino