The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-11-16
OUR RAILROAD.
Its Extension Westward.
And What Il Globe-Democrat Cores
pondent Has to say About fl
and Its Advantages.

pondent Has to say About II
and Its Advantages.
At the present time it looks as if the
Cape Girardeau road would be the
first to get into the te 'ritory. That
indefatigable friend of development in
Southeast Missouri, Louis Houck. is
already as far as Grandin with one of
his lines out of Cape Girardeau. This
line reaches from the Mississippi
River TO the Current River Valley.
1t penetrates that great triangular
section which lies between the Iron
Mountain, the Frisco and the Gulf. 1t
is headed toward Fort Smith. Every
mile that is built from Grandin south
westwardly will carry it further into
field where there is as yet no competi-
ton, save only ut The crossing of the
Gulf road. For the extension of the
Cape Girardeau and Fort Smith from
Grandin engineers are already run
ming experimental surveys. There
are several reasons why prompt ac-
tion by the Cape Girardeau road is
strongly probable. One is that the
financial condition of the property
has much improved recently. Addi-
tional backing has been obtained.
For long time Mr.. Houck was de-
pendent upon his connections with the
Gould system to reach the rest of the
world. The Cape Girardeau road now
has a close connection with the Wa
bash across the river in Illinois, and
can get ont in that way. The Wabash
influence will be greatly interested be-
cause it Will be much benefited by this
extension into South Missouri and
North Arkansas. If ihe Houck road
pushes into North Arkansas and reach
cs Harrison, even though it gets no
farther for the present, connection
between it and the Frisco by q short
extension of the branch from Salem
southwestwardly will be mutually ad-
vantageous. That will mean short
route from South Missouri and North
greatly to be desired.
Manvel's strong argument in sup
port of his project for Il direct st.
Louis and Fort Smith short line was
one of mileage. He showed how st.
Louis, under present conditions, is
| almost barred out of this territory.
which should be wholly hers. Howell
County is in the southern tier of coun-
ties about midway between the east
and west lines of Missouri. 1t is al
most the center of the South Missouri
and North Arkansas region. in which
development, horticultural, agricul-
itural. mineral and manufacturing.
ipromises to be very great during the
next ten years. Howell County, the
heart of the most desirable field, is
but $50 miles from st. Louis by
practicable railroad route, yet it can
be reached only by travelling two sides
of triangle. There are two ways of
reaching Howell County by rail. One
is 347 miles by way of the Frisco.
southwest to Springfield and thence
blythe Gulf southeast. The other is
by way of the Iron Mountain south to
Hoxie. and thence by the Gulf north
west. That is to say, it is more than
twice as far as it ought to be from st.
Louis to the unoccupied territory. A
man, or a car load of freight, starting
from Howell County for st. Louis.
must 90 hundred miles northwest or
southwest before it turns in the direc-
| ton of its destination, which is due
northeast. The extension of the Cape
Girardeau road into the field means
much for the territory, much for the
road and much for the Wabash sys-
TEN east of the Mississippi; but it
doesn't mean any prOportiOnate bene-
fit to st. Louis, unless connection is
made with it by way of Cuba and
Salem, on the Frisco. st. Louis has
a great deal at stake in the final form
these railroads NAV assume.