The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-10-29
TURNED DOWN.
Colonel S. w, Fordyce
Out of a Job.
The Man Who Snubbed Cape 6irar-
deau. nnd Cut His Nose on to
spite Ills Face. is i'll the Soup.

dcau. ind Cut His Nose on 10
spite Ills Face, is in the soup.
COL ). VI. Fordyce is no longer
president OF the Cotton Belt rail
road. At recent meeting of the
| bOard OF directors held in New York
the Colonel declined reelection and
Edwin Gould was elected president.
Russell Harding was chosen as vice
| president and as such sill have charge
of the property of the road. Mr..
Harding has the reputation Of being
a tine railroad man. which even his
best friends meyer claimed for Colonel
Fordyce.
the people Of the Cape will nave no
tears To shed over the fact that Col.
FOrdyce Is no longer president of the
Cotton Belt, as they are not filled With
the frieudlies. feelings toward that
gentleman. He had an opportunity to
help this city ard "a the same time
benefit his road, but he calmly and
icoOlly ignored Cape Girardeau and
proceeded with his operations. 1t will
br remembered that wheu the matter
OF coming over the river and running
to Delta was brOaclDd. the Cape was
very anxious 70 have the road come
i'll here. The business men of the city
interested themselves in the matter
ana soon mad sd. 900 raised az Il bonus
to induce this step on the part OF the
road. While thc amount named was
not in cash il consisted for the most
part of terminal facilities and right
OF way which reached that sum in
value When the matter was brought
to the attention of Col. Ford wee ne
told the people that ne was really
very anxious To come in here but that
llr. Houck would nOt ler him. and
would throw every obstacle in his way.
The committee had become familiar
with Mr.. HOuck's position il tn. mat
ter and they knew the statement of Col.
tordyce was not correct. As a mat
ter o. Tact Mr.. Houck iDtcrposed no
objection whatever. SO Col. Fordyce
blandiy stood OF our geopie. Ignored
their offer. tried 70 ehift the respou
slbllity on the shoulders of Mr.. Hourk
and went to Gray's Point where a
crossing was made 20 GaIes. In &C. /
curing his terminals anu right Of WAY
at Gray's Point the busincSs-li,e !
Colonel expended something like 50.
600 for what would have been cheer !
fully given him by the citizens OF this
city. There was a plain desire on the |
part Of the Cotton Belt president to
build around the Cape. and he did so
at probable expense to the cOmpany
Of some 3J9o.e0O that was an unneces-
sary expenditure. Another item in
connection with this matter which
should not be- lost sight of i. the fact
hat the roaC from Gray's Point to
Delta was lpnded for So. 900 a mile.
While 1t {. i'd have been built for.
. 900. whic leaves a rake-otT rfnhout
5000 mile for some one.
'eopIr her" who are posted
IS to the particulars have their opin-
on ON the subject and conjecture is
Iie. In discussin" this Gray'S Point
ttalr at the recent directors meeting ,
WAS no doubt made clear that the .
ompany had been led into Il boz. +
he useless expenditure of money. the =
9noring of the offer made by our u
eople, the poor facilities offered by I
ray ; Point a u terminal. the liti- l
alton into which the road has already
cen led through the un-business-like
iethods of Col. Fordyae in this whole
flair. doubtless made his declination I
) longer ill the office OF president of
le Cotton Belt. quite gratifying to
le directors and Stockholders OF the
pad T.