The Mena star., 1898-03-30
PRESIDENT sTILwELL SPEAKS.
Some Straightforward Sta em ents Which Should Set Doubtful
 Minds at Rest.


 The Galveston News of the 14th re- produces the following interview with President Silwell, from the New Or leans Times Democrat.
 "The boycott said he, lis illogical; it is unnatural; it is un-American. I do not believe in it. I believe in freedom; freedom of thought, freedom of action. do not believe the plan of boycotting a railroad is business-like. 1t shows jealousy, narrow-lnindedness, and that spirit which grows out of small deal- lngs When the Kansas City, Pitts burg & Gulf road first started they said it would never be built. Bnt it was built. Then they said we would never be able to pay off the first cou- pons But they were paid and on time. Then they said we would have to borrow the money. But we did not have to borrow the money; the road made it, and has been making it right along. Then they said we would ney- CT be able to pay off the second cou-
 
 few days. But we will; the money is now in the bank. Each of these pay ments amounts to S420, 900.
 During the year 1897 we paid out over BIO, 900 day on new construct ions We have one line of steamers running from Port Arthur to Mexico, and another line to Central America It is for a connection with this Central American line that the Missouri Kan sas and Texas Trust Company will build a railroad in Colum bia, from the Magdalina river to Bogota, distance of 300 miles. The survey is now being made by a corps of engineers which left for that country some time ago. We will reduce the time from the of Bogota just two weeks. It is most resourceful country, and at pres ent it requires two weeks to travel from the coast to the capital, but with this line of road it will only require few hours, and we will then have direct line of transportation from Chicago, Omaha and Kansas City to these Central American ports You ask if the freight will justify this line of steamers. Ireply that we now have 200O tons of freight contracted for every month in the year during the coming five years for our Mexican steamers. You may may not know that we are loading a steamer at Port Arthur every ten days.
 "What is the prospect of your line entering New Orleans or Galveston over its own rails?" asked the reporter.
 We do not need to build either to New Orleans or to Galveston, as the connections to both places are as good as can be. Our services with the South ern Pacific is all that could be asked What more do we want? As for Gal weston, we are now entering over the Bolivar Point road and it affords every facility we need"
 Has the company any new projects on foot?'
 We always have projects on hand, was the prompt reply. Our steamers will land at the Port Arthur terminal by June l. We are now preparing to build an elevator of 500, O01 bushels capacity: also six immense warehouses will soon be in the course of con struction. If you have not visited Port Arthur recently you cannot ap- preciate the amount of work going on there.
 .sThe word may is not in our lexi- con. We do not have doubtful word about anything we take hold of. When everybody else says thing will fail, to our mind that is the greatest sign of success. 1 myself want no better indication of the absolute certainty of success than for all other railroad men about me to say the scheme will fail"
 Atvaoad | yucharS Indicted