The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-12-24

OF trade. The question is win we
place ourselves in a position to get
our share OF this trade and thus
become o great lumber centeri
This is in our reach if we act WISE
ly. When the Santa Fe hauls our
produce away the cars come back
practically empty. 30 this road
must necessarily operate q large
number Of trains on dead hauls,
that is hauls which are an expense
and not profit osthe road. The
result is that the road is forced TO
charge enough for freight to pay
the expenses of the return Of the
trains. This will not be true Of the
Choctaw. 1t will haul our grain
and cotton to Memphis and the
trains will return loaded with lum-
Der and coal. Anyone can see
that the Choctaw. getting paid for
running its trains both ways, can
haul our produce to market cheap
or and can bring MS freight, lum.
ber and coal cheaper than the
Santa Fe can. This can be demon
strated with mathematical certain
ty. 1t is for this reason that l be-
lieve that the Choctaw is the best
road that we could possibly secure
ct this time. The result would
build up city here.
As Ardmore grows it'll would
become able to put in splendid
system of waterworks from the
never failing supply Of the Wash
ita river. We would then have
cheap coal and lumber and an
abundance of water. With these
things settled in our favor there
is no reason why Ardmore should
not. become the leading inland
city of the southwest. We are
surrounded by country of won
derful fertility and unsurpassed
resources. We are not restricted
to one crop, but can successfully
raise any product of the temper
ate zone. What then hinders our
progressi Ardmore would rapidly
assume such commercial proper
tions as to attract all kinds OF
trade from far and near; other
railroads would seek connections
here-the Frisco would build q
branch line to Ardmore, the Rock
Island branch from Chickasha
would come to Ardmore, the M,
Z. & T. would come here from
Denison, and within a few years
railroads would be running to and
from Ardmore like the spokes of a
wheel to and from the hub. We
would build up a magnificent sys-
tenn of free schools colleges
would grow and become strong;
education would be brought to our
very doors and surrounded with
home influences, the children of
the rich and the poor alike would
grow mp together and be educated
upon terms of friendship and
equality-as should be. In short
it is in our power to build up a
business center here and a city of
ideal homes. Will we exert our
selves to do this, or will we allow
our opportunities like sunbeams,
TO pass us byf Will we lie
sleeping upon our backs and allow
others to profit by our carlessness
until our town is smitten with
the dry rot of want of enterprise
and public spirit? The answer
to these questions.wil be found in
our action in this matter. In
order to accomplish these things
the property Lolders should rise as
one man and raise this money.
They will be Immediately benefit
ed. and they connot possibly make
an investment which will pay them
larger returns in the increase in
value Of their property. leaving
ont of consideration the loss they
will sustain by depreciation in val
ne Of their property if this road
crosses the Santa Fe north or
south of us.