The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-21
SPLITLOG, THE INDIAN WHO BUILT A RAIL 17eI4fsEg7 nandD Dollars Which Hv
ROAD WHICH NOW EXTENDS TO THE GULF Never Beer f@md y

Sn~cial Correspondents Of The Sunday Republic.
Neosho, No, Oct. 19.-Splitlog IS a familiar
name in portions nf Missouri. Arkansas.
Kansas and the Indian Territory. Matthias
Splitlog is the only Indian who ever built
a railroad.
Twelve years ago this enterprising old
Indian planned a railroad. which he built
the following year. and which was long
known as the Splitlog Railway. From this
modest little line. with its ffty miles or
track. has grown Il great railway system,
for the SplitioS road DEVELOPED into what
is now known as the Kansas City southern
Railway, which reaches from tNa Gulf Of
Mexico almost 20 the Great LEX =
Matthias Splitlog was horn iu 'anada in
1910. and was of French and Indian de-
scent. He was brought up I'm the woods of
the Far North. and TO the active outdoor
life of his early years was doubtless due
much of his rugged health. which enabled
him to maintain vigor and energy to his
old age. He was uneduca;eT, being unable
TO read or write. but he could count money
like a banker and was shrewd at driving
a bargain. Like most Indians. he WAS
reticent. cautious and suspicious.
Although without schooling or mechani-
cal training, Snlitlog WAS a natural me-
chanical genius and to that he was indebted
for his start in life. He had built a ferry
boat at Windsor. Canada. in 'he early
forties and ran a ferry between Windsor
and Detroit. He lad also built Il saw
mill there and displayed. Other Indications
of energy and ability tl.t caused the
United States Government 10 rptice him,
and he vas selected as a suitable man 10
go to the Wyamdatte Indian Reservation
in Kansas-just opposite where kaCssa cay.
Mo. is now located. ana On part OF the land
now covered by Kansas City. Kas.-to build
houses for the VyanGottes. He received
100 acres of land from the Government.
After completing his work amcng the Wy
andottes. Splitiog moved to the Seneca IN
dian Nation, close ny. and built Il grist
mill and saw mill there His counsel and
energies were So highly appreciated by the
Senecas that they adnuJcd him as one Of
their tribe and he married a Seneca wom-
an. A few years later ne became chief of
the Senecas. and at the time of his death.
In 1897, Chief Splitlog was in Washington
City looking after the interests OF his
tribe.
1t was in 1856 that Splitlog conceived the
idea of building a railroad. lie then owned
a large tract OF land about ten miles south
of Neosho, Mo. where he resided, and also
owned 100 acres near Kansas City. His wife
owned a quarter section of land IN the Sem
eca reservation near Kansas City.
While living in Canada Matthias Splitlog
became acquainted with n shrewd French
Canadian, Moses w. Clay. The TWO cid
friends met again in Southwest Missouri.
Clay had heard of a gold discovery near
Splitlog, the village where Matthias Splitlog
resided. He and the old Indian got an ex-
pert to examine the ore they found. 1t was
pronounced gold, and at once Spiitlog de-
termined to build a railroad from Joplin to
his gold regions.
Assisted by Clay. who became Spiitlog's