The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1901-01-05
, ANOTHER NEW ROAD.
Cape Girardeau Rapidly Coming to the Front
as Railroad Center.

t built into this place. The man VIII
t. built that road. which is now know
= as the Southern Missouri X Arkansa:
I was Louis Houck, and the same ma
!, ran the first train into this city OTe
: the new II. NJ " \. road on Januar
: !, 1901.
Z. A number of prominent citizens a,
. cepted the invitation of the manag,
ment to take trip to Morehouse owe
the new road. and while an unlooke
, for and unavoidable accident cut th
f trip short, trains are now making tn
. regular run daily between this city an
. Morehouse. This new road which ha
. just been completed is the most valu
: bic feeder to Cape Girardeau that
has yet had. It.runs for the most par
through well settled. highly produc
Itiyt agricultural country. and tn
possibilities which it opens up for thi
city can hardly be computed. Most
If not all. of the business men of tn,
city are a unit in the opinion that b!
reason of this road their business vii
be greatly increased, and the CONNER
cial importance of the city correspond
ingly enlarged.
In the old days before Cape Girar
deau had Il railroad, people VINO were
in bad health and who desired a nice,
quiet place in some outside corner OF
the world where they might end their
days in peace, steered for this city,
and many found the peaceful end here
for which they loDged. But all this
has changed. We now have three
railroads here and another in con-
temptation, and the former graveyard
has developed into a livel, commercial
city which is well and favorably
known in the great trade centers Of
the Mississippi Valley.
To say that LOWS Houck is largely
responsible for this change would be
merely stating tact that is well
known TO all citizens who are posted
as to the history of their city. In order
to get his first road built and running
into this city, Mr.. Houck was COM
pslled to face obstacles and discour-
agements which would have proven
insurmounta Bile to most men, but be
pressed forward with his indOmita BILE
energy anG perseverance until he t&:
overcome ali in his wav ami sue
seeded in The plan hc ..au in view.
in ISL was orly the trgiuning o.
what was - rIkc ri.ce IN "aircrd
building iu Lnls section of tn. state.
knowing the country thoroughly, 5c
ing aware ui what dcveiOELu E. wnn.4
result from other railroads, rn,- r,'a
trum Cam,D ,Db, Il To charlottesville, sn,
from i;ruwnnoud Ia Bloumtir.d ," /,
lowed. - ,ru'St tn, So rntr. >. I-,s
requir' " 'H:-, en'r"N aLd cap'tii !
Il nj ;h"-e roads we're not Iuilf an
operation L. q; iry months. 5u. s.n,e
'H.g have '....n ""mr,.;,'! ti3-y 80 .
proven Of iuc..iru.ahie htnet,t. Lu-ea !
have sprung up: line. we'll cultivated |
farms have taken the place of the |
" wilderness and the swamp, and busi- |
ness activity is now seen throughout
a section which formerly echoed to the
howl of wolves and the blood curdling
shrek Of tho panther.
1t was the brain, the ability and the
energy of Mr.. Houck which has
wrought these changes, and it would
be no exaggeratiOn to assert that he
has done more for the progress and
development of Southeast Missouri
than any other one hundred men in
hat section. 1t is true that Mr.. Heuck
mas his detractors. He has been
bounded and harassed by many who
should have stood closest to him. He
las battled against tremendous odds
1t times. but after each battle he came
% the front smiling, with not hair
He goes ahead with his diff
erent business enterprises, does more
work than any ten men, and people
ook on and simply wonder how he
so much.
On one occasion, at IL high school,
| prize was offered for the best answer
o this question. "What is the great
secret OF succes,:'' \ student wrote
he one word determination on a
slip of paper and handed it in a. his
answer. He won the prize. Deteimi-
nation is the keynote in all Mr.
Iourk undertakes. He does not start
with any idea of failing. Oh the con
rary. he determines to push his plans
through in the face of all opposition.
Il will net BE- long before Mr.. Honc6
las road running from Cape Cir
ieau to connect with the PeIryville
'oad. The organization has been
perfected and arrangements are being
made now for the beginning the work
which Will give Cape Girardeau
another railroad. Much might be
said OF the improvements and extern