The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-06-27
soPER SAYS IT'S COMING.
The Arkansas and Choctaw VIII
Build TO Ardmore Soon.

District Attorney SOper OF the
Northern district. who was here on
the tribal tax case this week, stated
to a friend that the Arkansas aud
Choctaw road would soon begin
building to Ardmore.
AS Mr.. Soper has acted as at
torney for the road in the Indian
Territory his statement is entitled
to consideration as being authorit-
ative. In the conversation refer
red to Mr. Soper stated that he
was in receipt of a letter from the
president of the road in which that
gentleman stated that the money
necessary for the construction of
the road had been secured and that
work would begin at an early date.
This corroborates the iuforma-
tion given the reporter by A. a.
Lesueur of Kansas City. and pub
lished in Mondays ABDMoREITE,
10 the effect that that President
Keith had told him only a few
days previously that ample money
was back of the enterprise aud
that the road would certainly be
built, aud that, too, without
bonuses or bonds.
There has been considerable
skepticism in regard to the build
ing of this line, founded largely,
it seems, on the fact that the
right Of way through the Territory
is not granted to the Arkansas and
Choctaw railroad, but to the Cen
tral Coke and Coal Company doing
business in Arkansas.
The reason for this was very
satisfactorily explained by Mr..
Perry, general attorney for the
company, VINO came here from
Kansas City at the time Of the in
/ junction suit of the Arkansas and
Choctaw VS. the Choctaw, Okiaho-
ma and Gulf, which was brought
to restrain the defendant company
from trespassing on the right-of-
way of the plaintiff company.
Mr.. Perry stated that the road
was originally projected in Arkan-
sas by the Central Coke and Coal
Company of which Mr.. Keith is
president as a private road for haul
ing timber and coal to and from
the company's plants. The line
was short, but one of the best con
strueted in the state, and served tC
give the Central Coke and Goa
Company connection with the great
distributive lines of railway fol
the marketing of its products.
Then the plan of extending tht
line and making it general traffic
road came to be considered anC
was finally adopted. Nearly all o.
the stock Of the road is held by thu
Central Coke and Coal Company
Mr.. Keith being president anC
principal stockholder in both com
panies. This is the reason tha
the grant of the right Of = wa!
through the Territory was takeI
in the name of the Central Cox
aud Coal Company.
That there is plenty Of capita
behind the undertaking seems be
yond cavil, and circumstance
seem TO corrOborate each other il
giving assurance that the road vii
be built at an early date, Onl,
about six months remain in whicl
the company may begin building
along the present right-of-way
for at the expiration of that time
if no work has been done, tn
grant expires and the charter j
forfeited.
Therefore, it can be but a shor
time until the public will knov
: definitely whether the road is to b
built. Meanwhile the statement
of its officers are entitled to som
. credence, and should not be entire
ly disregarded until the lapse c
the grant and forfeiture Of tn
charter prove conclusively that tn