The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1902-01-09
WHITE RIVER RAILROAD.
Col. W. n. Phelps. OF the Missouri Pacific,
Says Things OF Interest to Ianey
Count, People.


official capacity with the Missouri Pa
cific is only the attorney for Jasper
county. At the same time he looks NJ.
ter tho company's interests before the
legislature, before the railway commits
sion and Is on close terms with all the
high officials Of the road. He knows
what the company wants Ia give out to
the public and what /. II secret n
short interview with him was published
yesterday and It is quite important to
those who have been watching the prog
ress Of this new railroad which mcansso
much To southwest Missouri and north
crn Arknnsns.
Mr.. Phelps said that the CRANKY cN-
tension and the White River road have
no connection whatever. The import
ancc Of this statement lies In the fact
that many long ago jumped nj the con-
clusion that the Granny extension was
the northern end Of the White River
road and that they would meet probably
al the state line. Mr.. Pholp, thus de.
clarcs that this story Is not true and
that the tive have no connection. The
CRANKY cXtcniion will no doubt prove to
he Il mere spur.
As 20 the destination Of the White
River road Mr. Phelps like all the Mis-.
souri, Pacific men is cautious In his
statements. He was IN Joplin when he
gave out the the interview and talked Of
the clty's importance and did not sec
how the compay could miss that city or
section. He added that IL WIS an en-
gineering problem and that the iasd
would go that way, all things being
equal, etc.
This goes to show positively ono thing
Mt least: Tho White River road has not
yet decided to 90 10 Wenb City or In
that direction. II is true that the rail-
way company never once said that IL
would or authorized anything OF the
kind, but throughout this whole section
the idea seems to have become firmly
established that such WIS the intention,
although yigilant search has always
failed 10 show any good reason why the
road should necessarily go thnt way.
Nevertheless these statements were
made without correct information, and
business men here who have had vas,
experience in,railway affairs never be-
lieved the stories I,ailroad men here
whose opinions on such matters ought
To count can see but onr logical conclu-
sion 10 the White River mystery
Springfield. They don't know; they nd
nit that, but they can't figure out why
railway company should build clear
across two states TO get into section
which 1T Is already In and with the
Kansas City Southern, also practically
u Gould line, and with the Gould system
a. Fort Smith II would seem that Mem
phis and southeastern business could he
handled sufficiently. True 1t Is a round
about way but railroads put up with
that rather than build such a long line
with nothing more definite In view.
The same business men call attention
to the fact that the hest guess as 10
northern outlet would be Warsaw In
stead Of Cranky. Announcement ha'
already been made about the widening
OF the narrow guage road. II Is tru,
this story has been told before, but thii
time ii IL actually being done, the s,ee
arriving and the work being done slow
". Az the White River road does no
expoc, TO have ears running into Yc!l
vile before next July IL can be seen tha
there is no neec for an undue rush Gortl
OF here.
The White River surveyors are stil
in the vicinity OF Ycllville and II Tia
survey is TO be pushed on to the north
ern terminus IN advance Of the con
s,ruction IL will not be long before al
doubt ne to the object oi the road vii
OF necessity be removed.
Mr.. Phelps, like all other Missouri
Pacific men, believes that II weak poin
in the system Is It's failure 10 have
Springfield entrance. While hc has at
soluiely nothing whatever tC do vii,
such questions still his personal Unfit