Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-05-29
rRw ELECTRIC noAp PLAN.


To the Editor OF the Ledger.
MEXICO, May 2L--The newspapers
Of this vicinity, by their usual enter
prise, ayepublisheda part Of thenews
connected with the proposed electric
road a little before We were ready TO
publish what was being done. In
view OF this fact, ] desire 20 make now
a more complete statement.
Two other parties and myself have
been four times over the route from
Mexico to Paris. We have located the
best grade and route. The power
plant will be at Paris and Of sufficient
power not only 10 operate between
Mexico and Paris but also the extern
tion to s~helbyyille.
From Mexico to Paris there Is as
fine farming land as there Is anywhere.
The greatest wealth Of this section,
however, Is not developed by rolson
OF not having a market. Wealth lies
there like a giant asleep waiting TO
be reused. This electric road Will
place all land close TO II IN a st. Louis
market.
Let me say here that the PROPOSE
ton Of an electric road Is an entirely
different proposition for the benefit Of
the farming property from the con-
structlon Of a steam railway through
the same section. The steam railway
may run through your farm, yet you
may have 10 drive six miles before you
reach a station where you can put
your products on, or get on yourself.
But this proposed electric road will
put in a switch on any mans farm
and build a platform at each county
road it crosses or at convenient places
not more than a mile apart for the
loading on Of all fruit, dairy products,
farm and garden products.
Cars will leave Paris SOC enough in
the morning to stop at each farm and
gather up all milk, fruit, vegetables
or farm products, TO connect at Mex
leo with a train via the G. & A. OF
Wabash, reaching the morning mark
ct in st. Louis. II necessary the cars
will be refrigerated. Late in the
Afternoon cars will run the same way
This will place all that a be pro
duced on this land in a market where
nearly a million people buy each day
what they eat.
b. r. Fox, a farmer on the line Of
this road stated, that II we would CON
yey the milk from his farm twice
each day and deliver it IN ST. Louis, he
would keep 40 COWS aud set IN cans on
our platform each day, 100 gallons Of
milk. At zoe per gallon In st.
Louis, this would bring him s24.00 pei
day. 1t can be produced and shipped
for sl0 per day, leaving him sl4.0O pc
day. His figures may be a littlg
wrong. But men In New Jersey anc
Illinois have gotten rich IN this In
dustry because they had q market.
People along this route may moi
want to engage In any new enterprise
II not, they can sell their land for slt
TO $40 an acre more the day the cleo
trio road runs through or near theil
farm. Electric roads IN Ohio, India
ma and Illinois, built To transport
both passengers and freight, have I'D
ded big value TO the adjacent land
and have been paying investment
from the iirst.
This road puts Paris and vicinity a
miles nearer ST. Louis. The cars will
run every hour. IL viii carry practi
ably all the live stock and passenger
for Paris and vicinity to st. Louis anC
Chlcago, ~lesseniug the freight rates d
Paris and vicinity.
b. o. Sims, a prominent stock rails
or, who owns 100 acres on the lin,
of this road says he thinks the road
win add $40 per ere to his land. HI
proposes when we get that far along
to take $1,000 stock in the road.
About half way between Paris ane
Mexico a park viii be built. Each day
a large number Of people win be car,
ried TO and from this.
In view Of the favorable traction
arrangements that can be made with
the Wabash and G. & A., BY which
this electric road viii receive good pay
for delivering live stock in cars and
freight and passengers to these steam
roads for through business, also Tie
local freight and passenger business.
We feel safe in saying the road win
operate and pay a dividend from the
first.
The road will not be built because
1t is a nice thing or a convenience, but
because 1t win pay.
Construction and equipment Of the
road will cost about $500, 900. StLouls
capitalists are ready to build and
equip the road n the people In Paris,
Mexico and country between are In.
~terested enough 70 subscribe for one
third Of the stock or more. / am In
favor Of subscribing for the whole road
II We can here, but we win make the
best and safest deal we can. The propo.
sItion is that ia person snbscribes for,
say shares, he signs a contract to take
stock after the road Is finished. He
then goes 10 his banker and deposits
the money. After cans and trains arc
operating from Mexico 70 Paris the
company will deliver 10 the banker the
five shares and the banker turns over
the 500.
There are many Industries and ways
this road will add 10 the value Of land
and make money for the company and
the people ! cannot mention now for
want Of space, but ! hope the people
will study into this carefully. For both
Mexico and Paris this will greatly In
create trade and business, as it would
prevent the operating Of a country
store or small town on the line Of this
road, as the fare will be so cheap
person will naturally come into Paris
or Mexico. To the public interested 1
would say, study this proposition care
fully We cannot advance our inter
ests with hct air, as that is used ex-