The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09

The farmer didn't lose a cent. Z
, by chance got into CONGREGATION with a
fellow-passenger. who happened TO be Il
banker of Amsterdam. The Dutchman was
locking America over for the purpose OF
finding some good field for investment. Mr..
Stilwell talked to that Dutchman. He
talked so earnestly and SO well that they
raced To New York. embarked OH the first
vessel bound Hollandward. and when Mr..
Stilwell returned to this country enough
Dutch capital was interested in the Kan
sas City. Pittsburg and Gulf to put II
through with a whoop.
And il was a wonderful road. Never was
there a line that had so many obstacles to
overcome. First. Mr.. Stilwell wanted to
make Galveston his Gulf outlet, but neSo-
tiations for the purchase of the Gulf and
interstate road. which would have given
the entrance he desired. failed. He cast
his eye on New Orleans. but was blocked
by the Southern Pacific and the Texas and
Pacific. The Goulds and Huntingtons har-
assed him ut every turn. As q last resort
he determined upon Sabine Pass. the divid-
ing line betwee1 Texas and Louisiana. Sa-
bine Pass was at .that time a thriving sea-
port Of about l5 inhabitants.
HIT UPON PLAN OF MAKING
Gull REACH HIM.
Most of the town and the land contiguous
was owned by Kountz Bros. bankers. OF
New York. Mr.. Stilwell wouldn't pay the
price KountZ Bros. asked for the rtght-of-
way through this territory and the wharf
frontage he desired. so the road was prac-
tically a line from Kansas City to Nowhere.
Unable to reach the Gulf. Mr.. Stilwell hit
upon a plan for making the Gulf reach him.
He bought an immense tract of land on the
shore of Lake Sabine, ten or fifteen miles
north of Sabine Pass, and he started in TO
dig "a ship canal through the shallow lake
to the deep water at Sabine Pass. 1mmedi-
ately he was bOmbarded with suits. The
work was stopped by the Secretary OF War.
and once more Mr.. Stilwell was high ana
dry, with no terminal for his railroad.
Ever resourceful. he changed his plans
and dug his ship canal across the prairie to
Sabine Pass. At the town he built on the
lakeside-called Port Arthur in his honor
he put up one of the finest hotels in the
Southwest. Near by he esta blished probab-
" the largest and most important agrf-
cultural experiment station In America. A
few miles north he built a town called
Netherlands. and he brought over hundreds
of Dutch farmers. and started them grow
ing rice, fruits and vegetables. He tapped
the living streams and put in systems Of
irrigation. by which thousands of acres of
barren lands were made to blossom with
many crops. and at Port Arthur ne put
I'D an export grain elevator and wharves
and piers that would do credit to an ocean
seaport. instead of a basin in the prairie.
FINE MANUFACTURING PLANTS
FOSTERED ALONG THE LINE.
But that was merely incidental. Great
manufacturing plants had been fostered
along the line OF the road. and a line OF
steamships had been put on between Port
Arthur and Europe. 1t was necessary TO
furnish ample cargo for the vessels. ana 10
keep all the rolling stock employed Inc
Kansas City. Pittsburs and Gulf, having
been kicked and buneted by all rival lines
now began to hit back.
1t wasn't much at first. but soon 1t began
to hurt. and the Missouri. Kansas and
Texas. the Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe,
and other no~rth-and-south roads were
forced to compete. with the Kansas City.
Pittsburg and Gulf or let their young rival
run away with the business. Then 1t hurt
the ea~st-and-west lines severely, and
rates were cut to meet the Gulf COMPETE
ton.
And here Is where the farmer came In
Every cent a bushel of a cut In the trans
rate meant just chat much added
to the farmers pocket. When It Is eonsid-
cred that the bulk Of the export grain OF
America goes from the transmississippi belt.
and that this amounts to hundreds of mil
lions of bushels. some slight conception or
what Mr.. Stilwelrs action meant to the
producers OF the West can be gained.
II was not alone in grain. but in packing l
house products. in ores. speiter and a host |
OF commodities that these rates were cut.
The fight was long and hard and bitter. |
lust at the moment when 1t seemed Mr.. Sill |
well was going to be able to dictate terms
to his rivals he was forced to the wall |
The struggle had Slapped the money energy |
OF the road. The Dutch bondholders and
American creditors swooped down up |
on him. His great scheme is row one OF
the baubles owned by George Gould, Jonn
W. Gates and others. /
But the rates he established had the eff
feet Of making the Gulf lines the balance
or check on the East and West roads. and
the exports he attracted by reason OF cut
rates aided Letter materially in his deal.
II has been estimated that the gain to the
farmers OF Kansas In three years by the
establishment OF this Gulf line would pay
for the building Of the road.
CAREER OF THEODORE
PRICE IN COTTON.
II is not many years since Theodore H..
Price was n cotton clerk in Virginia learn
ing the difference between ordinary"
and good middling." When
he came to New York he had a great deal
OF knowledge OF the South's staple product,
he had unbounded confidence in him
self. Smart young men who show marked
talent in any particular branch of industry
are not likely to go unnoticed in New York
MIR. Price was able to organize a firm
soon took high rank. 1t was the
house of Price. Mccormick & Co. The Nc
Cormick was one of the sons Of the maker
Of reapers. The Co" was George Crock
or OF San Francisco and New York. one of
the largest stockholders in the Southern
Pacific Railroad.
The firm was to do a general banking
and brokerage business. dealing in stocks.
bonds. grain and cotton. Mr.. Price knew
cotton better than he knew anything else,
and when. in the summer of 1899. drought
ruined the crop OF the Southwest he saw
IN opportunity to win fame and fortune in
short order. At that time conditions in the
were deplorable. The crops for sew
eral years had been very large. but the
price had BEEN fearfully low. Walls went
40 from all sections that the price was
below the cost of production. All the
great dumping grounds of ~cotton-Liver-
pool. Havre Bremen. New O~rleans-were
>hnEai ufsh haloc