Newport weekly independent., 1902-11-21
FRISCO SYSTEM EXTENSION.
St. Louis, Memphis and Southeastern Railway Absorbed by St. Louis and San Francisco-Outlet to
 Atlantic Coast now Desir

St. Louis, Mo, Nov. 14.-When the announcement was made during the summer of the St. Louis & San Fran cisco Railroad Company quietly pur- chasing the Chicago X Eastern Illinois Railroad, there were numerous con- jectures as to it's meaning. The two corporations having no physical con- nection in this city, the general public apparently did not consider it's great value as a connection ill handling traffic to and from the Southeastern territory, as well as Arkansas and Southeast Missouri.
 It now develops that the Frisco was looking forward to greatly strength ening it's position, and it is now the owner of the St. Louis & Gulf Railway lines, extending south of Cape Girar deau, through the St. Francis basin, about 250 miles. The Frisco has also purchased the St. Louis, Memphis & Southeastern Railroad, line extend ing south from St. Louis on the west side of the Mississippi river, about 250 miles of which south of Cape Girar- deau in southeast Missouri and Ar kansas, is now in operation. The DOT. tion of about 1S0 miles between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis is now under construction, and will probably be completed within the next six months, thus furnishing the Frisco water level line from St. Louis to Memphis
 DEVELOPING TERRITORY.
 This line, in connection with the Chicago & Eastern Illinois at Cape Girardeau, gives lines of low grades from both St. Louis and Chicago to Memphis and the southeast to within 400 miles of New Orleans. This line benefits Il ot only the Frisco, but the rich country of southeast Missouri and North Arkansas will also develop much more rapidly after that country is traversed by trunk line, as it's present track of transportation fa cilities prevents the remarkable fer tility and many resources of that country from becoming known to the outside world, which will not be the case, however, after the completion of the road through that country, putting it in touch with St. Louis, Chicago and other important cities of the country.
 There is now little doubt that the Frisco in strengthening it's St. Louis and Memphis and Southeastern road is laying it's plans for reaching the Atlantic coast at Savannah via Birm- ingham. The expansion of it's south eastern system will give it valuable connections as we'll as a tide water outlet.
 Regarding the St. Louis Chicago line of the Frisco, which has been dis cussed, the location of this line has not been fully decided upon, but the distance will be about the same as ex- isting lines between the two cities. The report of this construction cannot be confirmed, but it is generally ac- cepted as all assured fact. The Frisco management, whose watchword is "motion makes money," will under it's arrangement with the Big Four, have a double track between St. Louis and Chicago via Pana, and will use the Eastern Illinois route beyond Shelbyville. Fast service day and night will be established over the new line between St. Louis and Chicago before many months.
 At a special meeting held here Thursday, B. F. Yoakum was elected president, and K. L. Winchell vice. president of the Memphis and South eastern. No other changes will be made at this time, and everything vii continue as at present