Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1902-06-12

A Big Meeting at Paris and Work
Progressing Nicely

John D Orear and B. o. Sims, Of
Mexico, were iE Paris Wednesday
evening in the interest Of the pro
posed electric railroad between Paris
aud Mexico. Mr.. Baumhoff, Of st.
Louis, was called to Texas on sim
liar enterprise and could not be here,
bat Mr. Orear addressed meeting at
the court house in behalf Of the
project AS presented by him the
proposition is certainly an attractive
one.
The original proposition, he said,
was to build it from SheIbyville to
Mexico, but Mr. Baumhoff thought
best TO stop at Paris, when the ben
eiits Of the road would become 50 ap-
parent that the northern end would
build itself. Mr.. Orear dwelt espeei-
ally on the benefits to the intermedi-
ate farmers. Unlike a steam railroad
it would build up no intervening
stations. Every farm would be a
station and the produce be loaded at
home instead Of being taken miles to
a railroad point, This would place
Monroe and Audrain farmers directly
at the doors Of the ST. Louis market
and add $40 an acre to the value Of
their lands. Electric lines In Indiana
and Ohio had done this right along.
He had talked TO big dairymen In st.
Louis and they had guaranteed to
take all milk shipped them at lS cts.
a gallon. From this he figured that
man with 100 acres of land and 30
COWS could make 5000 clear a month,
yet all this wealth was now going TO
waste. The Wabash and @. & A. had
already expressed a willingness to
run milk trains like those in the East
OF enter into any liberal freight agree
ment. He then enlarged upon the
facility for shipping stock and grew
eloquent over the local supply Of coal
and water Fifty cars of coal day
could be taken out of the Evans mine
at the phenomenally low cost OF q
dollar ton, yet this wealth, like our
fire clay, was a chained giant. The
company already had an option on the
Evans land This town, he said, with
another railroad, would attract in
Vulnerable manufacturing enterprises
because it had natural advantage.
The electric road was to be built
standard gauge, would not have to be
fenced, and would accommodate the
heaviest ears. 1t would give us
competitive rates from the @. & A.
and Wabash and would center trade
in the town, as farmers would not
trade at country stores when for
matter of five cents they could come
here or 60 to Mexico. The power
house was 20 be located at Paris and
one OF the dreams Of the company was
to establish half way between here
and Mexico q big park Of forty acres,
with driveways, theatrical Pavilion,
lake, etc, for the people. The road
would cost $3.50, 600 and Of this it was
desired that Paris, Mexico aud the
country between should raise one.
fourth. The rest could be borrowed.
1t would require $4,000 year TO
pay interest and prevent default
ing, and he read figures that con-
seryative estimate showed the road
could earn s47, 900 a year. He closed
by asking the citizens to do their
own thinking and stated to Doctor
Dysart, chairman of the meeting, that
enthusiastic meetings bad been held
that day at Skinner, Central and Nc
Gee school houses along the route.
Hon. r. N. Bodine followed with a
talk in behalf OF the project.
The route as at present laid out
runs through the farms of Judge
Allen, George Lorton, J. A. Hulen,
Geo. B. Bryan, W. D. Forbis, James
Sutton, John Foreman, Chas. Crutch-
er, James Williams, NJ. J. Willis, N.
B. Tanza, f. A. McCorty, r. +.
Bowd, A. L. Arnett, Della Moore and
Arthur Moore.