The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-05
Supervisor of Rural Delivery
Hathaway Predicts Great Flu
tnre for Missouri.
UNDERGROUND EXPLOITATION.
Declares Mineral Wealth Will Not
Remain Undeveloped Much
LOnger-Price of Farm Lands
Bound to Rise.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Macon. Mo. Oct. 4.-rMy observations on
my present trip in Missouri leads me 20 the
belief that the State Is tust on the verge
OF an Industrial development unprecedented
IN its history" remarked E. H. Hathaway.
supervisor OF rural free delivery service. to-
day.
y was in your State in 1893. when / e-
tablished the first rural delivery route. The
territory served was out OF Lees summit.
Jackson County. l was over the State pref
y well then. but this Is my first visit since
then. The change has been remarkable. I
remarked that 10 some friends in Denver
recently. / told them that the contrast be-
tween the farmhouse. the machinery used
and the general Improvement in methods OF
agriculture In 1862 with what II was on my
first visit was the most remarkable 1 had
ever seen
Your people are just beginning to realize
the magnificent resources OF their State,
but I'm afraid III have To dilute that COM
pltment Just a little bit BY stating that they
are somewhat under obligations 10 OutSid-
ers Tor bringing the knowledge home to
them.
UNDERGROUND WEALTH.
@In coming over from Quincy On this
trip I noticed the hotels full of land
buyers from Iowa, Illinois and other
states. The reason of this ls clear
superior, and land is-Or has been
selling TOO low.
.Th natural features Of this section OF
Missouri are much like some portions OF
| Indiana Having observed the persistent
method OF underground exploitauons in In
diana. Pennsylvania and other Eastern
States. IL looks odd that more work Of that
| character Is not being done IN Missouri
The country seems 10 invite It.
II notice large quantities of ahnle
here and further SOUTH and 1 7nder-
stand in several places the streams
and water courses are STRONGLY In
preSnated with oil. Those are fndica-
lions NO Eastern prOspector would
fail for n 10 take advantage
of.
He would not sink one hole and then
quit in disgust. but Keep AT II mil ne
OUTLAY. In Indiana and Pennsylvania The
whole country Is nddled with holes. A Eel
low put down a prospect hole at Beaumont
a few years ago, struck nothing and quit.
| Afterwards another man came along and
turned loose a gusher almost within acm 5
reach OF the abandoned operations o. the
first mon
when il comes to surface development. but
he'll have 10 begin going 10 China SION.
or one bright morning he'll wake up and
find some smart YANKEE mas some alOnS
and lone the job for him fol ought 20 GO
| after these things yourselves: ga have the
] talent. the money and / honestly believe
speakfng as 8 miner and prospector OF some
] experience In Texas. Arizona. New Mexico
: and the West-that you have the un lsr-
ground wealth in dozens OF places IN MIS-.
| souri, TO richly repay you for your venture.
Mr.. Hathaway has crossed the Tinted
| States twenty times. and has been a close
| observer OF natural conditions IN the riany
/ States he has operated IN. He had charge
/ OF the circulation Of d Chicago newspaper
at Chattanooga. Tampa and Santiago dur
tended 10 the distribution OF his papers on
the firing line at the latter place.