The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05


opening into the great Southwest. Five
States and several Territories there wero
that ought to DO tho bulk Of their business
IN st. Louis.
IMAGINATION LED HIM TO
PENCIL AND PAPER.
From his ofncs In the Union Station hs
could look to the Southwest. Beyond the
horizon he knew Of great riches
Already other cities were Glowing St.
Louis 10 one side and were reaping great
benefit from the opening Of the new coun-
try.
Six railroad presidents were undecided.
McChesney was not
McChesney likes good cigars
Day after day-he will tell you so-he
smoked good cigars and drew pictures Of
St. Louis and the Southwest. and then let
his imagination lead him to pencil and
paper.
After a time he had outlines for charts
Of the greater ST. Louis terminals And ne
had figures and figures, and figures. to show
what would be the cost OF tho project now
| fully and clearly formed in his mind
| McChesney, Keutuckian. subdued the
| spirit Of the Cavalier into a business propo-
| sition. next he dictated many thousand
| had gotten the Terminal matter out OF
| chaos. He had proposition FOR the man
! ayers It was:
/: Fouf. cen OF the bigges: railroads all IN tbs
1 Terminal
greater Eads bridge.
7 The tunnel for freight only.
A loop from the bridge and an elevated
| to the Mill Creek Valley.
! Purchase OF these several belt railroads
under construction. Crhe belt roads for the
relief Of the Mil Creek tracks for through
| freightt
Hundreds of acres Of new yarda.
The greatest terminals ever provided for
| q Worlds Fair.
| A train In and out every minute At Union
| Station.
! A great baggage subway.
Then came the Rock Island ana the big
| fight for the Virgins Ferry.
Mr. McChesney had worried over the first
proposition. But he worried moro And ha
worried to advantage.
The Terminal secured tho ferries.
RAILROAD PRESIDENTS ALLOWED
THE AMOUNT NEEDED.
He asked for ten millions Of dollars to put
the terminals right
ITO make the st. Louis terminals tho
greatest and most complete in the world.
because they are needed to properly carry
on business with tho great Southwest" said
,McChesney.
To ask the presidents was one thing. just
as It was to ask SO many different boards Of
directors.
To have the amount allowed was another
thing.
But tbs great railroads Of the country
, said:
Ten millions so!'
McChesney woni
How did he win7
| He worked.
He made himself the life OF the giant cor.
poration.
He worked That's simple-but It's true.
| He made energy as natural to himself es
| laziness Is to some other men.
With a long, free stride, and with Q mod
! e5ty before the grand stand. he ran with
faith in his form and won't under the wire
smoothly.
He had Eone straight to tbs point. The
mass of technicalites had not confused him.
Minor issues had not blurred his view Of the
main proposition. Now he's president Of
| the biggest terminal under one management
| in the world-3oo trains a day. $500 en-
| ployes, capital stock OF $4,000, value
$J0OO0,0J.
And the improvements have not yet been
put through.
Sam McChesney, a has been seen, u an
intense man.
Following his way. IL IL best to tell story
on him to illustrate:
A wire went over the linsi
president: Would like to see you Per
sonally. Wire when. McCHESNEY.s
The reply was:
Come Sunday"
HOW HE READ
1.-THE THREE GUARDSMEN.'
Agent McChesneY left Lexington with q
copy of THE Three Guardsmen'' in his
pocket.
Riding in the baggage car he read the
thrilling chapters. At Louisville he went
into the baggage-room of the depot to read
lust one moro chapter"
After what he though . short time. he
asked the baggasemnn:
What time Is it?''
He was given the time.
why, it's time for mo to leave for home,e
exclaimed Sam.
McChesney boarded the train, The Three
Guardsmen'' still in his hand, and finished
the book on his return to the ONCE in Lee.
ington.
The next day he wired to the presidents
MAY see you to-dayf'
The president wired that he could.
| 1t was all right. -.
| Sam McChesi.sy still reads novels.
| At his home. in his library. he can be
found almost any evening with . dozen ro-
\ mances at his elbow.
| He likes them. enjoys them, and thsy
| afford him relaxation.
Sam McChesney could on occasion be emo