The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-16
HELPED MAKE
WICHITA A CITY
francis Herman Died WedneS-
day at Urbana Ill.
BUILT ST. L. H. Fl. G. w.
And Started Wichita on the
Boom
BUILT ST. L. H. Fl. G. w.

A message was received in this city
saying that Francis Tiernan, the man
who built the St. Louis, Fort Scott and
Western railroad into Wichita, and start
ed the boom. died Wednesday evening al
Urbana, III.
No details of the death were given and
the announcement that Francis Herman
is dead viii come as a surprise 10 a
great many people in this city This
man throughout all of his life Of sixty
years has, been engaged in building rail-
roads, and he has had a hand in building
some great systems. He came here in
the early eighties and began making plans
Tor a railroad from ST Louis into the
central part Of Kansas. His hackers at
flrst did not want to go further than IL
Dorado, as they had received some good
OFFERS from that town to make it the end
OF the line. Through the efforts Of Mr.
Herman and a number of others the capt.
talIsts were persuaded that Wichita
should be the end of the line. The road
was constructed, and later Jay Gould and
the Missouri Pacific interests obtained
control and built two branches one to
Kiowa and one to Geneseo.
When the st. Louis Fort Scott and
Western was completed TO Wichita the
boom started, and for two or three years
real estate business was very lively in
this city. The boom burst like a bubble,
but the railroad remains q a lasting mon
ument to Francis Herman
From this city Mr. Herman went farther
west, and continued building railroads or
aiding in constructing them. Within the
past five years his attention has been
centered in building lines in Utah and in
developing sections of that state which
had heretofore remained wild lands, fit
only Tor cattle and sheep ranges.
About a year ago he completed his
work in that state and came TO Wichita.
Since that visit he has been engaged in
getting his affairs in shape and doing
some preliminary work to construct a
railroad from Wichita to the southwest.
He had his plans fully matured and it
was announced some time ago that he
would be here during the summer to take
an active part in the construction Of the
lire
Francis Herman was born sixty years
ago. near Urbana, Ill. He was a man of
sterling character and much business
acumen. He began railroading in early
life and continued at that work until his
death. For many years he has had the
confidence of capitalists and railroad
men of the east and whatever he has
undertaken has been with the sanction
and support of these men. He has en-
gineeTed a number of large deals in rail-
road property, and every one has been
successful Although not a very wealthy |
man, he leaves a considera bic fortune to |
his family as a result of his many years /
of hard work and good investments.
His sister. Mrs Ad n. Jones, has made |
her home in Wichita for many years, i
and the notice of her brothers death |
was quite shock to herself and hus- |
band They had not been notified that |
ne was i'll. and but a short time ago Mr. i
Jones received a letter from Mr.. Herman :
telling him of some of his plans, and at |
that time he was in the best of health.