The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-16
AN ORIENT BANQUET.
Report of Stockholders and
Promoters of the Road.

Kansas City, April 1.-THE offieials
of the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient
railroad were hosts at a dinner last
night and about 275 men attended THIS
men who accompanied President a. E
StilweH on his recent trip to Mexico
other stockholders of the progress OF
the work and the prospects Tor its sue
cessful outcome.
Each of the men who accompanied
Mr.. Stilwell to Mexico told of the hign
regard in which the Orient's president
is held by the people of the sister re-
public. A number of receptions We're
given in his honor by President Dia1
and according to one of the spea kers
several of the leading statesmen Of the
country threw their arms around him
and kissed him.
In the course of his opening remarks.
MI Stilwell, who presided, referred To
the opinion recently handed down in the
Northern Securities merger suit as "a
second declaration of independence"
THAT decision tells US that this cOun>
try is not to be run by cars said Mr..
Stilwell. If the Northern Securities
company had been legal we would soon
have had like concerns in other Sec
tons of the country. and finally a union
OF all into single company controlling
business Referring to the work Of the
TWO construction companies which are
building the Orient, Mr. Stilweu said
that $1,000 acres have been purchased
for townsites, and one company has sold
enough land to pay for all these DUR
chases and has $1,000 besides
1t was absolutely necessary to build
the Pittsburg & Gulf and to lose It. to
know how to build the Orient and keep
it said Mr.. Stilwell.
Colonel c. F. Morse said that that
part of the system which has been built
was OF excellent construction. The line
penetrates much of the richest country
on the continent. President Diaz and
the leading men of Mexico are certain
" Mr.. StilwelFs friends" said Colonel
Morse. Il regard this friendship as one
of the most valuable assets of the Ori-
ent company"
7 was so favorably Impressed with
what saw that / have doubled my
subscription, said J. S. Loose. IF one
tenth Of all we heard in Mexico is true
we viii have to double-track the road
in order to accommodate all the trait
fc."
E. Dickinson. general manager. said
that the best evidence of his faith in
the project was -the fact that he re-
signed the general managership of the
Union Pacific railroad, after IS years of
service, to take a position with Mr. Still
well The route of the Orient, he said,
is generally easy of grade and eurva-
ture and is capable of very economical
operation and maintenance. He called
i attention to the interesting geographic
cal fact that Port StiIwell is between
100 and 200 miles east of Salt Lake
City
'sThere is not one foot Of cactus des~
ert on the route" said r. A. Long. MI
Stilwel promised our party a great
many things before we left for Mexico.
but he delivered every pound of the
goods. One very strong argument III
favor OF success is that associated with
Mr. Sti1Wel1 are such men as Mr.. Dick
inson George J. Gould. w. c. Isurdy
and Russell Harding. If he is alive ten
years from now l predict that Mr. Still
well will be ten times a millionaire and
he viii not gain his wealth by tearing
| down other enterprises
Senator J. r. Burton of Kansas. DIR.
| w. S. Woods. NJ. V. Watson, c. B. Hofr.
man of Enterprise, Kas., and others
also spoke briefly! Mr.. Hoffman was a
leader in the Topolobampo colonist
movement several years ago.
A number of well known Kansans att
/ tended the dinner Among those pres
ent We're: Wilder S. Metcalf. United
States pension agent; d. W. Mulvane
! Republican national committeeman;
State Senator Fred Dumont Smith: ex~
Estate Treasurer Frank E. Crimes. who
is now an industrial agent of the Orient
company; ex-SecFetary of State ". c.
Edwards. who is also with the com
pany; J. NJ Simpson. internal revenue
/ collector. G. W. Wheatley. Galena- +.
A. NcNeal, Topeka, and J. S. Dean,
Marion.