The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
Missouri Town Happy After
Many, Many Years.
WAS MECCA FOR PROMOTERS
ReSId enfS OF SheIbyViIIe Unused IN
Siyht Of Engine, Many Never Hav-
Promises of Railroad Builders Not
Kept, Yet Hope Continued.

1
on the main line Of the Burlington. There
are people hereabouts who never saw a
railroad train till the toy whistle OF a
Yankee engine resurrected from a bygone
period disturbed the rustic calm about
Shelbyyille the day after Christmas; and
10 these the tea-kettle motor stands for
the most modern type of locomotive con-
structiOn- And this town Is the county
seat Of Shelby County. the home of Rep
resentative James T. Lloyd Of the First
district OF Missouri
That far-away whistle was a strange
sound here. and the thing that did the
whistlins was stranger still A funeral
WAS in progress al one or the churches.
but when the congregation heard that
whistle it had business elsewhere
The minister pRll-bearers. and immedi-
ate relatives OF the deceased held their
position with becoming deoOrum, but the
remainder hiked. They didn't mean 10 be
disrespectful or 10 evince dlsIoyalty TO the
dead man, but they and their sires had
waited for railroad for nigh on seventy
FIVE years, and that baby whsle across
the hills was to them something akin TO
the Israelites' first observation OF the
promised land. And they knew the dead
man had understood the situation and
would not hold IL against them
When the little train pulled into town.
men. women, and children crowded
I through mud and water to inspect it. The
unexpected arrival OF a French airship
and its settling down amid the roar OF
Broadway would not have created a bit
more interest and excited discussion.
They had been disappointed almost
yearly FOR a half century; 50 many reads
had been built on paper and vanished IN
the mist that they had become sceptical,
even when they saw the rails laid.
II is A part Of the legendary history OF
Missouri that an early-day enthusiast.
William Muldrow by name started an OK
| team plough at Marion City. No. and
Travelled across Northern Missouri.
making deep furrow 10 indicate where
a railroad line should be built Among
the towns along the OK team survey were
ShelbyVille. Bloomington. and Linneus,
the county seats Of Shelby Mason. and
Linn counties. respectively
The Mecca for Promoters.
Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Null
drow went 20 the trouble 20 make the 10
eating survey Tor them, when Gov. Bob"
Stewart and his associates got ready~to
build the Hannibal and St Joseph road
in lS5I-5S-59 they located il nine miles
south OF the furrow. SheIbyville didn't
like it. Bloomington went OF the map.
In after years Linneus got north and
south branch, and manages 20 get along
But Shelbyville was left back in the
woods. with its big courthouse and
square. and a country road navigable
only about six months IN the year. Dur
ing the half century IL has existed In
isolated Indignation SheIbyville has been
the Mecca for promoters Of railroad lines
20 be operated by horsepower. gravity.
steam, wind. gasoline, coal oil, electricity.
and rays from the sun.
When new lot Of promoters would
come TO town Shelbyville would dust up
the courtroom. get out the brass band.
and spread the table Sometimes there
would be fireworks.
Five Promises One Year.
The railroad builders always went
away leaving the town highly elated But
they wouldn't come back one year five
different railroad companies visited Shell
byville and promised TO build them a road
north and south.
gion full Of Industrious chickens. and Il
would raise the price Of produce Shelby
vile invariably extended the glad hand
and told the railroad men il would DO
what they wanted. x had the money 10
make good.
In order TO appreciate the situation. it
should be explained that Shelbyyille is
not a crossroads village, but a prosper
Gus town Of more than 1900 people Il
had enough wealth in its own limits TO
build a road ant time within the last
twenty-five years, but il vas always
turned aside from taking the initiative by
the dazzling pledges OF the descendants
of Col. Sellers
At last the straw came that broke the
cameTs back-Opened its eyes. rather
The railroad builders were fiom Chi
cagO this time. At least that town was
nominated on their cards they wore
high hats and were portly- They had
blue prints-they said they were blue
prints-Of Col MuldrOws OK team survey.
and said IL was the logical route for I,
railroad; that Bob Stewart and his
crowd had displayed almost amateurish
ignorance in going south with their iron
horse.
They proposed to follow the natural lay
OF the land and build direct from Shelby
vile TO Chicago. They had decided to
erect their rOundhOuses. machine shops.
and general Offices at SheIbyvilie because
there was more room than in Chicago
and land was cheaper. Which looked
practicable and businesslike.
They Had Been Too Modest.
All they asked was free ground for sta,
tions and yards and a right Of way
through the county. Before they were
through speaking ten men Of means guar
anteed the conditions.
The promoters looked at each other in
surprise. But they soon rallied from their
modesty
The spokesman blandly remarked he
wasn't quite through He would ask as
a slight concession for their mutual bene-
ht that the citizens would advance the
cash to make he necessary surveys and
stalking on the ground foT yardage. &c.
the money TO be refunded in stock Yes.
the citizens would do that. ana they had
the money ready when the work was
started
Then the promoters wanted the meeting
adjourned to consider some matters per
tanning to the preliminary construction.
they said. You see. they had never met
the welcoming hand extended SO far and
they wanted time 70 amend
At the night session they had one or
two new specifications. They wanted the
town TO put up the buildings. taking the
cost in stock; 10 enter contract 10 re-
lease them from city taxation for FIVE
years; 10 furnish water and light free for
the same term, and 10 advance $4,000 for
preliminary construction. AS the secre-
tary read the new specifications the pro-
moters looked uneasily at one another.
as il fearing something had been left out
When he was through an old farmer