davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02
Ben w. Steele.

No man connected with the work
of building the road from DOthan to
St. Andrews Bay, much of it through
Il wilderness, has been more energetic
or active in overcoming the many
OBSTACLES that will present themselves
in railway building, than the subject
of our sketch, Ben W. Steele, now
Vice. President and Assistant General
Manager of the road.
When this project was put into tan
gible shape and work began, Ben
Steele was attending the Georgia
''Tech," at Atlanta. Having a bent
for railway work, he left school and
took a position as rodman, on the
preliminary survey. From that time
to the present his every thought has
been with the work, and his waking
hours spent along the line.
From the humble position of rod
man, Ben has steadily advanced
throughthe successive stages of look
ing after men and material, ditching,
grading, and track laying, until he
now has the pleasure Of seeing the
road completed to its terminus at
Panama City, and gradually being put
in the best of condition. He has also
watched the building of its equipment,
making that feature of the work his
earnest study.
Mr.. Ben Steele promises to become
a very reliable and able operating
railway man. He has had thus far
just the training necessary to make
him thoroughly familiar with all the
requirments of the physical condi-
tons Of a road, and is extremely popu-
lar with his subordinates, and the
working force under him.
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

work he was fully aware of their re-
quirements i'll the way of both land
and water, and was also anxious.
so far as possible. to make use of what
there was in the wayof improvements
already located on the bay. The sub
iect was canvassed with MIR Drum
mond, then representing large prop.
erty interests at Saint Andrews. and
it was hoped that a plan might ne
worked out that would make some
point on that portion of the bay the
terminus, but after several confer
ences between Mr. West and Mr. Drum
mond, ON Friday, May 18th. 1904. the
latter gentleman told Mr. West that
in his opinion it was not practicable
for him to join in the project saving
that probably he, Mr. West, ''would
think it discouraging that they would
not join in his efforts to help the town,
but he did not think the time had
arrived to begin the work. -
That ended Mr.. Vests efforts to
get the terminus of a road at st. An
dreWs, and the following day, at Pen
sacola, he met Mrs. NJ. B. jerks. and
broached the subject of purchasing
the interest of herselfand Miss Tuthill
in the town site of Harrison. MIR. West
then went North and began outlining
the project of establishing the Gulf
Coast Development Company for the
purpose of buying sufficient lands to
be used as railway terminals, and to
lay out and build a city thereupon.
Thisw work occupied much of that year,
and well into 1905, but by June of the
latter year everything was in readi-
ness for the incorporation of the com
pany, and it was then done.
In the meantime ON February 18th,
1908, Mr. West had closed contract
with Mrs NJ. b. jerks, and Miss NJ.
l.. Tuthill, for their interests i'm Har-
rison, and on February 2Oth, 1903,
with G. b. Thompson, for his home
stead property. Following this the
interests of G. j. DemOrest, and Mrs
Harry jerks was secured, as well as
several hundred acres of land from
Mr. Gay, and others.
I'm May, 1896, Mr. West LETT his po-
sition at Chicago, came here, and
began the work of developing the
present site of Panama City. The
name was given it by Mr. \. b. Steele,
who when required to have a name
for the terminus of his road selected
Panama City. What has been done
since by the Gulf Coast Development
Company in connection with getting
in the road, and otherwise, is well
known to our readers.
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02
Neither Panic, Hurricanes or Opposition
of Malcontents Could Stop Him.


Mr.. A. b. Steele, the one man who
has succeeded in overcoming all OBJ
stacles and connecting st Andrews
Bay with the outer world, was born
in Rlverview, Jefferson county, Ken
lucky, June Dist, 1854. Possibly he
is indebted to his Kentucky blood for
his power to win out under all con
ditionS.
At an early age he left the old home
stead and started in life for himself
in the city of st Louis. His first pO-
sition was that of selling carpets at
a salary of nine dollars per week
He gradually advanced in that trade,
following it about ten years, when in
1880 he decided to locate in Atlanta
engaging in the buying and selling of
lumber.
From that day until the present Mr..
Steele has been prominently connect
ed with the lumber interests of the
South. In 1882 he begap-tse manu-
IdCluIC VI IIIiiDSI, J1S urln D6lD3 y.
B. Steele & Co., and the location Du-
bOis, Ga. With the cutting out of the
timber there the firm took up other
locations, eventually becoming the
Enterprise Lumber Co., which opera
ted both at Worth and Pitts.
Besides the lumber business Mr..
Steele has had other prominent inter
ests in developing the South. In 1855
he formed the Chattanooga Brick
Company, at the time one of the lar
gest brick companies in the world, of
which he was General Manager for
some three years.
Nor was he novice in railway build
ing when he began the road Just com
pleted from Dothan to St. Andrews
Bay. Some years ago he built the Haw-
kinsville & Florida road, with some
80 miles of main line and 10 miles of
sidings &c, which was sold to the G .
S. q +. Co.
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02
The Atlanta & Saint Andrews Bay Railroad!

lands to Mr. Steele, provided he would
build through here.
This trip resulted in Mr. Steele
writing the following letter to Mr.
West upon his arrival at Dothan:
DOTHAN, ALA, Jan. IS, 1906.
MIR G. VI. WEST, Gen Mngr.
Chicago Heights T. T. r. R.CO.,
Chicago Heights, Ill.
DEAR SIR:
| have just returned this morning
from st Andrews Bay, where | have
been accompanied by our chief en-
gineer, and attorney, Mr. Farmer, OF
this city.
We met your Mr. Mckenzie, and he
stayed with us for three days, inVes-
tigating your property and all the
water fronts up to Long Point. We
accomplished all we could without a
conference with Yourself, and Mr. Nc
KenZie suggested upon my reaching
DOthan this morning to write you a
letter requesting a meeting in my
office in Atlanta in the next ten days
to two weeks with Mr. Mckenzie, Mr.
Farmer, you and myself, to see if we
could cOnSummate a trade with you
to locate the terminals of the Atlanta
q st Andrews Bay Railway Company.
Your Mr. Mckenzie was certainly
very accommodating, and | assure
you, represents your property, | am
sure, just as we'll as YOU could your
self He also showed us other prop
erty that he was more or less familiar
To- 10 60
selves which would be the most prac-
ticable.
There are a great many advantages
in your location, at the same time
disadvantages that we think-thOugh
they may not after thorough, prac-
teal tigatiOn-WOuld be Objec-
tiOnable, but we have decided to have
this conference, and if possible, get
together and decide on your location
If we cannot, we must know it soon,
and take up others that have been
offered, that we consider in some re-
spects, superior to yours.
Please let me know by return mail
if it would be convenient to meet the
/ above named gentlemen in Atlanta
/ We would also suggest YOU writing
your Mr. Mckenzie To bring with him
/ Mr. Gay, as in the rear of all this
property included-Mr Gay
owns the property, and it would be
necessary to have him join il any
contract that We may make with YOU,
should we be able to make any.
| suggest lAL-day. .the~29th day of
january ~" day TO- Bur confer
ence in Atlanta, because this day
seems to suit Mr. Mckenzie, and will
also suit our attorney, but if some
other day about that time is more
desirable for you, we viii adopt your
/ appointment.
/ Please let me hear from YOU at your
earliest convenience, addressing YOUR
I letter to Atlanta. Ga
Yours very truly,
y. q. STEELE.
President"
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

an air line from Dothan to this point
and such minimum grades as but few
trunk lines can boast of. 1t can be eX-
tended nOrUherly to Opelika, con
Meeting with such net work of lines
leading into it from the northwest.
and northeast, as will make of it a
trunk line of no mean Importance.
The greatest supply of iron ore and
coal in the world is within the terri
tory that such a line Will reach, and
it passes through one of the richest
portions of the worlds supply. 1t has
already cost over a million dollars,
and its extension Will add another
million or two TO its expenditures.
Mr. Steele is to be congratulated,
as we'll as hOnored, in attempting and
carrying through to completion this
magnificent work. 1t has taxed his
very life to accomplish what he set
out to do, but the future will assured
ly point to the wisdom of his choice
of routes, and the work accomplish
ed, and coming generations will hon
or his name for what he has done for
the Lower South.
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

In 1873, in New York city, Mr. Steele
was united in the bonds of matri-
mony to Miss Kittie Wadlev, daughter
of David r. Wadley, the Youngest
brother of w. Nj. Wadley, the noted
Georgia railway man. Two children
have been born to this couple. Ben
W., 2nd Vice President and AS
sistant General Manager of the \. *
st n. b. Il. r., and Rebecca Alice.
now the wife of Ray Powers. Mr.
Steele's home life has been particu-
larly ideal. With one of the most
charming women in Georgia to pre-
side over his Well appointed home on
Peachtree street Atlanta, it could not
well have been otherwise To the
rest that came TO this busy man of
affairs when he sought that sacred
retreat that holds so much for man.
he is indebted for the revivifying
power that permitted him to forge
ahead of his many competitors.
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

body of water, and the thought that
it could be made wonderful ship
ping port, then and there became
fixed in his mind.
Failing to secure the timber tract
he came here 20 investigate, he re
turned to Chipley and wiring his
timber expert, Mr. DOmer, to meet
him, they proceeded to look over a
tract that was on the market near
there. No favorable purchase could
be made there SO they began investi-
eating tracts south of DOthan, Ala.
Having secured suitable body of
timber there, Mr. Steele be gan plan
ming road to haul the logs to the
mill they were erecting at DOthan.
1t was at this time that Mr. Farmer, Of
DOthan, suggested that he extend his
road from DOthan to the Gulf. thus
giving that city a port that would
place it to the front so far as
commercial possibilities were con
cerned. Mr. Farmer and his asso-
ciates saw the advantages that would
accrue from such connection with
a deep water harbOr on the Gulf. and
upon Mr. Steele making him a pro
position that if Dothan would give a
bonus of S25, 600 he would builG such
a road, Mr. Farmer at once got busy.
and aided by the men who were
pushing Dothan, in less than ten
days had the required sum i'm the
bank
On June 2nd, 1908, the contract to
build this road was signed by Mr..
Steele, and June 23rd he had let the
contract for the construction of that
portion of the road between Dothan
and Cottondale, which was to be com
pleted within Is months The work
was done well within that time.
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02
9. c. D. Co.
Its Inception and Objects

In,,,I,a, o',,
,.,; -, - ,.. . ''''l' 80 80
lower South convinced MIR G NJ
West. in the latter mart o. 1909 that
the time had arrived when something
could be done toward dpyalonfno the
MAGNIFICENT natural deem v-rtor har-
Dor OF St Andrews Dow. .I4 ezoloi,-
inc the adjacent country.
M. VT had baon ho,n. ,,,.,l.
and ,ritb his. for,iI,. ..,.l.,,t .,.l....;-..,
each wear ON 81 Andrew. from, 49,
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

In the fall of 1905 Mr. Steele began to
investigate the subject of terminal
for his road. Hearing of the propos-
ed plan to build from Dothan to St.
Andrews Bay, Mr.. q. NJ. West, of the
Gulf Coast Development Company.
communicated with Mr.. Steele, re-
questing him to .ook over the front
age at and near Harrison, tina. his
company owned, stating that if it
suited him, satisfactory arrangements
would be entered in to locate his ter
minals at that point.
After some delay Mr.. Steele made
a trip to this section, accompanied bv
his chief engineer, and b. G.. Farmer.
of Dothan, and Mr. r. l.. Mckenzie.
in behalf of the G. c. ID. Co.. at the
request of MIR. West, showed them
not only the lands of this company.
but showed them all prospective talk
ed of terminals from Long Point 10
Dyers Point. The result Of this trip
was TO faYorably incline Mr.. Steele TO
locating the terminus at Harrison. He
there found sufficient land that rose
steadily from the water until it attain
ed such heighth As would permit of
thorough drainage of city. and
would also give road level ground
back from the bay where yards could
be located such as would be required
TO handle the large business which
would come to this port in the future,
Mr. A. j. Gay also joined in the
efforts made to secure Mr. Steele's
road at this point, and gave his time
and efforts to point out the adyan-
tages to be derived through comino
10 the bay at this point. Mr. Gay also
was very liberal in his offer of his
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

When the Enterprise Lumber Com
pany cut out the timber at their mills
at Worth and Pitts, they began to look
around for new location. Southern
Alabama and North Florida timber
tracts were i'll the market, and Mr.
Steele turned in that direction for a
location. 1t was while on this bust
ness in November, 1904, that he came
first to st Andrews Bay, driving
through from Mona, Ala, to Bay
Head, and taking boat from there
to st Andrews. Like every other man
of keen business acumen he foresaw
the possibilities of this magnificent
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

Mr. Steele had three years i'm which
to build the road from Dothan to the
Bay, and had il not been for almost
unheard of rains, the difficulty OF get
ting material. etc. the work would
have been done in much ilss than
the contract time. As it was. from
the time work began until the present
there has never been a day that the
work was not being prosecuted; his
contract was fully carried out. and
the long desired railway connection
with the outside world has N last,
through this mans energy and ire
slstable will power, become a reality.
The road is one that is destined to
become most prominent link in the
great artery of transportation leading
from the North, and Central South. to
Europe, South America and Panama
Canal points. Due south from Pana-
ma City lies the westermost shore Of
Cuba. No mileage is lost in going to
the Panama Canal. or South American
points by taking the route through
this bay. By no other route can as
short Il distance be secured. The first
port west of here 70 compete WIN
this point is Pensacola. which lies 40
miles west of this direct line. This ad-
vantage is also prominent feature in
the European trade nassing through
the Florida straits The same distance
IS saved on that route by passing
St Andrews Bay.
The road has been constructed with
q minimum OF aGrves, it being almost
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

He was married twice; first to Miss
Emma Penn, by whom he had three
children viz, George, Harry, and Hat
tie, the latter now the wife of \. G.
Tanton, of Minneapolis, MINI. IN
Panama City pilot., 1908-07-02

After some correspondence, and
two conferences i'm Atlanta, Mr. Steele
and Mr. West closed contract on
March 9th, 1905, which called for the
completion and operating of the road
from Cottonda'e TO the point selected
by Mr. steele and Mr. West on the
shores of the bay at Panama City.
That contract Mr. steele has fully
and faithfully carried out, and as a
result the people of the bay country
have, after years of waiting, heard
the whistle Of the locomotive as il
drew train of passenger cars down
to the shores Of st Andrews Bay.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-18
WAGON ROAD TO LUMBER BELT
Forty Miles of Road VIII BE Built Up
North Fork OF Clearwater.

The Tribune secured the iHforma-
ton yesterday that plans have been
formulated and that a definite an
nouncement will be made relative to
a campaign that is to be inaugural
ed for the construction Of so miles Of
wagon road up the North Fork Of
the Clearwater river from Ahsahka,
the road to penetrate the great tim
ber belt. Much investigation OF the
subject has already been made by in
fluentlal parties, who are definitely
back of the move, says the Lewiston
Tribune.
The plan Is to have the highway
built Jointly by the county and state
donations, supplemented by subscrip-
tions from the Weyerhauser and
Schofleld timber syndicates. 1t has
been learned the timber companies
have already announced their will
ingness to join the movement and are
giving active support to the project.
The road would reach the greatest
stand Of white pine I'm the world and
would be in the permanent plan but
an initial step for an extensive sys-
tenn OF highways. reaching all parts
of the immense timber belt. There
are hundreds of claims in the region
held by individuals, also, that are not
now accessible except by trail dur
ing favorable seasons, while at 9TH
er seasons the country cannot be en-
tered at all. The timber belt Is
classed by many as being Idaho's
greatest source Of dormant wealth.
From the proposed highway, connec-
tion will be made with Bruce's Eddy.
above Ahsahka, with the road to
Orofino, and all the country between
the North Fork and orofino will thus
be served.
In the plan to be adopted the in
terest Of all the communities of this
section will be solicited on the ground
that the opening of such a highway
will be Of benefit to all. No estimates
as to te cost Of the highway have
yet been prepared, but this data 1t is
understood will be gathered during
the present month.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-18

this man." said superintendent
Brooks of the Mccormick plant.
See how long he is boring five holes
in that great casting"
Exactly six minutes" answer
ed.
"Well, that's progress" observed
Brooks. Before we bought that ma
chine II was a matter of four hours
to bore those holes"
In one of its five twine mills-a
monstrous bedlam OF noise and a
wilderness Of fuzz, which is by far
the largest Of its sort in the world
there is enough twine twisted In
single day to make a girdle around
the earth,
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-18

II the effeminate luxury with which
the Roman senate surrounded itself
presaged the birth of the Roman en-
pire as some have asserted, an un-
derground railroad with cars up
holstered in velvet connecting the
United States capitol with two mar
BILE palaces newly built and about to
be opened, ought at least to furnish
food for reflection to the American
people. says the Washington cores
pondent OF the Seattle Times.
The senate and house office build
ings they are called. They cost s3,-
600 900 each. With foundations of
granite, walls Of marble, roofs of tiles;
with baths and languorous lounging
places; with such furnishings as even
the Romans were denied. they are
still called office buildings.
In them there will be means to
crafty all the senses. Banquet halls,
reception apartments, decorated in
carven marble. great fireplaces, meet
ing rooms so high and wide and i'm
ridors through which teams of horses
might with ease be driven; every fea-
ture, in fact, will be as far from the
theoretical simplicity of republic as
money can make It, And in one
building there will be apartments for
every senator, and in the other for
every member of the house.
Picturesque Toga Lacking.
Our senators will not wear the pic
turesque toga. but like the Roman
senators they will clap their fat
hands, and like the Roman
pages our pages will come
running. The senator who desires to
retire will pass from the senate cham
ber to the elevator the private eleva-
tor marked for senators only, and will
be gently dropped into the basement,
where he will take a seat in the red
velvet car the page has summoned.
The car will roll away through the
underground passage, lined with
white tiling, to the basement of the
marble office building and there an
other elevator will devote itself to
the exclusive business of hosting the
senator to his apartments. And there
the senator will do as he pleases. for
none but the elect may enter into his
presence.
The magnitude of these marble
buildings may be appreciated from
the area they cover each embracing
an entire city square. 1t is also in
dicated by the fact that 1t has taken
about five years to build each of
them. The senate palace, while no
larger than that OF the house, ap-
pears to be receiving the finer finish
as it will take some months longer
to complete than the house building.
But there is no sign in Gather that
expense has been spared. It would be
difficult to find a place anywhere
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-18
VALUE OF INVENTIONS.

Modern Labor Saving Devices Have
Worked Wonders I'm Manmfactur-
ing.
When Mccormick built his first
hundred reapers in lS45 he paid Az
cents for bolts. That was in the myth
ical age of hand labor, says q writer
In Everybody's.
Today so bolts are made for cent.
SO with guard fingers; Mccormick
paid "a cents each when James X.
Polk was in the White House. Now
there is a ferocious machine, which,
with the least possible assistance Of
one man, cuts out 1900 guard fingers
In 10 hours at labor cost Of cent
for six.
Also, while exploring one of the
Chicago factories, I came upon herd
Of cud-chewlng machines that were
crunching out chain links at the rate
of 100000 a year. Near by were
four smaller and more irritable auto
mata, which were biting off pieces
Of wire and chewing them into Inch
pins at speed Of 10000 bites a day,
Take out your watch and time
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-18
WHAT is YOUR DOG WORTH?
Assessor Must List CANNES as Per-
sOnal Property Under New Law.


A problem now worrying assessors
of this part of the state is how to
assess dogs. In accordance with the
act OF the last legislature declaring
dogs TO be personal property. the
assessors are required to list them on
the tax roll this year, and the way
to classify. describe and value them
is causing an extra expenditure of
thought and is adding to the mani
fold burdens of the assessors. Coun-
ty Assessor b. F. Keeney. Of Lane
county, is collaborating with the maxi
ers of tax rolls in adjoining counties
on the problem, says the Eugene
Guard.
The main difficulty will be In de-
scribing this new class Of property.
Rover, township II south, range 8
west" or "Tiger, lot Q, block 8. Skin
ner's addition to Eugene" are sug-
gested forms. Or John Jones may be
assessed with zone black water SPAN
iel," or Mrs. Smith with lone bow
legged bulldog"
Dogs range in value from 10 cents
to $3.50, and It is expected the value
will be lower about the first of
March than at any other period Of the
year.
The law under which the assessors
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-18
DUPLICATE ANCIENT ROMAN LUXURY

about them to spend another dollar
And the walls are so massive and the
construction done with such care
that they will stand for ages as a
monument to what the American con-
gress thought of itself at the begin
ming Of the twentieth century.
Ready in Few Days.
The house will enter upon the en-
joyment of its palace in few days
the preparations for the opening o.
that building being almost completed
A special committee has already Sc
aside such of the rooms as are 10 be
used for committee purposes, and or
January the members drew lots fol
the remaining rooms. There are 410
rooms in the house building, in addi-
ton to committee rooms, caucus
halls smoking rooms, bathing section,
cafe, pantry, dining rooms, ETC., and
there are only 396 members of the
house. including the half members
from Porto Rico and the Philippines,
so that there ought to be room for
all and no crowding.
1t is not yet known whether meals,
shaving and baths are to be free to
members.