The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-03-27
0yEEN0F FTHE WASHITA
lCoagauga Lr0m ~ -

land vet you are In your infancy you
lhave only begun to grow
~It is an aseertained fact that the
South has grown relatively much more
in the past ten years than the North
It's appetite for railroads has been
ravenous. Your country in respect
to railroads, reminds one Of a grow
ing boy, whose ankles and wrists are
always exposed, for in spite OF the
EFFORTS Of enterprising railroad man
lagers. whose interests lie in serving
their territories, the railroads have
been utterly unable, as yet, to keep
pece with your wants, and demands.
But it must be remembered that rail-
read mileage has increased in this
state with greater rapidity than in
eny other locality in the United States.
AT the end of the calendar year of
l1SsO, we are told by Poer in his man
ual. that the Indian territory and Ok
Ilahoma together had 1860 miles Of
railroad; ten years later, the mileage
had increased 99.97 per cent or had
reached 2,407 miles
IN the next half decade, the in
crease was 12940 per cent. making
a total Of 5.522 miles. The following
year there was added 116 miles.
"Have you ever considered the fact
that Oklahoma will in a very short
time, lie in the path Of the most di-
rect line from the Atlantic and the
Middle West to Southern California?
That in order to reach the Pacific by
the shortest route one must traverse
almost the entire length and breadth
of your slate; for when the Tucumcari
out-off is completed, the traveller from
New York to Los Angeles, by going
through ST. Louis, Oklahoma City, Tu-
cumcari and El Paso, can accomplish
his journey in 1923 miles, as against
.3.571 miles via the Northwestern and
Union Pacific. an economy in distance
of 44S miles, or by going via Memphis
and the entire length of the Choctaw,
the journey can be curtailed 404 miles.
When the X. C. NJ. & O., with its 200
miles Of north and south line in Ok
lahoma, is finished from the Middle
West to Topolobampo, Mexico, the
route to the Pacific is shortened near
ly 400 miles And this is not all.
Southern California's immense ton
mage Of fruits and vegetables for the
eastern markets win traverse the short
est, the most direct route; the line
which will carry it the quickest and
ttat means the Choctaw, the entire
length Of Oklahoma.
"The corporation which represent
has the greatest mileage Of any rail
road in the state of Oklahoma It's
managers are, therefore. deeply in
/ iterested in your growth and develop
ment, and particularly this city, for
we believe you occupy one of the
most important points in the state
and you are destined to become a city
Of great importance.
Public regulation Of railroads seems
to be a necessity, and as between
wise regulation and no regulation, We
perfer the former The close and in
innate relations which the railroad.
sustain to The community, the peculiar
I privileges which they enjoy, and th'
eS ceptional responsibilities which de
yolve upon them because Of these priv
ileges, make it advisable even neces
sary that some degree Of supervision
should be exercised.
In the regulation Of railroads an,
other public utilities you can afforl
to be broad, for the eyes of the Uniol
are upon the new State. They ar
watching with keenest interest you
progress, and they predict for yor
success in all things But this SUI
oess win come in proportion to tn
conservatism with which you dea
with capital seeking Investment Tn
extent Of your success will be meas
uerd in a large degree by the chara,
ter of the laws passed by your frs
legislature, and by the encouragement
of favorable rulings by your corpora
ton commission; and, remember, tha
: every drastic or unreasonable enac
ment of the state legislature affec
ing railroads simply accelerates tn
speed with which we are approachin
2 ent'e federal supervision
+ 1--WE believe that the rulings q
j thc corporation commission hsve bee
, drastic; the revenue losses from rat
reductions. severe: even TO the e.
, tent Of being hurtful to the CONNIE
! cial interests Of the state, when tahn
a into account the need of funds fc
S making extensions ana improvement
e to meet the growing demands. r.
f Gently reductions have been made j
lumber rates averaging nearly so pc