The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-01-26
SHOWS BUT VERY LITTLE CON-
srRucTIoN WORK HAS OCCUR
RED DURING LAST YEAR.
COMMERCIAL CLUBS lBUSi
This Publicity Bureau Of State Fed
Grafton Asks People to Investigate
Prevailing Conditions Within Our
Boundaries

oklahoma city Okla. Jan %
For the last year railroad building
has been practically at a stanistil--
i'm Oklahoma. While every other line
of business and industry has pros
pcrcd and grown since statehood be
came a fact, there has been appa
rently no activity among the rail-
roads and hardly a mile of new rail.
road has been constructed during
Sthe last year. This is the more re-
markable In view of the fact that
in 1906 there was extraordinary ac-
tivity among railroad promoters. At
that time charters hal been issued
the construction OF fifty-six new
lines of railway. representing total
mileage OF l312S miles within the
state of Oklahoma alone. In addition
To these lines charters had been is
sued for branches and extensions
of roads already In operation. call.
ing for the construction of Sl2 miles
of track. exclusive of sidings. None
of these projected lines have been
built and no active preparations are
being made for their construction.
The people of Oklahoma are now
seeking a reason for this stagnation
in railroad building It was expected
that when Oklahoma became a state
and the unsettled conditions preced.
I ing statehood were removed there
would be a boom in railroad build
1 ing. as there had been I'm every
other industry in the state.
On the contrary. however there
has been a complete suspension. not
only of actual construction. but also
of promotion, which is more remark.
able.
The publicity bureau OF the state
| Federation Of Commercial Clubs re
Gently issued a circular. in whcn
it asked the people TO look for the
/ reason for this condition of affairs
According TO this circular the expla.
nation of the trouble Is to be found
in the feeling Of distrust engendered
in the minds OF the men who fur.
nish the money for railroad building
by the attitude of certain politicians
toward the railroad and other corpo
rate interests. The circular declares
that these men have been appealed
TO many times in the last two years
to furnish money for the construc
tion of railroads I'm Oklahoma. but
that they have replied that theil
funds "can be invested with feel
ing of safety only whore the laws o
state are settled upon fair ant
conservative basis. and where ther,
Is reason to believe that there Is nj
danger of people being prejudiccc
against investments by the invect
ives of political demagogues."
There Is nothing in the laws pass
ed by the first legislature last win
ter which would seem 70 furnish al
adequate explanation OF this distrus
on the part of railroad builders
J The legislature did not enter int
! the sport of railroad batting nearl
y so much as have the legislatures O
. other states during Jha last fey
y years. Taken as whole, the legiS
y lation enacted at the first scssio
y is not regarded as especially al
y tagonistic to railroad interests an
y It is necessary to 50 % the const
. tuition itself to find a reason for III
present situation.
One small section of the const
: tuition is regarded as chiefly respol
sible for the suspension of railroa
building by 4 w McKeand, seer,
" tary of the Chamber OF COmmerc
= of this city, who Is thoroughly Fl
" miliar with the situation. This Sc
~ tiOn of the constitution which Is mr.