Mexico weekly ledger., 1910-10-20
POST-DISPATCHS ATTACK ON D. R. FRANCIS ACCUSING
EXPOSITION MONOPOLY REPUDATED IN RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions which follow were unanimously adopted alta meetne Of tn Board of Direct
os o. the Louisiana Purchase Exposition COMPANY;
The members of the Board of Directors of the Ioudyara pucbas. Eunasouc omsrv
: eel their duty to declare absolutely false the accusations made by The stDspath
agana President David Francis in connection with the switching and hauling of freight
on the Worlds Fair grounds
The pOstDspash of Thursday, October 8 quoting President Francis to the effect that
he had never received one cent of compensation directly or ndrctvTm hi Worlds Fair
work. says:
How do yOu. reconcile that statement with the fact that you had a half inter
est in the Colorado Railroad which had monopoly of withing md hauling of all
the freight in and out of the Worlds Fair Grounds; that YOU sold this Interest at a
pnt OF more than 100000 to the Rock Island taking stock to the amount of
oily privilege?
In n Board Of Directors s Of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company ~n not permit
70 pass uchanenged this untrue publication which is a reflection on very member of it,
he sectn of the sh of the Worlds Fair, the provision of transportation facilities the
relation OF the Exposition corporation to all railroads. were determined by the full board.
Inc directors naed with President Francis the responsibility of each step taken.
There was no monopoly of switching and hauling of all the feghs in and ot of the
worlds Fan grounds" To met IN emergency the chairman of the Grounds and Buildings
Smn uN' wma" H. thompson ohaned as afavor to the Exposition hom John Scunin
spr connection with the Colorado Railroad at a int when there was no Other railroad
ear passed 0Hh this qm into the Worlds Fair grunds the Rock Island bought the COLORADO
The new control of the Colorado Cancelled the arrangement which Mr. Thompson had made
n me assertion OF Worlds Fair monopoly privilege md the nsnuaton that David
R Francis benefited pemiaiy thereby
The switching and hauling of material and all other freight upon the Worlds Fair
grounds as the final report Of the traffic manager shows was done at heavy loss The
Board of Directors endewredt hrough six months Of negotiate to induce the railroads to
lay tracks on the sit, and operate hen. Failing in this policy the board bought ties and
rails built tracks leased engines ad employed engineers and hremen from 1902 to 1905
making connection at the boundary of the Worlds Fair site with the Missouri Pacific
the Frcot the Wabash and the Rock Island railroads The cost of materials md the con-
suucdon of these tracks to the Exposition Company was $444619. The cost Of operation
'" sSl90IoA Ie total receipts iron charges tor services in switching and hauling on these
racks was$ lS94S8, leaving netl loss to the Exposition Company Oh, the switching and
position, the board reduced this loss somewhat
srucdon and operation of tibet terminals This wa taken intoc consideration by contractors in
bidding m construction work. 1t was Exposition policy
These figures sand facts illuminate the so-caned monopoly privilege which the Rock
Island refused to enjoy and which The Post Dispatch asserts was a consideration in the
purchase of the Colorado by the Rock Island
We know David f. Francis We have been closely associated with him for years Of
our knowledge W ian testify he is an upright and honorable man, who performed as P@A
nor amy other official act of his can there be made justly the charge that the Exposition
was used for his personal profit
President Francis served the Exposition without salary or compensation directly or in
directly His work wasu ntnng, mse6sh and effective No act of his was the subject of
criticism by anyone who knew the facts
As showing the fhdy Of this implication Of grating involved in 1.-THE switching service
W attach asttement of facts of record in the minutes and correspondence hesd the Expo
adon certified to BY the Director of Works and the Secretary.