The Mena weekly star., 1910-09-22

c. c. Goldman, who graded the line ' miles and then sold out, together with the people of Mena, to the Kan sas City Southern, which had char tered line from Hot Springs to make a connection with the Quigley or God man line, the Mena & Eastern Arkan- sas. The understanding was at the time that people of Mena were to re- ceive stock in the new line for stock they subscribed in the original one l This they never received, according to statements made in the board meet ing Thursday morning.
 James B. McDonough explained it had cost the Kansas City Southern about $23 ,000 to take over the God man road and make new surveys, showing wh@e the route had recently been changed in Polk and Montgomery counties, making a shortening of the line. He also explained there was what he considered better route be- tween the two points about 25 miles north of the survey, and also called attention to the fact that a locating survey of part of the Hot Springs, 0uachita and Mena had been made when the panic came, which also pre- vented the building of the New Or leans branch of the Kansas City Southern, upon which $250, 900 had been expended. He said that he knew personally an effort had been made at the time to float the bonds of the short line and met with failure. Attorney General Norwood ex- plained that he had secured the first charter for the line from Mena, bring ing the blue prints and placing them before the board. He said he was a stockholder in the first company and the company had paid out $3,750 on the first surveys.
 The question of how many times the charter had been extended came up and it was reported by Secretary Ludwig the original charter was grant ed in 1905.
 | A. H. Scoggin stated he was present at meeting held in 1906 in which the officers of the road promised to have it completed in 12 months, if the transfer was made of the original road to the Kansas City Southern. | Attorney McDonough stated he be- | lieved the Kansas City Southern was in earnest about the construction of the line. but it was impossible to float bonds during the panic. He said positively the road will be built, and that he had informed President Edson he would have nothing to do with the branch in the reorganization if that was not his intention. He promised that if the road can sell the bonds now the line will be built, calling attention to the Memphis. Dallas and Gull being the only line building now. He said the railroad certainly intended tc build or it would not have put up the ST, 700.
 | A. H. Scoggin asked Attorney Mo Donough if the branch was not already morteaged for $8O, ,0O0. to which he re- ceived reply that if it was the attor- ney knew nothing of it. Scoggin in formed the attorney it was included in the general mortgage of the Kansas City Southern for that amount.
 l Secretary of State Ludwig ques- toned Attorney McDonough if his railroad could not get the money from the people of Arkansas under the In Iitiative and. d..Referendum.
 | w. M. Pipkin, acting for the people of Mena, then arose and stated the people of Mena wanted a railroad built between Hot Springs and Mena believing it to be their only salvation and would put no stumbling block in the way of the Kansas City Southern if it would just demonstrate that il meant business and intended to build the line instead of holding the route and preventing others from building l He showed how easy this would be to do with several mountain passes in the hands of the Kansas City Southern. He stated that Mens would be behind the Kansas City Southern if it would simply let citi. zens have control of the road to gel it built or turn over to the Kansas City Southern when it made req evidences of wanting to build the branch. He states the Kansas Git, Southern has played with Mena lont enough, and what the citizens of tho town want now is evidence of gooc faith on the part of the railroad.
 | Attorney McDonough arose anc f stated the Kansas City Southern wanted more feeders, and it has beer the policy of the management to en courage people along the line to build them. lie said the railroad woulC T cheerfully give all it had invested 1T