Evening journal., 1913-07-09
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
When Fertile Soil Was Not
an Unmlxed Blessing
By HOilsud.

When Ex-Governor Jacob d. Cox, Of
Ohio. was attempting in the early sew
entles 10 construct a great trunk line
railway system stretching from the
Mississippi river to Buffalo. part of
which is now the widely known Wa
bash railroad system. he used fire.
quently to meet the late John NJ.
Forbes. Of Boston. and TO consult
with Mr., Forbes about railway devei-
opment in tho West
Governor Cox knew that John NJ.
Forbes was the true creator Of the
Michigan Central railway system. for
he furnished the two million dollars
with which the incomplete Michigan
Central was bought from the state of
Michigan in 1874. He also raised the
money in Boston and in Europe
needed TO complete the road to Chi
cago. and. furthermore. il was his
capital which made the creation Of
the Burlington system possible
Governor Cox once told his brother,
Charles Finney Cox. who was for
many years identified with the finan-
cial manag cement OF the New York
Central system, that, great as Mr..
Forbes's achievement was in finding
the millions necessary for perfecting
the Michigan Central system and for
building up the Burlington system.
nevertheless his greatest achievement
was the solution Of some Of the very
difficult original problems which the
development of railways in the West
brought about
MY brother. Governor Cox, oice
told me-" said Charles Cox TO me.
that upon one occasion he had
very interesting conversation with
John NJ Forbes. in which Mr. Forbes
stated TO him the reasons why he had
undertaken the construction Of the
original great railway systems in lie
West
MY brothc~ said that Mr. Forbes
told him that upon ono of his e-rly
visits TO the West. and particularly
TO Illinois. he had made a study Of
the soil Of Indiana and Illinois aud
a little later of Iowa and Missouri
He was satisfied that for fertility u
fully mattel ed the rich soil of the
valley Of the Nile Furthermore. il
was virgin soil. II could be made to
produce enormous crops
But II struck him also that this
very fertility OF the soil represented
by millions of acres of very rich loan
was an insuperable obstacle in get
ting crops from the harvest fields to
the market. excepting in the case of
n comparatively few farms whose
crops we're grown near navigable
rivers Therefore this soil itself was
both blessing and an impediment to
the farmers. They could raise very
large crops. hut Il cost more than
they we're worth to haul them 20 the
market
"NIr. Forbes told my brother that
it was this position which was The
chief reason for the confidence which
he had In placing large amounts Of
money in the construction OF rail
ways across these rich prairie lands.
He said. furthermore. that his conf
dence had been absolutely justified hy
the events The railroads not only
opened M these enormously produc-
tive lands. but they furnished an ca ~
means by which the farmers could rot
their crops 70 the market
oh. by the way" continued Mr.. Cox.
my brother also told me that Mr..
Fnrges said 10 him i'm the course OF the
conversation just deScrlDed ln2i lnN
discovery Of gold In California Vas
the chief inspiring cause for the in
vesting Of enormous capital IN the
construction Of railways stretching
from the Mississippi river westward.
The rich lands of the prai-ia states
and The discovery of gold in Califnr-
mia explained the enormous and what
became. in Mr. Forbes's opiuicn. tue
fr, -u-fff dovpIrpptauf Of Apapfffntt
railways west Of the Mississippi
Copyright 1913. by f. j Edwards,
All rights reserved.
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell OF
Secretary WINDOWS Brilliant Finau-
cial Scheme"