The Ordway new era., 1913-12-12
We're Still Hoping
An Answer from the Missouri
Pacific Railway Company
to Our Ladies Club


that our ladies club Is pegging away
on the "new depot" question, I SUBJ
NIT the following correspondence.
Our trouble at Ordway is that so
many Of US get ''cold feet" and lose
faith in our undertaking. The rail-
road men admire the persistent town,
and by our importantly we shall OBJ
tain our desires. Scripture tells us
Importantly is greater than friend
ship at times. So by continued re-
quest we shall eventually have a neat
station. on the north side OF the track,
with fine auto road leading to 1t
through ornamental shrubbery, blue
grass and flowers.
Under date OF November 4, wrote
Nj. 3. F. Bush. president of the Mis-
souri, Pacific, as follows:
Dear Sir: Your enclosed letter to
Mrs. Bashor was handed me some
time ago for reply, as the club thought
had been here SO many years would
know Of things they did not.
/; came. TO Ordway In the spring Of
1891. As president of the Ordway
Town and Land company 1 was sent
for by your manager-a Mr.. Smith. as
l remember-to sign contract giving
your company free water from our
town hydrant for twenty years, etc.
presume you have seen contract aud
know terms. Your company was to
haul the pipe for our water line free,
build and maintsiu . station here.
Our company was 70 give free water
for your engines for twenty years,
and deed to the Missouri Pacific rail-.
road q strip OF land 100 feet wide on
each side of track through the town
sectioo--over one mile 10 length.
These terms were complied with. so
far ss / know, legally, but the work
agreed upon verbally has never been
carried out. Instead OF building US .
good depot and orqsmentiog the
grounds as your manager and attorney
told Us you would. 40 old station house
at Meredith, three miles east. WAS
put on nat car and placed on piles
ave feet high. at Ordway. The pond
Of water In front was not even drained
for fifteen years. so we walked over an
improvised log and climbed into the
depot on a rude ladder Of six or seven
steps. Cinders have replaced the lad
der but the morass in front still exists,
crossed by passengers on foot bridge
four feet wide. Half a block Is as
near as we can come when taking our
friends to the depot.
Now I speak OF this In no spirit OF
complaint. but rather OF humor. We
are becoming callous to the situation.
1t seems rather ridiculous for US to
send out advertising folders OF our
rich and wonderful land and many
advantages only to have the incoming
investor look about the desOlate Ord.
way station aud take the next train
back. mo prosperous people live
here" is at least his thought. This Is
not imaR such have oc-
CURED.
Now, aside from all this, have we
not just claim for improvements?
The land we gave Ia now worth $500
per acre, the free water for twenty
years was worth, am told by railroad
men, q 200 to sl.5oO per year.
We are not unwilling to wait for a
better depot u year or SO. until your
finances are better, but can you not
dump Thousand cubic yards Of gravel
or Stag into the pond so we can i'm
prove the front and get an auto up to
the station? The ladies' club Is willing
to put on soil and plant flowers and
trees and make IL respectable"
Under date Of December Z. 1918,
Mr.. Pearson, first vice president Of
the road, sends the following answer:
"ReferrinR TO your letter Of the 4th
of November to Mr.. Bush. complain.
ing as TO Station grounds ut Ordwsy.
"While 1t Is rather late to accom-.
plish any thing this season. the matter
will have further attention with q
view Of improving conditions At Ord
way. We are always glad to learn
ways in which conditions at the vari-
Gus stations can be improved, and to
provide better facilities for our
patrons. but unfortunately on account
Of the recent rate reductions and ad-
verse legislation 1t Is impossible for
the railroads to do all 10 the way OF
Improvement they desire, which
makes 1t necessary to contine expendi.
lures to the Improvements most
needed. However, 80 far as IL is pos.
sible u do so, this company IL cooper.
ating 10 the betternent Of conditions
along the line, and will cause special
attention toward sscertaining fully
the objections you refer TO and Of do.
ing what is practicable 10 their
ravnAav ID, @, ROBERTU.