The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1915-09-10
RAILROAD BUILT
BY FARMERS MAY
GO TO JUNK PILE
Atlantic & Southern Has Not
Turned a Wheel Since
January |.
is ONLY 35 MILES LONG
Strikers once Ran It TIL They Go,
Their Back Pay"-leslle N.
Shaw Wanted II Once, But
Changed His Mind.


the spectacular history OF the Allan
tic 4 Southern railroad Is about TO be |
written; the line is about to be sold
for junk. The rails and ties will prob
ably be taken up and carried to Ar
kansas. and they will be used In
building little railroad In that state. |
The stations will be sold to anyone
who will buy them and the right OF
way will revert TO the farmers along
the way who originally donated most
OF 1t to the railroad that was to bring
competition and reduction in freight
and passenger rates. Not a wheel has
been turned on any portion Of the
road since January /. and the owners
are now negotiating for the sale OF
the property to w. Harding Davis of
| st. Louis, a dealer In secondhand
railroad materials. for use OF the line
that is being built In Arkansas.
The Atlantic a. Southern was
unique among railroads. 1t is thirty
| FIVE miles long and was completed on
| January l, 1911, after q spectacular
building race for a price OF $4,000,
which was to be paid conditional upon,
| the completion Of the road upon that
date. During the last month OF build
ing the work was carried on day and
night. electric lights being strung
along the line and double shifts. both
as to men and horses, employed.
The Job was completed with only
few hours to spare and the first
train to pass from end to end arrived
at the terminal within less than one,
hour OF the last moment possible for
1t to do so and yet win the prize.
Built by Farmers.
The little railroad was built in large
part by farmers. Not only did the
farmers finance the deal but they
performed most OF the work. When
ever a farmer had nothing else to do
he hitched up his team, drove over
TO the line and put In a days work
on the grade. Sometimes he was paid
in actual cash; at other times he was
given credit on his stock subscription
and at still others he was paid In stock
of the road Much OF the right OF way
was donated by the farmers and some
OF the cross ties we're cut by them and
delivered free.
The building OF the Atlantic g
Southern followed closely upon the
completion of tho Atlantic & North,
ern. a road about eighteen miles long.
running northward from this town.
But whereas the northern road was
success from the beginning, the South.
ern never paid operating expenses.
much less a dividend.
Operated by Strikers.
At one time there was strike on
the road. the sectio; nen and the FIVE
trainmen quitting work because they
had not been paid They barricaded
the line and for almost a month noe
train was operated In either direc-
tion. Finally the strikers took pos
session, ran trains. took the money
and paid themselves OFF and then sur
rendered the property to the owners.
The little road was expected to
prove that farming community could
hnance and build its own transporta-
tion systems. Every farmer along the
right OF way took stock and gave do
nations: towns voted bonds to aid In
Its construction. Then they got down
to work and built the road.
Although only thirty.hve miles in
length, the road had more directors
than the Pennsylvania. New York
Central. Union Pacific and q dozen
other big systems combined. At one
meeting 300 OF the directors were on
hand-and they were not all there at
that time. either.
But the Atlantic & Southern was
not without prospects-and big ones.
too. The late Edwin Hawley at one
time had his eye on the property. and
at the time OF his death was prepar-
ing to purchase It and make 1t a con-
Meeting link between the Minneapolis
& St. Louis. Iowa Central. Chicago &
Alton. Missouri. Kansas & Texas.
Clover Leaf and Chesapeake 4 Ohio
roads. 1t was his intention to extend
the little line southwark to Kansas
City, northeastward to DEB Moines and
westward to Omaha
Leslie NJ. shaw Wanted II.
And after Mr.. Hawley's death Leslie
NJ. Shaw. formerly secretary OF the
treasury. tried to buy the property at
receivers sale. Mr.. Shaw deposited
$4,000 wheB the line was knocked
down to him at auction. but failed to
come forward with the remainder at
the proper time and his deposit was
confscated. He is still fighting in the
courts to get his money back.
Two years ago, after passing
through receivership. the line was sold
at auction and was purchased by the
firm which had furnished the cross
ties, the bid being the amount still
iue 1t. This firm operated the road
II eighteen months. lost money every
,onth and finally, on January l.