The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-11-17
TOWN OF $500
BUILDS ITS own
$4,000 RAILWAY
D. B. Kunkel Tells Story of
Fight in Holt County for
County Seat.
ROAD EARNED $4,000
IN LAST YEAR, HE SAYS
Business Men Own Lines and
Won't Sell Their Road
TO Burlington.

The story Of 4 town that needed 4
railroad, got next tc Itself and bought
one which now is 4 paying PROPOSE
ton, last night was told by D. Z. Kan
KEEL, of Oregon, County Clerk of Holt
County, in an interview with 70
porter for The Tribune.
The railroad, which now is owned
by the business men Of the town, cost
$4,000, it runs eight trains day.
and in the last year earned gross re
ceipts of more than $1,000. Operat-
ing expenses amounted to $4,000 and
the rest OF the earnings arc being used
to pay interest on bonds and improve
the railroad properties.
This unique business men, rail
road. 4 road such as might be operated
between the Cape and Thebcs bridge,
is an outgrowth Of a good-old-taskion-
ed, dog in the manger, county seat
fight.
Oregon. the county seat OF Hot
County, away up in the northwest cor
ner of Missouri. was q small town Of
1906 persons situated almost three
miles off the Burlington railroad 1t
was the county seat SIX year. ago.
but in some manner, according to
Kunkel. 4 war was started that made
it an issue as to whether the COUNTY
seat should be removed from Oregon 70
another town, more favosahly situated
on railroad.
Oregon. with its 1900 put on it fight
ing clothes and when the business men
OF their opponent community taunting-
" said Oregon was without Il rail
road. Oregon got together under TIE
leadership OF {. +. Took, one Of tn"
towns leading bankers.
"If we haven't got a railroad, Ii We
have TO hack it from the railroad into
town. We'll get a railroad" Oregon
said and started TO hit. lie bail. Nj.
Took led OF with $500 subscription,
no one gave less than 500 and that
little town o. Oregon, without any
factories or mills, Just 4 SNAIL con-
munity center. trading place foi
farfTrs in the midst OF 4 Iich North
err Missouri agricultural district, re-
fused to stop getting railroad subscrip-
tons until a total Of $4,000 had been
subscribed.
We'll call it the Oregon lnterur
nan" the leaders said, and il VAS m,
corporated. The banker aided in get
ting $4,000 in FIVE per cent bonds
nIaced on the road and The tracks were
laid. Bridges were built, engines pur
chased. passenger coaches purchased
fiat cars, box car and all the para
phernalia of a railroad or a small scale
were obtained.
1t was 4 gala day in Oregon whe'
the railroad came to town. Nlrtuait.
every person in the town felt sens'
of ownership in that railroad.
The people of the county and tn
opposing town in the county seat fight
dotted their hats and said: "If Vol
will do that, we're for you. We won
try to take anything away from 70
anymore"
The railroad was built for so'yict
Mr.. Kunkcl said. There nov are tw
engines and a nice new coach was add
ed recently to the rolling stock. Eigh
; trains pass up and down on the Bu
lington. three miles away, and tn
5 Oregon Interurban makes everyon
n of those trains, so that passengers al
e taken into Oregon also immedlatel
= upon their arrival at the junction pom
t 1.-THE Burlington has been tying
G buy US out" Kunkel said, 'but our roe
: is not for sale. We have intcrchanE
= service. Our freight IS delivered
our doors and we are making good
e A recent addition 20 the motive poV
G er on the road was a gasoline mot'
d which makes special trips.
I Mr.. Kunkel said that his town now
d spending $4,000 in laying asphaltu
y paved streets