The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1918-06-14
CAPE IS MARKET FOR
RECLAIMED SECTION
Writer Tells Why BridgeIs Ne
ed Over Drainage Canal
In County
To the Editor of the Tribune.


A glance at a map Of the lowland
region of Southeast Missouri will
make plain to anyone that the north
ern part is a region bounded on the
north by the Ozark Hills, or the east
by the Mississippi River, on the
south by the Cat railroad from Cairo
to Poplar Bluff, and on the west by
the Ozarks.
A further examination of this re-
giOn will show that Cape Girardeau
is situated at the northeastern cor
ner of this region, Cairo at the
southeastern corner Of it, Poplar
Bluff at the southwestern corner of
1t, and Dexter, Sikeston and Charles
ton on the southern border of it.
This Irregular shapeGs region is
about &c miles from north to south
and so miles from east to west. 1t
contains an area of approximately
200 square mile; and includes some
of the richest farming land to be
found anywhere on the globe. Some
Of this land is already under cultiva-
ton and is producing splendid crops
OF wheat, corn, alfalfa, clover, water
melons, all kinds of garden Stuffs and
much fruit.
Much of this region is Just about
to be made available for tillage by
drainage. When all this drainage
work IS completed and the land is
made ready for tiIlage there will be
added to the trade territory of the
distributing center which connects up
with this region in the most complete
way 4 veritable empire of crop wealth
ard future productivity.
A closer study of the map of this
region will show that Cape Girardeau
is located so as 20 DE the natural mar
ket for much of this splendid land.
Cape Girardeau IS accessible in dis
tance and Typographical features of
the land to 4 considerable portion of
Scott and Stoddard Counties, and
through, these countries, to-a part of
New Madrid County.
The people Of these sections want
to come to Cape Girardeau as their
market Many Of them have been
accustomed to doing so for years and
others in adjacent regions would like
to do so if roads and bridge facilities
were better.
The question which our people
must answer Immediately is, "Will
Cape Girardeau cut itself Off from
this spIendidly rich region and thus
turn this trade to Sikeston, Charles
ton Dexter. Poplar Bluff, Cairo and
Other towns, or will Cape Girardeau
Join itself to this region and increase
its wealth by serving as a distribut-
ing center for much Of this new ter
ritory which is beng opened up for
farming by drainage and clearing?
This alternative question will be
answered in 4 way that will be to the
mutual advantage Of Cape Girardeau
and this rich region if Cape Girar-
dean builds permanent bridge
across the main dlyercion channel a
mile OF two below the, southern linz
its Of the city and one at Blomeyer.
1T won't do to say that these bridg-
es should be built by the county or
chat temporary bridges Will avail for
the present. Who should build these
bridges? What new territory will be
opened to Cape Girardeau by these
bridges? Who is going to be most
benefited by these bridges? Is the
cost of the bridges prohibitive Are
all pertinent questions and will be.
discussed later. TAXPAYER.