The Mena weekly star., 1919-09-04
NEW DEPOT
ONE STEP NEARER
Kansas City Southern Leaving Moth
ing Undone to Conform to Order Of
Railroad Commission TO Begin
Construction Next January.

Mena people may rest assured of
one thing, and that is that the Kan
sas City Southern Railway Company
is overlooking no step necessary in
being ready to begin construction of
the new station at Mena by January
1, 1920, in accordance with the order
issued about two years ago by the
State Railway Commission.
In line with this policy Secretary
Williford of the Commercial Club was
notified a few days ago that c. f..
Johnston, general manager of the rail-
way company, would be in Mena Fri
day afternoon to meet with the execu-
tive committee of the club in the even
ing, the purpose being to discuss the
site for the new station.
Steps were at once taken to hold a
conference Of club supporters, prom
inent business men and members of
the city council at the club head
quarters prior with the meeting with
Mr.. Johnston. At this meeting, V. w.
st. John, as chairman of the commit
tee, gave an outline of the situation.
In this it was stated that because of
the too limited space, which resulted
in the blocking of both Mena and De-
Queen streets by each passenger train,
the new station could not be built ON
the present site, and that the company
had suggested two sites, either of
which would be satisfactory to it. 1t
was stated that the first choice con-
templated the closing of DeQueen
street and the building of the station
directly across that street. This car
ried with it the opening of Seventh
street, leaving two full blocks for the
station, station platform and equip
ment.
The alternative plan was to build
the station at some point south of De-
Queen street.
Following this statement there was
an hours discussion in which every
man present exprest himself. At the
end rising vote was taken on the
proposition to recommend the first
named plan, and it was thus ascer-
tanned that but two of those present
opposed it. A vote on the alternative
plan, to place the station below De-
Queen, showed only those opposing the
first plan were favorable to the second.
On this showing it was stated that
the executive committee would, at the
coming meeting with the railroads
representative, recommend building
the new station across DeQueen street.
The Evening Meeting.
The executive committee of the
Commercial Club requested the mem
bers of the City Council to met with
it and meet Mr.. Johnston in the even
ing and Aldermen Frederick, Roberts
and Baker were present, Aldermen
Moseley, Harshman and Sapp being
unable to attend. OF the committee,
d. e. Dodd, w. E. Watkins, Ira o. I
Smith, r. Golf, ]. B. Goss, j. L. Hagan
and V. w. st. John, with Secretary
Williford, were present, J. T. Magru-
der and w. S. MacLafferty being out |
of the city. Representing the railway
were General Manager Johnston,
Local Agent C. E. Wells and Division
Engineer Reece of Pittsburg.
Mr.. Johnston made brief state
ment, reciting that it made little or
no difference to him or to the COM I
pany whether the station was locat-
ed at DeQueen street or below, but
that it could not be located on the pres
ent site. He stated that the present
trains now blocked both Mena and De-
Queen, each one from to Is minutes,
and that the tendency was irrevokably
toward longer trains, and, more, he {
believed the time was near at hand
when there would be more trains. He
said he believed that it would be bet !.
ter for the business of Mena and for :
the convenience of the people in gen. I
eral to place the station at DeQueen I
street, and to open Seventh street, &
but that it was matter wholly in the {
hands of the city so far as he was G
concerned as to whether it was placed
there, or further south. Is
Mr.. Johnston then submitted plans,
as had been approved by the state !
railway commission. The proposed !
station will be the same as that at /
Sloan Springs except for some i'm I
provements. 1t will be of brick, with
concrete floors and tile roof. A Ia
foot platform 500 feet long, with
sidewalk extension to Mena street
will be built In order to gain more
space the present main line track viii i
be taken up and there will then be
main line and two side tracks instead
of main line and three as now.
When all had been discussed there
was no voice dissenting from the pro-
posal to have the station across De-
Queen street, and Mr.. Johnston stated
he would have local attorneys present
the necessary ordinance to the city
council in the near future.