Evening journal., 1920-08-28
Wood River, Magic City, Ones
CrOlUth to Young Man s Vision

1910. when there were only 81 souls
within its borders.
Wood Rivers population gain has
far outstripped that of any other
city or town so far announced since
the 1920 count was made.
The story goes that the manager
of the general office Of the Standard
oil Company, located near Chicago
called in a typical young American
business man employe and said
I've got job with a future for
you. The opportunity for advance
ment Is unlimited IL you will only
put your shoulder 10 the wheel. 1t
will be a hard ggrind. but you can
do IL.
I'VE are building a refinery at a
townsite over near st. Louis and l
want you to go down there to run
things. When the refinery is COM
pleted am positive the town viii
grow. There IS nobody there now, and
it will be a lonesome place TO live.
"NOw go to il. You can make out
Of il what you will You must leave
tonight o, yes, the place in called
Wood River"
The young chap went home to tell
his wife-iust a slip OF a girl They
got out heir maps and began
search for Wood River. But all in
vain Nowhere on any available map
OF Illinois was there to he found even
a dot marked Wood River.
At any rate the young couple
/ bought tickets for ST. Louis and on
arriving in the Missouri city made in
duiry regarding their new hOme-site
Nobody had heard of the place. al
! though a railroad onicial admitted
/ having heard Of a refinery the Stand
] "a nd
nOis More questions at the inter
ruban station finally drew reply that a
/ local car made a stop at a place call
| ed Wood River.
Deiraining at the spot the young
couple found the town did not even
| boas. a railroad station, although two
important trunk lines between Chi
cag0 and ST. Louis passed through.
Tho only sign Of habitation was q
house or so where lived the work
men building the refinery.
The Chicago boy shuddered. His
wife burst into tears. she was for
| returning at once. The husband
grtied his teeth however. and recall
ed what his boss had told him about
the future Of the town and his own
opportunities. So they stuck 10 theF
Jobs. In a few weeks they had a con-
Portable home built, and with he
completion Of the refinery more peo-
pie moved in Most Of them. how
ever. preferred 70 live in Alton. half
a dozen miles away. or ST. Louis. or
lis Illinois suburban places. less than
an hour from Wood River
Smih. lets call The Young manager.
was quick 70 ser iha@ although the
refinery work was attracting inhab-
ltants, there was no life in the town
for their families TO enjoy. nor any
Z marc IN ar-
done. So he wrote his boss that he'd
need capital to provide a moving pio-
lure show. a drug store. a grocery
story and maybe a library. Thg
money was quickly forthcoming. with
the result that when workmen saw
hey could have enioymenis in Wood
River without paying carfare TO ad-
lacent towns. they decided 10 buy
property and build homes. So
panys money to loan wOrkmen for
building homes.
Wood River began 10 grow. That
was in 1910 And when the census
was taken that year and when every
single person was counted. the new
towns population amounting 10 only
81 "a. But the next year 10 boasted .
. houses and few stores had begun to
. spring up by. private enterprise. And
wrapped up in the town.
: Today Wood River Is a booming
Town with all city improvements. Its
streets are lined with modern homes.
- substantially built. The railroads
, now stop at The city's neat and ample
, station and the towns name Is print
ed in all the roads timetables. Nearly
everybody in Wood River owns his
, own home. There are no Negroes in
I the town few work in the plants
e OF the town but reside elsewhere.
And industry has grown. Besides
the original Standard oil refinery.
4 there are now two other companies'
= renneriee. lannerv OF the Interna-
= tional Shoe Company. and other
plants the payrolls OF which now
= total more than 81 100000 monthly.
Nobody locks his door. Thievery is
almost unknown. 10 is Just a big com
muniiy where everybody knows
everybody else. and Wood Riverians
. don't know whore ihe towns growth
> will stop. It's natural advantages on
the Mississippi river, close 10 chaan
- fuel and water power, and its location
In the ST. Louis metropolitan district
. all presage wonderful future Develop
ment
. And the Smiths leaders in social and
= Industrial development. feel fhev
own the place. And they ought to-;
=. they made t.