December 17, 1909
MILLION IS RAISED
FOR ORIENT SYSTEM.
Result of Recent Trip of
Officials and Capitalists.
The sum of $939,000 in subscriptions for the promotion of the work on the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railway is the result of the recent trip conducted by President A. E. Stilwell and Edward C. Dickinson, vice president of the railroad company. The trip was taken the first of this month, lasted fifteen days, ending the first of this week. Mr. Dickinson was accompanied by a party of Eastern business men and capitalists. He pronounces the trip a success from a business standpoint as well as in every other way. Before the trip was completed $789,000 had been subscribed by the men of the party and since then the other $150,000 has been sent in.
The trip started at Chicago, the party being taken in a special train. Th intention was to go straight to El Paso and down to the City of Mexico directly from there. However, storms, washouts and swollen streams made that particular rout out of the question. So the party had to give up the idea of going over that section of the company's tracks. The trip South was therefore by way of Chillicothe, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Laredo to Mexico City. The latter part of the trip was made over the Orient lines.
The return trip took the party over the Mexican Central to El Paso, over the Texas Pacific to Sweet Water and on into San Angelo. The Kansas City, Mexico & Orient line was then followed as far as Altus where the Frisco was traveled to St. Louis. At the last mention place the party disbanded. Mr. Dickinson returned directly to Kansas City, disappointed in only one thing -- the party had not been able to travel over as much of the company's tracks as had been desired.
The work on the road is to be pushed as fast as possible and all of the improvements contemplated will be made in both roadbed and rolling stock.
When asked in regard to the personnel of the party Mr. Dickinson said he preferred not to give out the names yet because of reasons which also he didn't care to make public. However, he said that John F. Wallace, former chief engineer of the Illinois Central railroad and chief engineer of the Panama canal, who is also a vice president of the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient railway, was one of the party. Mr. Wallace, said Mr. Dickinson, has only recently been made vice president of the road to fill the place of George Crocker, recently deceased. Further that the above Mr. Dickinson said he could say nothing for publication.
Labels: Arthur Stilwell, business, Chicago, Mexico, railroad, Texas
