Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/320

 260 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI town dropped behind some of its rivals, so far as public improvements were concerned. A few of the more enterprising men were never satisfied with this condition. They still worked and planned for the control of the rich trade regions once tributary to the town. Foremost of these men was Mr. Houek. In 1902 he projected and built the Gulf System of railroads through Scott, New Madrid, Dunklin and Pemiscot counties. This was a long step in the right direction. A little later these roads were sold to the St. Louis & San Francisco, which immediately began Ihe con- struction of a through line from St. Louis to Memphis. These enterprises awoke again the energies of the people of the town. Public improvements were planned, sidewalks, sew- ers, paved streets became possibilities and then realities; new factories were erected, ihe state •spent great sums in the construction of a new Normal School plant, the same man who had already done so much for the town pro- jected and built the Cape Girardeau and Chester and the Thebes Terminal roads. A federal court was established and a federal building erected. The destruction of the mo- nopoly of roads by toll companies did much for the toTi which had formerly been hemmed in by toU-gates. All these things contributed much to the growth and prosperity of the town, the pop- ulation increased rapidly and real estate values doubled. Not all things were fortunate for the town, however, even during this period. A failure to secure the entrance of the St. Loui-i South- western Railway was destined to cost the town very dear, for it was one of the factors which determined the building of the great railroad bridge at Thebes rather than at Cape Girar- deau. The Frisco, in spite of a contract to the contrary, removed its shops and division point to Chaffee in Scott county and thus took many families from the town. Remarkable Progress Notwithstanding these things, the town made really remarkable progress. Its popula- tion was nearly doubled from 1900 to 1910, now being 8,545. Its business interests were more than doubled. At the present time the town has more than 150 business institutions of one sort or another. There are a number of large general and department stores, and every form of mercantile establishment is rep- resented. It has a number of woodworking establishments, manufacturing lumber^ staves, boxes, sash and doors. There are factories for making shoes, lime, brick, cement, flour, cigars, ice cream and candy. There is a large rock-crushing plant, stone quarries, cigar and tobacco plants, foundries, machine shops, and other smaller manufacturing establishments. It is famous for its educational institutions, which include a good system of public schools, parochial schools of two or three churches, St. Vincent's Academy for Young Ladies, St. Vincent's College, Moothhardt's Business Col- lege, and the State Normal school. About three thousand students are enrolled in its schools every year. There are church organizations of the fol- lowing denominations: Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Christian Science, Evangelical, Lutheran, IMethodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, besides negro churches. Nearly all of these possess a house of worship and the Catholics have two and the Methodists three. There are four banks in the town. The Sturdivant, which is the oldest bank in South- east Missouri, was organized in 1866 and now has a capital .stock of $100,000. The First National was organized in 1892 and has a cap- ital of $100,000. The Farmers and Merchants