504 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI and Caruthersville. In addition to the main line there were several branches. One of these ran from Clarkton to Maiden. Another extended from Gibson north to Campbell and Caligoa. A third branch extended south from Kennett to Leeehville, Arkansas, pass- ing through Senath and near Cardwell. A fourth extended eight miles from Paseola to Deering. When the 'Frisco took over the ownership and operation of these roads it proceeded to improve the main lines with heavier steel, taking up the branch running north from Campbell to Caligoa and rebuilding it to Bloomfield to connect with the line from Brownwood. The 'Frisco acciuired at the same time the Houck lines running southwest from Cape Girardeau to Hunter, in Carter county, where connection was had with the Current River Railroad. A branch from this line ex- tended from Zalma, in Bollinger county, to Bloomfield, in Stoddard county, crossing the main line at Brownwood. There was also a line from Bloomfield to the St. Louis South- western at Zeta, in Stoddard cotmty. The 'Frisco improved these lines also. The Zeta branch was extended to Vanduser, in Scott county, and a new line was built from Mingo, near Puxico, through Poplar Bluff, Nay lor and Pocahontas, Arkansas, to a con- nection with the 'Frisco's IMemphis and Kansas City line at Hoxie. This line is at present being greatly improved and will be- come one of the most important branches of the system. The great work of the new system was the construction of an entirely new line. This was called the St. Louis, Memphis & South- eastern and extends from St. Louis to Jlem- phis. This line passes to the west of the Iron Mountain south of St. Louis until itreaches the river at Crystal City. From this point it follows the river to Cape Gifardeau. It diverges at the latter place from the river and follows the Sikeston ridge after crossing "Nigger Wool" swamp. This road reaches some of the important towns in the eastern tier of comities. It was the first .railroad in Ste. Genevieve and greatly stimulated activ- ity and growth in that town. It gave the first direct rail connection that Cape Girard- eau had with St. Louis and Memphis and the great prosperity' of the town dates from this time. South of Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Fortageville, Lilbourn, Hayti and Caruthers- ville are served by this line, and through its numerous branches, it is of great importance tc many other to^^Tis. The 'P^'risco system also secured the en- trance of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, an allied railroad, into Southeast Missouri. This road cros-ses the Mississippi at Thebes and rims trains into Cape Girardeau from Chi- cago. The 'Frisco has always adopted a liberal policy toward Southeast IMissouri and has aided all the forward movements in its terri- tory. It has provided good service in the main and its presence in this territory has meant much for the people. It now reaches by main line or branches nearly every one of the twenty counties in Southeast Missouri and provides transportation facilities for much of the region. One of the enterprises of Southeast Mis- souri about which there has been considerable controversy was the proposed plan of build- ing a plank road from Point Pleasant, in New IMadrid county, to Clarkton, in Dunklin county. Just before the war a company was organized for this purpose, known as the Blanton Plank Road Company, and it
