Source: "Western Coal and Lumber Resources, as Exemplified by the Coal Mining and Lumber Manufacturing Departments of the Central Coal & Coke Company of Kansas City, Mo.," American Lumberman, November 1, 1902. Chicago: American Lumberman, 1902.

Up to within a few months ago the Central Coal & Coke Company had in operation a well equipped saw mill plant in southwestern Arkansas, near Texarkana. The timber holdings at that point were finally exhausted and, being unable to secure additional lands, it was decided to move the plant to a point about seventeen miles below the Neame mill, to Carson, a small station near the Kansas City Southern railroad which is connected with the latter by a branch of the Missouri & Louisiana railroad, owned and operated by the company.

This plant, when completed, will have a daily capacity of 180,000 feet. The timber holdings of the company at the point where the mill will finally be located are exceptionally fine, even for a district which has a worldwide fame for fine timber lands.

The mill when completed will be equipped with one Allis-Chalmers band saw, a circular saw, and a 52 inch gang saw, which will have a combined capacity of the amount stated. The details of the removal are now being carried out. The frame work for the new plant is being constructed from timbers cut at Neame, and as soon as the plant shall be completed it will be put into operation.

The stock now remaining at Texarkana is being drawn upon as the requirements of the company dictate, and this point will finally be abandoned as a distributing and as a manufacturing center.

This railroad company and the property it represents are adjuncts of the Central Coal & Coke Company. The officers of the railroad are practically the same as those of the coal company proper. For operative reasons and on account of future operations and extensions the road has been so named.

The general offices of the railroad company are located in the Keith & Perry building, Kansas City, Mo. The officers are: R. H. Keith, president; Charles S. Keith, vice-president and general manager; E. E. Riley, secretary and treasurer; J. C. Sherwood, auditor; W. C. Perry, general attorney, all of whom have offices at the place and in the building stated.

The rolling stock of the Missouri & Louisiana railroad consists of seven locomotives, standard gage, 200 logging cars and 200 coal cars, all of which are in active operation. The mileage, embracing a total of about 100 miles, is divided as follows:

The line from Bevier Mo., where connection is made with the Burlington railroad to Excello, where the Wabash is reached, gives a total of thirty miles in north Missouri. The trains on this road are run on special schedule, the line having been built and operated for the purpose of handling the output of the coal mines in that section.

The railroad company operates a line from Poteau, I. T., to Bonanza, Ark., a distance of twenty miles, including branches. This line handles freight business only and was constructed for the purpose of hauling the coal from the company’s mines in the territory traversed.

From Neame, La., to Camp Folk, La., a distance of twenty miles, including branches, the company operates a logging road which was built for the purpose of supplying the Neame mill with timber. This road connects at Neame with the Kansas City Southern, and in addition to supplying the plant at Neame with logs is used in handling lumber into and out of the territory mentioned.

The railroad company has under course of construction fifteen miles of road from Burt to Carson, with five miles in operation. Trains are run on special schedule and connect with the Kansas City Southern near Carson. This line is being built for the purpose of handling timber and lumber from and to the mill located at Carson.

The operation of these roads gives the Central Coal & Coke Company an advantage over competitors, as it is thus enabled to handle freight in a manner that other operators cannot be assured of from the operating lines in the districts in which they are producing coal.

Operating under a special charter, the railroad company is enabled to construct whatever mileage may be necessary, and the road will in time grow as the various districts are opened up.

It is the logical outcome of the old style logging roads, many of which have since been extended and absorbed by trunk lines. Instead of building a temporary affair the Central Coal & Coke Company has chosen the wiser course of constructing a standard gage line and under its charter it has the privilege of handling freight and passenger traffic when the country through which the roads have been built shall offer such business.