1 minute read
Man of Vision: Arthur Stilwell
Arthur Edward Stilwell was the dreamer who envisioned a railroad from Kansas City to the Gulf of Mexico. He was also the imaginative force that established the town of Mena.
Advertisement
A close friend asked young Arthur what he intended to do with his life. His reply, “I’m going West to build a railroad.”
When he was 15, he had announced to his parents that he intended to marry Miss Jennie A. Wood some day. Four years later, he put a ring on her finger.
As he rode from city to city, he made numerous contacts and enjoyed many freedoms other passengers were not allowed. For example, he could walk atop freight cars, visit in the cab with engineers and even loiter on the caboose as he chatted with brakemen.
After accumulating $25,000 in savings, he resigned and announced he was going to build railroads.
His first goal was to build a rail from Kansas City to the Gulf of Mexico. This rail would save
