The Establishment of Rich Hill
from the St. Joseph Weekly Gazette, St. Joseph, Missouri
Thursday, November 18, 1880

Less than six months ago I rode over the ground upon which this splendid little city now stands. At that time it was nothing but a barren prairie -- not a house standing within a mile of it. Now there is a growing and prosperous city of fourteen hundred inhabitants, which promises to double its present population in less than a year. If I had not looked over Rich Hill myself and noted the splendid business houses of all kinds, together with the wide streets and improvements of every description, I could hardly be made to believe that all of this had been accomplished in so short a time. But, the evidence is before me and I can only look on and wonder.

In the month of June, Mr. E. H. Brown, now president of the rich Hill Town Company, called upon Jay Gould, who was at the time in St. Louis. The great railroad king was very busy and had but little time to devote to callers. Mr. Brown failed to get an audience when he first called and was put off when he made the second trial. Knowing that other capitalists were considering the same project that agitated himself, Mr. Brown determined to see Mr. Gould before it was too late, and one day walked into the presence of the latter unbidden. Without any unnecessary remarks, Mr. Brown opened the subject nearest to his heart by saying: "Mr. Gould, do you know that you are about to let one of the grandest speculations in this country slip through your hands?" Then he told of the splendid coal fields; of the inexhaustible supply and the excellent quality of the coal to be found in this vicinity. Observing that Mr. Brown was no Col. Sellers, but a practical business man, Mr. Gould became at once interested in the story that was poured into his ears. Without a day's delay the matter was inquired into, and becoming perfectly satisfied that Mr. Brown had placed a grand scheme before him, the railroad magnate put all of the machinery to work necessary to make a success of the plan that had been mapped out. The Lexington & Southern Missouri Pacific railroad was begun at once, which was to run from Pleasant Hill to the Rich Hill coal fields and finally further south. A town company was formed, consisting of Jay Gould and several bates county gentlemen, and the track of land was purchased, consisting of five hundred acres, upon which Rich Hill is now located. The president of the company is Mr. E. H. Brown. Samuel B. Lashbrooke, of the law firm of Bassett and Lashbrooke, is secretary and F. J. Tygart, the Butler banker, is treasurer. The town was laid out by B. B. Singleton, chief engineer of the Lexington and Southern Missouri Pacific railroad. Building was commenced at once and hotels, business houses, dwellings, etc., sprang up with marvelous rapidity. The people felt satisfied about the success of the grand scheme as soon as they knew who were connected therewith, but even those who were thoroughly in the secret have been surprised at the wonderful success of their venture.

The plan of the city is one of unquestioned beauty, the streets and avenues being broad and clean. Two elegant parks have already been laid out and are to be at once adorned with evergreens and forest trees. A great many handsome brick and frame residences have been built and are occupied by the business men of the place.

There are already two railroads penetrating this point and two more are expected to run through here at no very distant day. Those now running to the city are the Missouri River, Fort Scott and Gulf, via Pleasanton, Kansas, and the Lexington and Southern Missouri Pacific. Those yet to come are the Chicago and Alton, via Jefferson City, and the Burlington and southwestern. With these roads running here, Rich Hill will indeed be a railroad centre. The machine shops of the Lexington & Southern Missouri Pacific are to be erected here. This will of course bring a large number of mechanics to Rich Hill, and therefore be a great improvement.

Within sight of Rich Hill, and not over a quarter of mile distant, immense coal fields have been uncovered and are now being extensively worked by several mining companies. On the 16th of last August, one car of coal was shipped from the recently uncovered Rich Hill coal district to Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf railroad for trial. The result was extremely satisfactory, the coal more than meeting the expectations of every one. The traffic was kept up and in one month from that date 1,599 cars had been shipped. Five companies are now occupying the Rich Hill coal fields, and about 145 cars are shipped daily. This it will be seen that the foundation of Rich Hill's coal trade is firmly laid and will grow in to great and greater proportions.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 miners are now at work and 400 teams are kept busy. A very large amount of cash is paid weekly to the miners, the major part of which is spent here amongst the merchants. The business men here are energetic and enterprising and fully alive to their interests. The developments made by the Rich Hill company established the fact that the coal veins are from five and a half to six and a half feet in thickness and that they are inexhaustible and of almost unequaled quality. The extent of ground occupied by these veins is computed by miles and new deposits are now and then being discovered. Several hundred more men will be put to work in a short time by the different companies. The ground upon which Rich Hill is located cost seven thousand five hundred dollars and thirty thousand dollars worth of town lots have been sold without, as the saying is, "scarcely making a hole in the town." Twenty five miles of railroad switches have already been built to the different coal mines and new ones are added as the necessity demands. The carpenter's hammer is heard all over town and new buildings are being commenced every day. A company has been organized for the purpose of erecting a hotel to cost $25,000. This will be built in a short time. The town already has large dry goods, grocery, drug, hardware, clothing and other stores and a bank with ample capital has been established. There are also two first class weekly papers printed here.

Rich Hill is situated in the south part of Bates county, about thirty miles from Fort Scott and eighty-five miles from Kansas City. The surrounding country is thickly settled and one of the finest agricultural districts in the west. Such is Rich Hill, which I have described without exaggeration. Its population is sure to be doubled before a great while, and it is destined to be one of the most substantial commercial points in the southwest.

Bates County Missouri MOGenWeb