Arthur Edward Stillwell Knows How to Avoid the Rocks

This Document is part of a larger newspaper article on Arthur Edward Stillwell and his success as an investor and railroad builder. In this clipping, Stillwell conveys, in his own words, his general philosophy of approaching life. He essentially describes himself as someone who doesn’t abide by the status quo; “Things are done in certain ways because they have always been done that way,” he says, “certain forms, methods and powers are bowed down to because business men are not courageous enough to strike out from the shoulder and do the natural thing.” This fits well into Stillwell’s self-portrayal for he took it upon himself to pursue the construction of the railroad. There are two ways to get the railroad built, Stillwell claims. The first way, he states, is to go to Wall Street and get investors to finance the project. The second method, which is evidently the way in which Stillwell has approached the railroad, is to build it without this aid. Stillwell vaguely alludes to divine providence as for the reason for any missteps he’s taken and for the potential success in such business matters: “I regard it as the providence of God that I built and lost the Kansas City Southern so that I might learn how to build and retain the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient. I know how to avoid the rocks.” Though this little blurb of text doesn’t say much, it does indicate the attitude Stillwell had about his railroad-building endeavors – an attitude echoing the sentiment of pulling one’s self up by their own bootstraps. What could be more Americana?