Talk:Arthur Stilwell

I am not even sure what to say

He would claim that all of his ideas were given to him while he slept by elfin-like "Brownies" from the spirit world. I do not claim to have any knowledge of Stillwell beyond his involvement with the KCMO, but everyone should agree that a quote such as this needs a verifiable source. I would be bold and remove it but this article has been touched by several credible editors since this text was added.--Bozokansas 06:19, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

It seems like a dubious and vandal-like-ish claim, so rather than {{fact}}ing it, I've removed it. If we find a credible reference for it, we can always put it back. Slambo (Speak) 11:32, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

There's a chapter on Stilwell ("Millionaire Mystic") in Frank Edwards's 1959 book Stranger Than Science which talks about Stilwell hearing voices which guided his actions from the age of 15; they told him for example that he would marry a woman named Genevieve Wood before ever having met her. This book, a collection of "Believe it or not"-type stories, certainly doesn't constitute a credible reference, but at least it shows there's some history to the "Brownie" claim and that it isn't the work of vandalism. --Screator 18:33, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

Interesting find. I wonder if I can get a copy at my local library... Slambo (Speak) 18:54, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

Brad Steiger has a new essay on this [1]. I'd imagine we can source the Arthur Conan Doyle quote "had greater and more important psychic experiences than any man of his generation" (pity there are no sources to help us out). (Emperor (talk) 18:01, 26 February 2008 (UTC))

His claims to have been helped in his career are well documented in his published writing and biographies such as that by Keith Bryant, 1971. The Gulf Coast Museum also mentions it in their biography. I have added the claims and a citation. Lumos3 (talk) 15:40, 24 January 2010 (UTC)

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Brownies

In 1895 Arthur decided not to close on a $3,000,000 option to buy the Houston, East and West Texas Railway (HE&WT) the night before. He later claimed it was because of being visited by "brownies". This 231-mile railroad ran from Shreveport, Louisiana through Logansport, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, Livingston, Cleveland, Galveston, and to Houston, Texas. The price was far less than the plan to build from Shreveport to DeQuincy then into Sabine Pass, Texas.

Touted as dubious Stilwell stated that he was forewarned of a storm that would wipe out Galveston which happened in 1900. At any rate, had he purchased the HE&WT many towns south of Shreveport might not have been built.

The Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (KCP&G), which was changed from Kansas City, Nevada, and Fort Smith in 1892, was laying tracks towards Shreveport and south towards DeQuincy that was reached by 1897. When the railroad crossed the Sabine into Texas it was operated by the Texarkana and Fort Smith Railroad. Stilwell also had purchased the 16-mile Calcasieu, Vernon and Shreveport Railway that ran from Dequincy to Lake Charles. The Completion of the KCP&G - A Centennial History

While building railroads Stilwell also patented the A.E. Stilwell Oyster or Fish Car.