The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-08-25
OUR RAILR0AD IEgEREsgs,
The Necessity for Immediate and Uni
ted Action.
LETrER FRon COZ. PLUMB.


Recent events hate, I think. demonstra-
ted that the Railroad ''system'' of Kan
sas is approaching compilation. In my
judgment the road that is not in process
of active construction in twelve months
from this time, will not be built in the
next ten years. By th e aid Of Government
or foreign capital. II built at all, ii will
Re done wholly by the people Immediately
interested therein II We do not very
shortly secure government aid to build
our Southern Branch OF the Union Pa
| clfic Railroad, via the Neosho. Valley.
Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texss will be,
seeking connection with the main line.
via the Arkansas Valley at somsPoint far,
Their West than Fort Riley. If We dc. not
soon interest foreign capital in our r,ads.
that capital will be employed in building
rival roads, ct will, at least, be interested
in other roads of the State TO such extent
as TO preclude the possibility of help from
that quarter. These statements are cor,
rect whether applied TO one or ali of the
roads in which the people of Lyon county
have. heretofore, interested themselves.
The people of the Northern tier; the
counties west from Atchison; the Kaw
Valley, the B order tier and the counties
south from Lawrence, all either have
roads already operating, or in process Of
construction. Now it may be. perhaps.
that no one of these roads has interests
in direct conflict with the roads in which
we are interested, but it is nevertheless
true that they are absorbing the attention
and interest of capitalists TO an extent
detrimental to the interests of our roads.
These roads viii soon aggregate to them
selves the monetary and political power
of the State. which will, of course, be
used in opposition to all similar enterpris-
ss not directly subsidiary to theirs.
The NeosIo Valley is, then, the only
considerable portion Of the State unpro-
vided with Railroad or the INN edia:e
prospect of one. Three several compa-
mics, it is true, are organized with the
expressed purpose Of building roads into
the valley; but not one of which possess
es the present means of commencing liz
enterprise. The Lawrence and Emporis
Company has the promise of a large
amount Of bonds tOhen 1t builds the road
kind of aid wholly unavailable, and
which operates simply as drawback or
, the operations of the Company. No cap
italist will advance money on bonds tc
be issued only on the happening of 4
certain event, County bonds properly
issued, and in hand, will be at discount
enough: those yet to be issusd are of no
value whatever.
The St. Louis and Santa Fe Railroad
Company is, as yet, wholly without
means. Up to the time of the passage
of the bill extending the Union Pacific
up The Smoky Hill there was strong
probability of its being able to enlist in
its behalf the influence of prominent cap
italists and Railroad men and the com
bin,d capital and influence of the coun
ties through which twas to pass. But
these expectations have been, given up
for the present, at least. In time, the
road will doubtless be built. It is i'm
portant as an eastern connection, and
would be of UNNECESSARILY superior ad
vsntage over the Lawrence road; but un,
less it can be built soon, it is not worth
while wasting our strength on it now.
The Union Pacific. Railroad, South
ern Branch Company, organized TO con
struct Railroad from Fort Riley dowr
the Valley to Fort Smith, is in posses
sion of a grant of public lands made BY
Congress to the Atchison, Topeka anC
Santa Fe Railroad Company. and by thai
Company recently transferred to the for
mer Company. 1t has, also, 125,OoC
acres of State lands, granted by the Leg
islature last winter; AMI a recent dona
ton of ten sections to the mile and RICH
of way through all public and Iudiar
lands. made by Congress. This land en-
dowEent, however, depends largely fol
its value upon the early construction o
the road. The lands can only be sold as thu
road is completed in sections often miles
aud at all events their value is but nom
inal until some portionlof the road is il
active operation, with a surancs of tn,
+ speedy construction of the remainder
The Company had, last winter. FIVE sgsnu
in Washington pressing it's claims upor
Congress for recognition as the S6ptberr
Branch of the Union Pacific road. will
similar endowments. The absence o
Representatives from the South, was ID,
main, il not the sole obstacle, il being
generally conceded that the South should
have connection with The main PaciG.
road. and that the NeOsho Valley furn
ished the present most feasible louts