The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-01-10
THE FORT SCOTT & Santa PE B. B
, Survey Of the Route to Eldorado.

] Ia Fe II. H. Mr. a. net, receptly mace
a survey of that road from Fort Scott to
EIdorado. in Butler county. from whose
report Ne extract The following:
On the line from Fort Scott TO Hum
boldt, a distance of forty, TWO miles. there
lie but one summit OF importance TO be
overcome, which am Of the opinion can
] be raised on grade of from forty to Fifty
! feet. per the mile by putting in slight
eurves. and will ray that thers, lie NO diff
Guilty iD getting q good road bed from
Fort Scott To- Humboldt on easy grades
aud light curves, .esasg 3, 4s.m rss Z
From Humboldt nv line of exAmina-
tipn ceptered westward, crossing the
| Neosho liver al Humbold: and sinking
| into the valley Of Owl creek. ,hence up
| The valley of Owl creek and the southern
branch Of the came, TO Belmont on the
fifth parallel, distance of eighteen miles
from Humboldt. 4-zf ~ =
From Belmont the line bears north-
westerly to point about one and one
/ quarter miles north of the 6fIn parallel,
striking and crossing the Veadigris river
at this point Thence about due west to
the mouth of Wolf creek st its junction
with Bachelor creek. From Belmont to
the point of crossing the Verdigris, | have
borne northwest for the purpose of strIk-
ling a natural passage and more easy
route, thus avoiding the hills which lie to
the southwark on more direct route be-
tween The Verdigris river and Walnut
creek. Thence, from the .Dorth of Wolt
creek, the line bears south-westerly, part
Nv I'D the valley of Bachelor creek. cross-
4 ~, ct 4 he
| course TO the village of Eureka. After
leaving Bachelor creek the line passes
over & gently undulsling prairie, very
rich and productive. to Eureka. on Fall
I :iver. a
The Fall river valley and surrounding
country, is, think, the most fertile and
the richest farming country which have
ever seen in Kansas. and the settlers are
remarkably iutelligenf, industrious and
en,erprising farmers. Lying directly west
of the crossing of Fall river at Eureka,
there is q range OF hills which caused me
to diverge southwark 10 a point one and
one quarter miles south of tie fifth paral
tlel, thence north westerly to the head
waters of Silver creek, thence continuing
North westerly to Flint Ridge. Here be-
tween The two last named points is the
: only real obstacle on the reported route
between Fort Scott and the Arkansas riv-
er. have explored three different routes
here, to reach the summit of Flint Ridge
and report this. not, however, as final, for
I am satisfied that nothing short of an in
strumental survey will determine the ex
act route.
After reaching this summit the route is
very easy. being gradual descent all the
way uutil you reach the Arkansas river.
Thence from Flint Ridge SUNNI: the line
bears eouth westerly to Eldorado, situated
! in section 8, town. &c. range 5.
Eureka is the county seat of Green
wood county, Eldorado is the county seat
of Butler county, and at both places there
: is excellent water powers, and the coun-
try between them is rich and fertile.
EIdorado is on the west bank OF Big
J Walnut creek, and from thence the lin.
runs south westerly to Towancs, situated
| on the east bank of Whitewater creek,
through very iicb, fertile and level prai'
RE country.
). Towanda lie located in sections is auC
= II. town. 26. range &. From Towanda
Il continue scuthWesterly to the mouth o
; the Little Arkansas river at it's junction
uitb the Arkansas river in section 8
town. 27. range /.
The Arkansas river is about five han
H.. ed feet vide at the mouth of the Littl
r. Arkansas. This point is about so mile
e west Of Fort Scott.
ID In passing over this route was paftie
n ularly impressed with the general feriiiIt
at and richness of the soil along the whol
" route, and its adaptation TO agriculture
y purposes.
al AS to the feasibility of the route. wi
- saw that we seem TO follow line Mhic
le, crosses low dividing ridges. we'll adap,e
10 the construction OF q road and runnIn
through a country which may be brief
described as a gently unduIating prair
country, meeting with no serious obst
cles excepting the Flint Ridge. befo
lb- me ptioned, aud think the route con
pares most favorsbly with any other pr
posed railroad route In the State.
I find uubounded enthusiasm amor
The Inhabitants along this route. aud
he general willingness TO do all in their pc,
'ek ersto encourage and assist the coustru
ton of the road. Every one seems
think and feel that this rodd is one whi'
"a the country absolutely wants and neec
As TO the business Of your road. q
,rd o. the opinion in1' :. - he one of .
~ largest paying roads in the Stale. In
one item OF Texas cattle alone, 1t vol
smount 10 train of so cars FER day
eyery day 10 the year. Allowing the
oks cal business of The road for expenses,
on nett receipts of the road would amour:
cps Sla5,OOO per month on the Texas cat
transportation alone. To this may
me added the transportation of merchant
Call and supplies for the west half of the
81 tdian Territory, northwestern Texas {
. the Santa Fs trade, which would incrs
H. the receipt 10 $3.50 per month, or 40
s3.O0O.OoO per year. l base my 81
rv~ a. Cattle calculation uRen Informal
derived frona Texas dreyers heIding Il
"a cattle at the mouth of The Little Arksr
IS river. They assure me that at least II
900 head of Texae cattle would pass c
nee, this road annually.
fall, The favori,escaitle drive from Yves
Texas is via Fort Arbuckle, in the lne
TAI Territory to the mouth of the Little
ESs kansas river immediately VEST oil the
principal meridian. west OF which
81. laws Of Kansas confne the Texas G
~ driver. and by shipping over your
It our Of road the Texas drovsr saves one !
~. drsd (IOOl miles of drive from the ina'
= of the Little Arkaneas river to the y
Pacific Railroad. At whatever point, }.
IT. J road may strike the Arkansas rive