The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-12-10
Completion of the U. P. South
ern Branch Railroad
to EmpOria.
We really have a Live Railroad.
THE CARS HAVE COME !
a LITTLE SCRAP OF HISTORY.
THE IRON HORSE SNORTETH THRO'
THE NEOSHO VALLEYI
ALL THE PEOPLE PLEASED

The latter part of last week it was
announced that the track-layers on the
Southern Branch Railroad would reach
here on Sunday or Monday. Few cred
tied this report. Others went out to
where the force of hands were laying
track and become convinced. Saturday
night it was announced that the track
was within half a mile of the Neosho
bridge, and that the hands were going
to run in on us Sunday. Sunday hun
dreds of people visited the workmen
north of town. In the afternoon they
ran out of ties and iron, and were COM
PEELED to stop. The supply train came
in Sunday night and the track was COM
pleted to the depot grounds Monday.
Many people remained near the bridge
Sunday night until the supply train
crossed, and greeted it with boisterous
cheers, which were distinctly heard in
town. The people were overlooking
with joy. Every man we saw, includ-
ing the one reflected by tho mirror, felt
just like four year old boy with new
boots. Here many had been watching
for this event for twelve or thirteen
years, subject to all the hopes and dis
appointments of that long period-and
it had at last come! It was difficult tC
realized Our mind reverted to that day
in June 1857, when the first railroad
meeting was held in Emporia. Johr
o. Wattles made a speech. We were
than ouikat;nor tho A rnaxy rAo1 10 ho
made a horseback survey of the route
We remember of quarreling, that day
with a citizen because he would not ad
NIT that the Arney road would be bull
in less than five years from that time.
The Neosho Valley, or Southern
Branch Union Pacific, road was on
provided with grant of lands in the
original system of roads in the bill
passed by Congress in 1868. In tina
bill it was provided for as brancl
road from where the Atchison, Topek;
& Santa Fe road should cross the Neo
sho to an intersection with the Calves
ton road where it should cross the Ne
osho. The bill was afterwards amend
ed and the road extended to an inter
section with the Kansas Pacific. Othe
amendments were afterwards effected
which made it an independent road. II
1866 it received an additional grant o
I25,000 acres of land from the Stat
grant for internal improvements. Ac
cording to the terms of the bill tn
franchises of this road were held by tn
A, Il. s. S. F. Co.
The first attempt of the people o
the Valley to avail themselves of tn
benefits of these rich franchises wa
made in series of meetings held in tn
Valley in the spring and summer o
1864. At the instance of prominen
men throughout the Valley, conven
ton was called at Ottumwa, COTE,
county, on the 9th of March, of tina
year. Two delegates were allowed t
each representative district. A. G
Proctor and the editor of this pape
were the delegates from Emporia. G
R. Harper, F. r. Page, J. II. Hunt, +
B. Maxson and r. w. Randall repre-
sented the balance of this county. Co
Goss was a delegate, and at this meet
ing manifested that earnestness whic
has characterized his efforts in its be
half ever since. In this convention Ly
on. Coffey and Woodson counties wer
fully represented. Resolutions wer
adopted in favor of forming a separat
company for the Valley road; askin
the A. T. & S. #. road to relinquish I
the local company fair proportio
of the franchises; asking an extensio
of the road to Fort Riley, etc. N.
Goss, p. B. Maxson and j. M. Rank
were appointed committee to confe