The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-08-12
OVER THE A. T. & y. F. r. r. TO
TOPEKA AND BACK.

We took flying trip to the Capital on
Thursday of last week. 1t was real
treat to ride on the cars once more, for
it had been over a year since we had
been drawn by the iron horse. The
pleasure was all the more felicitous
from the fact that the A. T. & Santa Fe
road is one of the smoothest over which
it has ever been our fortune to pass. 1t
is source of great satisfaction to the
people along the road, as it is a matter
of no small pride to the officers ana
proprietors that this is one of the best
constructed roads in the country. The
bridges across the streams are staunch
and safe, the culverts are strong and Sc
cure, while the ties are all large and of
hard wood, and the rails, from Emporia
to Carbondale, extension rails, being
closely joined. We were gratified at
the large amount of travel on this road.
There was but one passenger car attach
ed in the morning, but it was well fill
ed, there being no vacant seats return
ing, there were two carriages for the
accommodation of travellers, and the
seats were nearly all occupied.
The road, a short distance from the
corporate limits of Emporia, reaches
the bottom lands of the Neosho, over
which it stretches to the distance of
about two miles before coming to the
river. Stopping on the bridge to water
our thirsty steed we have little time
to examine the bridge. 1t is a fine
structure, built of heavy timber, while
the masonry is certainly a great credit
to the mason. Leaving the stream, we
leave also the bottom, and launch forth
upon the high upland prairie, over
which we speed at the rate of twenty
miles per hour. The first station we
come to is a station an future. Only a
very active and an imaginative mind,
whose fancy, contemplating wilder
ness, can, in moment, change it to a
London or a Paris, and really believe
such mutation near at hand, is capa-
Bile of taking in at one glance the whole
length and breadth of this town, and
telling you the number of its hamlets.
Ours is of the slow, practical kind, and
hence we did not see much of the city.
In fact, we saw only a pine board
stuck in the ground at the side of the
road whereon we read "HdTTiSburg."
The prairie has splendid surface, but
slightly broken into waves of ridges,
and well calculated for fine, prosperous
farms that shall soon be extending their
fences parallel with and angular to the
iron arms of the track. This beautiful
prairie must soon be settled. 1t will
grow waving fields of oats, wheat and
and therefore will soon be cultivated.
Five years hence the traveller over this
road will find the monotony of these
prairies most ruthlessly invaded by
thriving farms and villages. Our next
station is Horton, where the railway
company have built very fine depot
Without stopping to mention all the
stations we will say that of five or six
between this place and Burlingame
Usage City has attained the largest
growth. 1t is quite a little burg, and
has sprung up since the completion Of
seen Burlingame for one year, and were
quite astonished at the rapid growth il
has made in that time. 1t has at least
doubled its size of one year ago. We
should have been pleased to have stop
ped and observed the place more mi
nutely. The school building on the hill
to the west of town is fine structure
and speaks volumes for the enterprise
of the people.
Our stay in Topeka was so short anG
consequently SO unsatisfactory that WI
shall have but little to say in references
, to it. Remaining at the Kansas Pscifi'
depot for the arrival of the eastward
bound train, we had hardly time to pas
!, through town and reach the A. I.
Santa Fe depot in time for the 2 o'clocl
, train that was to take us back to Empo
( ria. We noticed, however, many indi
5 cations of Improvement in the cit,
since our last visit, one year ago. Sew
e eral fine business blocks, numerou
: stately residences and a few publ
q buildings have made their appearance
{ adding much to the thrift, beauty an
: establishment of our capital city, q
: which every citizen of Kansas is justl
e proud. We think Topeka is alread
f one of the most beautiful cities west c
e the Mississippi, and some day it win b
Il universally esteemed as superior to an
T other in this regard. 1t is q pleasure I
walk along her beautiful streets, so ger