The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-06-07
THE NEXT RAILROAD.


of the I'd inst. We make the follow
ing extracts from the report of the
Board IF Trade in that city:
There was q large attendance at
the Board OF Trade Rooms yester-
day afternoon, to hear the report
ofthe committee appointed to pro-
coed to Emporia and Ottawa, and
visit points intermediate between
them, to learn all the facts bearing
on the proposed railroad connec-
ton between them. Not only was
there large attendance of mem
bers of the Board, but there was
also a goodly array of citizens.
After General Powell had call
ed the Board to order, Judge
Holmes proceeded to read the re-
port of the committee, as follows:
To the Board of Trade of the
City ofKansas:
The undersigned committee ap-
pointed by your body to go to EN-
poria and Ottawa and intermediate
points between those places in the
State of Kansas, to interview the
people, pass over the route, and
gather such facts as they could in
reference to contemplated rail
road between the points named,
submit the following report.
Your committee left Kansas City
on Tuesday morning on the X. 2.
r. W., and proceeded via Topeka
on the A. T. q S. F. r. R., arrived
at Emporia the same evening, and
were cordially met and Hospitality
entertained by the citizens of EN-
poria, whom we found earnestly
enthusiastic in favor of direct
railroad communication with Kan
sas City.
Your committee was accompan-
led by committee appointed by
the citizens of Emporia, over the
proposed line from Emporia to
Ottawa. Tho distance between
said points is about sixty miles,
traversing for nearly the entire dis
lance the valleys of the Neosho
and Marais DIES Cygnes rivers.
From Ottawa the line would fol-
low the valley of the Marias des
Cygnes to a point within 26 miles
of Emporia, where the line would
cross over an easy grade to the
valley of the Neosho, and thence
up the valley to Emporia.
Your committee would state that
the country to be traversed by the
contemplated line of road is unoc-
cupied by any other line of road
now in operation; is rich in agri-
cultural and coal resources, and
would furnish heavy local bust
ness.
The importance to Kansas City
OF securing the completion and
control of road on said line can
hardly be over estimated. It
would draw one of the richest val
leys in Kansas, from Ottawa to
Emporia, at the latter place con
Meeting with A. T. & S. f. r. r.,
which runs in a westerly direction
up the Cottonwood valley, and up
the valley of the Arkansas river to
the western line of the State of
Kansas. At Emporia there is a
company organized to construct
a road from Emporia down the
Walnut valley (said to be one of
the richest in the State) to the Ar
kansas river at Arkansas City.
Your committee found the citi-
zens of Emporia and Lyon coun-
ty earnestly in favor of a direct line
of road with the City of Kansas,
as were the citizens of Usage and
Franklin counties, on the line of
the proposed road.
From the best information your
committee, could obtain from rep
resentative men on the line of the
road, there is but little doubt that
county and township aid to the
amount of about $250,0o0 could
be obtained toward the construc-
ton.
Your committee cannot too
strongly urge upon you, and
through you, upon the citizens of
our city the necessity and impor-
lance of using every effort to Sc
cure the construction of line of
railroad on the route proposed, to
be run in the interest of our city.
Your committee believe, from
the character of the line, the cost
OF grading the road ready for the
ties would not exceed $4,000 a
mile
If the present favorable oppor-
tunity is let slip, a road within
the Judgment of your committee
viii be built on said line in connec-
ton with other lines of road, that
must be operated adversely to our
interest.