The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-07-30
THE SOUTHWESTERN QUE.
LEE

LET.
The Eureka Herald says of the
proposed narrow gague railroad
from Emporia to thee Snthwest:
An Emporia connection is just as
good as any, as the Santa Fe road
has a Chicago and 8 Kansas City &
st. Louis outlet. The NJ, X. s. T.
connection would be made just as
well there as any where else. We
should prefer . broad guage, of
course, but q narrow guague bea's 9
dirt pike considerably. We should
like to see the enterprise worked
up, and will do what we can to help
it.
What we wish to call attention 10
is the Herald's statement that an
"Emporia connection is just as good
as any" We think . glance at the
map will show that it is Lot only the
rery best of any, but lie only one
that the Southwest can afford to try
to make.
Leaving the interests of Emporia
in another railroad out of the ques-
ton, admitting for the sake of the
argument, that Emporis does not
need or desire another railroad to
the South west in place of its wagon
trade, it is none the less evident that
The Southwest needs railroad to
Emporia, and should unite all its
energies TO build one hers. We
wish therefore 10 impress upon our
Southwestern iriends, for their own
benefit, the importance TO them Of
reaching this point in preference to
any other NithiRatiIeir reach.
The first, and always the most
important consideration, is COMPETE
ton on freights and fares. Empo-
ria is.the only place in Southwestern
Kansas that possesses this advan-
tage. 1t is the only point where the
a., T. 6 5. F. and the NJ, X. & T.
railroad tracks cross each other, and
the only point where they compete.
1t is well known that cattle men
have driven their herds from Cot
tonwood Falls to ship on the NJ, X.
s. T. road at Emporia, and few
days ago Burlington shipper drove
his cattle from that place to ship on
the a, T. s. S. f. at Emporia. Com
petition slone secures low freights.
A bird in the hand is worth a whole
flock In the bush. No town is GER
tain of q railroad, or if IL has one is
certain of another, until it gets it.
Burlington may have a railroad to
compete with the NJ, X. s. T. Cot
tonwood Falls or Usage City may
have railroads TO compete with the
A, T. Sc S. F., and they may also
have gold mines and diamond facto-
ries, and become national capitals
it is not what they may have that
the Southwest can afford TO venture
upon. EmpOria has two rival rail-
roads which are as likely to remain
rivals as are any two railroads in
the United States. There is nothing
in common and never can be be-
tween them. Here, 6nd here only,
can the southwest rely upon rail-
road competitions. This is its near
est pOiRt to secure that all impor-
tant object.
So far as probabilities are con-
cerned, Emporia is also ahead. If
road was built from the Southwest
to this point. our then three roads
would. converge so mach Southwest
ern trade here that eastern capital
lists would very probably and speed
lily extend the railroad from Paola
to Emporia, and thus establish a
straight line from st. Louis here,
which would have great advan-
tage over both our present roads,
and force freights down TO a point
that no other city in this Sec
ton could expect. The nearer the
Southwest can bring a low freight
point TO itself, the better. We say
again, then, that whether or not it
is for Emporia's interest to build q
road Southw est, 1T is certainly to the
interest of the Southwest to build q
road to Emporia.