The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-11-19
THE WALNUT Valley RAILROAD
MEETING.
A colnp..ay orga.,lzed 70 Bnila Koa.

A Company Organized to Build = Road.
The railroad convention held at Edo
rado on Friday and Saturday last, was
proof of one thing at least, that the Wal
nut Valley is in dead earnest about hay-
Ing railroad. Whatever the difference
Of opinion as to the ways and means Of
obtaining 4 road, there was none as to the
ability and willingness OF the people OF
Butler aud Cowley 10 extend sufficient
aid, by bonds or otherwise, TO insure the
construction OF railroad throughout the
length of the valley. Delegates were
present from Arkansas City, Winfield,
Douglas, Augusta. Eldorado, Chelsea AID
Emporia, besides Col Holiday and Dir.
Lakin from Topeka in the interest of the
A. T. & s. F. and three or four citizens Of
Usage City in the interest of the Carbon
dale road.
The 4. T. & 5. F. directors spoke to the
people in honeyed words about the high
opinion their President Niekerson enter
tanned Of the Walnut Valley and the
willingness OF their company to take TN
consideration any proposition which the
people of the Valley might present to
to them, for the construction OF branch
Of their road from Cedar Point, although
they expressly diselaimed any authority
to bind the company il any way, or to
make any definite proposition one way or
the other.
The Usage City representatives told
what the Carbondale road is doing for
them, and promised in behalf of Judge
Usher, that after the completion OF his
road TO Usage City, he would extend 1t
southwest as fast as the people along the
line would obtain the right of way. grade
and tie the road bed and give it to him;
that he would prefer TO build down the
Walnut Valley on these conditions rather
than to go anywhere else; and that he ex-
pected to extend his road beyond Usage
City, but would go wherever the people
invited him in the manner above suggest
ed.
K. T. Bancroft and C. v. Eskridge pre-
sented the narrow gauge project in fun
and elaborate speeches Friday afternoon
and evening. Col. Plumb made an ex-
cellent sneech, good for either the extern
sion of the Carbondale road by the way Of
Emporia or the narrow gauge. Cowley
county seemed to be united in favor of the
narrow gauge road as being within the
means Of the people and sufficient to
transact all the business required Of any
road in the Valley and as promising
cheaper transportation than the standard
gauge roads have been in the habit of fur
nishing TO the people of Kansas. Butler
county was divided, Douglas seeming 10
favor the narrow gauge, Augusta lean
ing toward the Carbonate road. and 3
portion OF Eidorado rather tending to-
ward the a. T. & S. F. extension but will
ing to join with the rest of the Valley in
any enterprise that promised to "pan out''
a railroad within a reasonable time.
The discussions were brought to close
on Saturday at noon, by the adoption of q
charter and the organization of a railroad
company to build road from Imports
down the Walnut Valley to the line o.
the State, near Arkansas City, the char
being silent as to whether it shall be o.
standard or narrow gauge; this TO be dc
termined hereafter. The number of di
rectors is thirteen: p. u. Plumb, IL. c
Cross and A. A. Baker are the director:
chosen from Emporia; a. L. Redden, T
b. Murdoch, Eugene Akin, j. c. Becker
A. Cox and Neil Wilkie, from Butte
county, and j. c. Fuller,James E. Platten
j. c. McMuilen and s. z. Channell, from
| Cowley county. The directors are +
meet i'll Emporia on the Esd inst, for thei
first meeting.
All things considered, we are dispose'
to be satisfied with what was done at FL
dorado, although it is our firm conviction
that the narrow gauge road is the onl.
road that can be built at present, AM
that by united effort on the part of til
Walnut Valley and Emporia it can b
pushed through without unreasonable de
lay. And we believe further. that tn
sentiment of Emporia is decidedly in IA
vor of the narrow gauge, with scarcely
dissenting voice. \. G.