The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-05-06

| ports, and the only wonder is that dis
| aster has not overtaken them ere this
| Sush carelessness of the lives of labor
ers on the part of corporations is GRIM
| inal and should be punished to the
| full extent Ofthe law. RONNOCo.
THE CHICAGO, NEBRASKA AND KAN
SAS RAILWAY.
| From the Omaha News.
| Some three weeks ago Nr. Charles
G. p. Holden, of Chicago, authorized
by an association of Chicago capital
lists, organized for the purpose of FORM
ing a new and independent railway
company to build and operate rail-
road through the states of Nebraska
and Kansas, arrived in Lincoln, and
Immediately proceeded south into
Kansas, following a route which he
had blocked out upon the map. His
object, as learned by Nea0s reporter,
was to look over the proposed route,
feel the public pulse regarding aid for
the enterprise, to learn the
IMPORTANCE OF THE VAST COUNTRY
which the road proposes to penetrate
and to ascertain its commercial inipor-
lance as an investment.
Entering Kansas at q point east of
the center of Washington county,
which lies Immediately south of Jeffer-
son county, Neb, he passed through it
in sOuthwesterly direction, crossing
the northwest corner OF Clay and en-
tered Cloud county, passing through
its southeastern corner, bearing some
what west. He entered Ottawa, pass
ed through its southeastern half, still
bearing westward, striking Saline
county at its centre and following the
proposed line. going through the city
of Salina and crossing the Kansas Pa
cific railroad, which passes through at
that point. From thence he took a
more westerly course through the
southern portion of Ellsworth and into
barton county, of which Great Bend
is the county seat and chief city. At
this point he struck the A., r. 4 s. Fe
railroad, which, as the reader is aware
follows the course of the Arkansas
river east aud west. From this point
he went west through the counties of
Rush, Ness, Lane, Scott, Wichita and
Greeley, on the Colorado line. This
tier of counties is trayersed by the
Walnut, and most excellent rOad-bed
up the Walnut valley was found. Mr..
Holden says of the Walnut Valley,
that it is the most magnificent coun-
try that he has ever seen. From the
last named point he retraced his course
to Great Bend and Salina, and pro-
ceedled south through the western por-
ton of Mcpherson and entered Reno
county north of Hutchinson, on the
A., Il. & $. Fe X. r., which he crossed
here and continued on in a south
westerly direction through the cOun-
ties of Pratt, COmanche and Clark to
its southern border on the line of In
dian Territory.
This was the end of Mr.. HOlden's
proposed optical survey, and from
this point he began his business Oper-
ations, having satisfied himself that
THE ROUTE is FEASIBLE,
and even very advantageous, and hav-
ing also found the country literally
well settled i'm every county above emu
merated, principally by hOmesteaders,
who all seemed to be i'm very comfort
able circumstances, with fields OfgrOw-
ing grain and herds Of cattle and swine
about them. Barbour county, which
lies Immediately east of the proposed
route, contains no less than 100000
head of stock and several hundred
thousand sheep. The Indian Territory
just south of the present proposed ter
minus, is literally alive with cattle
and sheep, in fact il is the greatest cat
tie country in the world. He also
gathered some interesting statistics
which we insert below, as they served
to convince him that a road into this
region would be paying investment
from the very first.
Reno county has growing at present
no less than $1,000 acres Of winter
wheat, Mcpherson county 81 900 acres,
Saline 1900 acres, Ellsworth 1000
acres, Lincoln % 600 acres, Barton, 49,
600, Ottawa AZ, 600 acres. As this is a
very favorable season, the recent copi-
Gus rains having fully insured an
| abundant harvest, the above figures
will at once show to the reader as they
| did to Mr.. Holden, that the carrying
trade from this region, the very heart
of the great state Of Kansas, must of
necessity be very large,
This in addition to the vast cattle
| business of the country south, east and
west of the proposed terminus, caused
| Mr.. Holden to take immediate steps
| TO lay his plans before the people OF
| the counties selected for the new road
In this rather delicate business he was
ehtireiy successful. Mass meetings
were held In each OF the counties anu
the boards oil trade OF the different
| cities and towns convened and in every
instance were hoerai donations made
10 ald what they all regarded as the
most important project ever advanced
IN the matter OF railroad connection
MT. hoidehs return Trip was perfect
TRIUMPHAL MARCH.
Everywhere n. WAS received with OMEN
arms and uromises of abundant aid OF
which TO give our readers some idea
we will merely mention that for 3I5
miles through counties i'm Kansas no
was guaranteed 81 an per mile and
right OF way.
The penple everywhere seemed 10
| realize the great inheritance of a ,,irec,
| connection with Chicago ria some one
| of the great lines now centerinp ar
| Omaha and this Mr.. Holden was nre-
nared Ia guarantees them. They ai.o
realized the importance of a direct con-
nection with the great lumber line
fnom the north as the only practical
solution of the yexed oue,fion of high.
nr;cei bnildiny material These I'd
vontaues as we'll ne a direct nassen0er
route 10 Chicago. were 60 great fhaf
the people arose as one man and said
II