The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1882-02-02
JAY GOULD AND WICHITA.

The dispatches of Thursday morning last
conveyed to the world the intelligence that
the struggle between the A., T. 4 S. F. peo'
of the st. Louis 4 San Francisco road had
resulted in victory for Could. This was a
contamination long and deyoutly wished by
some, and dreaded by others. The news
sent the Frisco stock up several points, but
did not depress Santa Fe stock. ST. Louis
robed herself in sack cloth and ashes and
walled mournfuIly. Gould owns the big
bridge, the union depot and the Missouri Pa
ciic Railway and now now he has gobbled
her last favorite Independent line built St.
Louis money. We are inclined to think the
old fogy city kicked before she was pr;cked
II she will but follow her new proprietors
lead she may yet regain her prestige.
As for Wichita, she has been longing for a
Gould connection 10 these many days, and
now, without effort, cost or sacrifice of any
character she simply opens her eyes and
reads: s'Gould has reached Wichita and the
Arkansas Valley Aud there seems little
or no doubt of its truth.
What the result of this new move will be,
or how IT will affect our city and county we
are not prepared to answer. The two great.
est railway corporations in the West, il not
in the world, are now ours, or, we are theirs
time will determine which. Through COM
promises, concessions and trades the Gould
interest has heretofore been kept out of this
valley. He has threatened, run surveys, and
talked extensions for three years, but after
the A T. & S. f. people secured a half in
terest in the Atlantic & Pacific road and fran
chses, and after the consolidation of that
portion of the road west of Albuquerque,
| that he should succeed in reaching the valley
without building any road, was no doubt a
| surprise TO everybody. 1t has been over two
weeks since it was positively asserted that
| the Santa Fe people had secured a control
| ing interest in the Frisco. Upon the whole
we are inclined 10 the idea that the coup d'etdt
| augurs good for Wichita and Sedgwick coun-
clear. it can mean nothing worse. II the
Gould interest does control the Frisco road
| il is very certain to our mind that that inter-
est will not be satisfied with a connection
with the A., I Il 5. F. either at this point or
az Halstead. And taking into consideration
the fact that the Vinita Branch of the Attain
tic & Pacific con only be pushed through the
Indian Territory at create xpense and trouble
| from the Indians, II would seem the wisest
thing for Mr.. Gould 10 extend the present
Wichita terminus on west to a connection
with the other end of the road at Albuquerque
at which point he could force division Of
all east-bound through freights. Such a
road from Wichita west TO albuquerque
would traverse an unoccupied and far bet
ter country than that along the A., L. & S.
f., besides tapping all the Texas cattle trails
for three hundred miles. 1t would take in
all the southern line of counties and run
through the Pan Handle of Texas aud
| through the new mines OF Mexico. 1t would,
in short, be the most direct and shortest line
of trans-continental railway yet projected.
From St Louis TO the Pacific Ocean would
be an air line. The next best or most likely
| thing for the Gould interest TO do, in our
opinion, would be western extension of
the Frisco road from Wichita TO a eonnec-
ton with the A., T. & 5. f. at or near Dodge
City.
As TO the general railroad situation and
ownership, as gathered from the papers and
dispatches, We should judge that upon d.
vision Of the purchase Gould takes the st.
Louis 4 San Francisco. and Huntington, of
the Central Pacific, takes the Atlantic Il Pa
ciie extension. The latter will still be run
in connection with the A.. T. & s. +. What
Gould will do with his present connection,as
We before stated, remains TO be determined,
so far as the public is concerned. The Com
naoBWeaith, in speaking of the situation, truth
fully observes that Jay Gould and c. p.
Huntington own the road from San Francis
co TO Omaha; Gould and Huntington own
the line from San Francisco via FL Paso to
ST. Louis the same gentlemen own the st.
Louis & San Francisco. the Atlantic g. Paci-
fic and the Central Pacific, which gives them
the third through line across the continent,
save aad except that portion of the Santa Fe
between Vichta and albuquerque. which
forms the connecting link. As it would take
at least five years for any railroad company
now organized TO build a road to the Pacific
coast it is very evident that the Gould Hunt
iugton syndicate have the monopoly of The
overland business for that length oil time.
We shall not iail to make note of the next
move IN this interesting game.