Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-04-24
srRoNG's Address

IRON me LaLe cyclone IN Minnesota E6uu-
ing discussion the house adjourned.
sTRONG's Address.
ADDRESS Delivered by President strong al
the annual meeting OF the santa Fe Di-
rectOrs.
THE ADDRESS.
The history of the Atohison, Topeka &
Santa Ee railroad company has been one Of
remarkable development and progress. 1t
has seemed to partake OF the Kansas spirit
of enterprise, a spirit which is not dauntsd
by any obstacle, nor discouraged by any olf-
ECuity.
1t has received from the people Of the
state generous treatment, and it has res
pended to that treatment by a faithful Oh
serVance Of its duties and obligations. The
career OF this company demonstrates that it
is sound policy to consider the interests OF
th5-publlc as equal with, If not paramount
to the interests of the stockholders, and
that meeting the Ia1r and reasonable ac-
ments of the former, tends to the ultimate
benefit of the latter. And here / desire to
add, that in my judgment, that after several
years observation and experience Of its
workings, the commissioner system, when
not exercised for mere political purposes, is
q wise and beneficial one, both for the peO-
pie and for the railroads
When, as in Kansas, able and honorable
men are selected who make railway matters
roads
RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THEIR LABORs,
and both learn, by being brought into
proper relations, that there is no necessary
antagOuism between them.
OF the operations of the company during
the past year, the printed report which is
now before you furnishes the usual infOrma-
ton. j VIII therefore only refer, and that
briefly, to the completion Of the California
Southern road from BarstOW, on the MOjaVe
A d
San Diego, on the Pacific coast, as the con-
summation Of the agreements which were
entered into January 3lst, 1880, to construct
and operate under the A. IL p. charter an in
dependent railroad line from albuquerque
by the most practicable route to the Pacific
coast. The Atchi5On company has thus kept
faith from first to last with those who
originally invested their money il the A. O. y
subscriptions on the strength of its promises.
j have the same faith IN the ultimate success
of this through line that I have heretofore
expressed.
As to the California Southern, it was only
opened for business It's entire length about
the first OF December, but for th8t month on
mileage Of the road between Cotton and Los
Angeles, over which the California Southern
has equal rights for business with the South
ern Pacific the gross earnings were
SIS, 600 AGAINST $1,000
the largest amount ever previously earned
OF the plans and purposes Of the company
for the future you are advised, and yet it
may not be improper TO refer to some OF
them. On the 9th of January last a circular
was issued to the stockholders (NO. 90 for
subscriptions to the Chicago, Kansas q
Western railroad company for building
about $50 miles of railway in Kansas, to be
auxiliary to the existing lines in this state
These new lines were projected TO meet the
demands OF traffic IN various portions of the
state, and were based upon, as stated in the
circular ''the rapid growth of the state Of
Kansas during the last two years" The
5uDscrlp L1OG5 were promptly made, the work
is already IN progress, and within the next
twelve months much territory that has here
tofore been without adequate railroad faciii-
ties VIII receive them; the present lines will
be strengthened and improved, and j trust
that both the public and the company viii
feel the beneficial effects Of tbs directors
action IN this respect.
A KANSAS INSTITUTION.
We are peculiarly and emphatically a
Kansas institution. Our prosperity depends
very largely upon the prosperity Of the state,
and all that contributes to that end will adj
vance the interests OF this company. 1t has
been an axiom with the company from the
hrst that IL should increase its mileage IN
Kansas as fast as the development of the
country would warrant But / am sure the
people OF TINS state would not be satisfied to
nave the AtchisOn, Topeka d Santa Ee rail-
road mere local line. 1t was projected on
q different pIan5 and however astonishing its
growth aud progress may SEEM it has only
WORKED out the destiny designed for It by its
founders. They were Kansas men, and if
you VIII look at the charter granted ia 1853
while Kansas was yet a territory, you viii
see that they had large views Of commerce
and trade. 1t provided not only for a line
a.. IN the direction of Santa Fe, " but for one
IN the direction of the Gulf OF Mexico, s"
not only the west but the south; not only
the Pacific ocean,
But THE GULF or 1IELICO
were the objective points TO which the pie
neeE railway builders looked. One Of them,
q. k Holiday, the first president Of the
company, and who has bsen director for
Nv eLlUy-EeFen years cOn55cutlVelyJ is still
with us; and am confident that no one felt
more satisfied than he when 10 was de-
cided that the Southern Kansas com
pany, controlled by the Atchison com
pauy5 would build into the Indian territory
to meet the Gulf, Colorado d Santa Fs rail-
way thereby forming a thorough line to the
Gulf Of Mexico at Galveston. The connec-
ton Wllls i expect be made In about twelve
mouths5 and the Atchisou- Topeka Il Santa
lie company VIII then be enabled to eL-
change business with another system extend
ing through and over one thousand miles Of
a valuable and fertile territory. regard
this as the beginning Of still brighter days
Tor the Atkinson company and as an assur-
ance 70 1t Tor a long aud prosperous career.
The advantages Of this connection 70 Kan
sass can hardly be estimated 1t VIII place
this
STATE on An EQUAL FOOTING
with California In the possession Of a direct
line 70 q seaport with the same advantages of
a water competition on business to and from
the Atlantic coast. 1t VIII guarantee 20 the
state and the company independent Of com
bInarI0us Of rival lines to close the doors of
trade against us, or 70 cripple or embarrass
our business. il VIII carry the products of
the state. and other traffic. 70 the open sea
and make our road more important factor
than ever in uherapid and continuous inter
change Of commodities, which, i'm these
days, ID the FIRST demand. il 81 another step
IL the march Of events which 20 destined to
make Kansas one OF the greatest states ia
union La tins connection j cannot refrain
from quoting the clear and expressive Ian
guags Of Chief Justice Horton, Of this state,
in his recent able opinion IN the Fischer
case. Railroads as all know are things OF
growth They enlarge with the development
Of the country; and railroadiug is a business
wherein progress is absolutely necessary. A
railroad cannot stand still; i must either
get or give up business; tt must make new
combinations open new territory, and Sc
cure new trGEac or lose Its business and re-
duce its revenue"
LEAl75-Co1lIIs-l llL u IELllEEE
j shah be expected 70 say something 10 re-
lation 20 the r1ptur8 Of the tEzu1-ccu-in
tai association and the var - rates which
has followed, the res possibility for both
having BEEN moss 1ls1 ull @