Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-24
srRONG,s ADDRESS.
Adareee Delivered by President Strong at
the annual meeting of the santa Fe d.
R0nturS.

AdArses Delivered by President Strong q
the annual meeting Of the Santa Fe ID
Festors.
THE ADDRESS.
The history of the Atchison, Topeka
Santa Fe railroad company has been one Q
remarkable development and progress. l
has seemed to partake of the Kansas spiri
az enterprise, q spirit which is not dauntei
By any obstacle, nor discouraged by any diff
dculty.
pended to that treatment by a faithful OBJ
servance of its duties and obligations. The
career of this company demonstrates that it
In soupd policy to consider the interests OF
the public as equal with, if not paramount
to the interests of the stockholders, and
that meeting the fair and reasonable &C
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
awise and beneficial one, both for the peo-
pie and for the railroads.
When, as in Kansas, abe and honorable
men are selected who make railway matters
constant study, both the state and the rail-
roads
RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THEIR LABORs,
and both learn, by being brought into
proper relations, that there is no necessary
antagonism 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. will therefore only refer, and that
briefly. to the completion of the California
/ Southern road from Barstow, on the Mojave
! division of the Atlantic IL Pacific railroad, to
San Diego, on the Pacific coast as the con-
summation of the agreements which were
entered into January 3lst. 1880, to construct
nd operate under the A. il p. charter an in
spendent railroad line from Albuquerque
the most practicable route to the Pacific
tst. The Atchison company has thus kept
h from first to last with those who
inally invested their money in the A. & p
criptions on the strength of its promises.
2 the came faith in the ultimate success
- through line that | have heretofore
0eed.
- the California Southern, it was only
..,.hed for business its entire length about
the first of December, but for thst month on
q mileage of 278 miles, which includes half
mileage of the read between Cotton and Los
Angeles, over which the California Southern
has equal rights for business with the South
ern Pacific, the gross earnings were
$4,000 AGAINST $4,000,
the largest amount ever previously earned
in any one month on a mileage of 13O miles.
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 circular
was issued to the stockholders (No. Sd for
subscriptions to the Chicago, Kansas d
Western railroad company for building
about 45o 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
subscriptions 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 facili-
ties will receive them; the present lines will
be strengthened and improved, and | trust
that both the public and the company will
feel the beneficial effects of the directors
action in this respect.
KANSAS INSTITUTION.
We are peculiarly and emphaticaily
Kansas institution. Our prosperity depends
very largely upon the prosperity of the state,
and all that contributes to that end will ad-
vance tho interests of this company. 1t has
been an axiom with the company from the
first that it should increase its mileage in
Kansas as fast as the development of the
country would warrant. But am sure the
have the Atchison, Topeka d Santa Fe rail-
road mere local line. 1t was projected on
different plan, 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 will look at the charter granted in 1859
while Kansas was yet territory, you will
see that they had large views of commerce
and trade. 1t provided not only for line
Sin the direction of Santa Fe," but for one
Tin the direction of the Gulf of Mexico"
net only the west but the south; not only
the Pacific ocean,
BUT THE GULF OF MEXICO
were the objective points to which the pio-
neer railway builders looked. One of them,
@. x. Holiday, the first president of the
company, and who has been a director for
twenty seven years consecutively, is still
with Us; and am confident that no one felt
more satisfied than he when it was de-
cided that the Southern Kansas CON-
pany, controlled by the Atchison COM
pany, would build into the Indian territory
to meet the Gulf, Colorado d Santa Fe rail
way, thereby forming thorough line to the
Gulf of Mexico at Galveston. The connec-
ton will. l expect, be made in about twelve
months; and the Atchison, Topeka IL Santa
Fe company will then be enabled to ex-
change business with anothersystem extend
ing through and over one thousand miles of
Q valuable and fertile territory. / regard
this rs the beginning of still brighter days
for the Atchison company and as an assur-
ance to it for long and prosperous career.
The advantages of this connection to Kan
sas can hardly be estimated. 1t will place
this
STATE ON AN EQUAL FOOTING
with California in the possession of direct
line to a seaport, with the same advantages of
water competition on business to and from
the Atlantic coast. 1t will guarantee to the
state and the company independent of COM
binations of rival lines to close the doors of
trade against us, or to cripple or embarrass
our business. 1t will carry the products of
the state. and other traffic, to the open sea
and make our road a more important factor
than ever in the rapid and continuous inter
change of commodities, which, in these
days, is the first demand. 1t is another step
In the march of events which is destined to
make Kansas one of the greatest states in
unlon. In this connection cannot refrain
from quoting the clear.and expressive Ian
guage of Chief Justice Horton, of this state,
In bis recent able opinion in the Fletcher
case: Railroads, as all know, sre things of
growth. They enlarge with the development
OF the country; and railroadiug is business
wherein progress is absolutely necessary. A
railroad cannot stand still; it must either
get or give up business; it must make new
oombsnations, open new territory, and Sc
cure new traffic or lose its business and re-
duce its revenue"
TRANs-o0NTNENTAL RUPTURE
shall be expected to say something in re-
htion to the rupture of the trans continen-
. tai association and the war of rates which
4 has followed, the responsibility for both
having been most unjustly placed upon this
4 company.
mn