Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-16
WICHITA WAKES.
ANOTHER LINE TO THE GULF.
The Rock Islands Main Line to be
Extended to Galveston, With a
Branch to Central Texas.

The Rock Island railway built south this
summer from Caldwell to Pond Creek,
making the present terminus of her Wich-
ita line less than one hundred miles south
of this city. The agitation by Wichita
for the immediate opening of that terri
tory to settlement has awakened Interest
everywhere-interest aud jealousies to a
surprising extent. The Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific railway company cyl
IDENTIFY believe that whatever Wichita I'M
dertakes must go through. President
Low, in pursuance of an act of congress
granting the c., K. s. n. Railway COM
pany right of way across the territory,
has filed this week an application in the
Office Of Hon. c. G. Foster, United States
district judge for the district Of
Kansas, for the appointment of
referee to confer with two
others and decide upon the amount OF
damage to be paid by the railway COM
pany for the right of way for their line
through the Cherokee nation, in the In
dian Territory. The petition says that by
an act congress approved March 2, 1887.
the Chicago, Kansas & Nebraska Railway
company was granted the right to locate,
equip, construct, own and operate line of
railway through the Indian territory, be-
ginning at the city of Caldwell, in Sumner
county, and running to Fit. Reno, Indian
territory, and from that place by the most
practical route in the direction of Calves
ton, Texas, and another liue in the direc-
ton of Cisco, Texas. A map of the pro-
posed line was filed and approved by the
secretary of the interior and copy was
also filed in the office of Hon. John b.
Mayes, chief of the Cherokee nation. The
law provides that in case the construction
of the road is commenced before the mat
ter is settled, that $50 for each mile of road
constructed, be deposited in the office Of
the secretary of the interior. The company
has accordingly deposited 81, go as requir-
ed by law.
And twenty-three miles Of read south
from Caldwell has been built this past sea-
son and is now in operation.
The law also provides that three referees
shall be appointed to decide the amount of
damages One is to be appointed by the
president of the United States, one by the
chief of the Indian Nation; and one by the
president of the railway company con-
cerned, and that in the case of failure on
appointment, the matter will be left in the
hands of the United States district Judge
for the district of Kansas and Arkansas.
President Cleveland has appointed Hon.
VIM. A j. Sparks. of CARLYLE H., as chair
man of the board; President Low has
selected Hon. Samuel j. Crawford, of To
peka.
From this application, it will be seen
that this move of the Rock Island will in
stead of giving Wichita one additional line
across the territory in effect gives her two
more lines, as the application calls for a
condemnation for a second line from Reno
straight on in the direction Of Cisco, Tex,
the main line to go south thirty or forty
miles west of the Santa Fe and paralleling
that line into Galveston. In short with
the lines already built and with Gould's
Kiowa extention and the Missouri Pacific
main valley line, Wichita Will dominate
the entire portion of the territory con-
templated in and embraced by the
Springer-Weaye bill.
What's the matter with Wichita? She's
all right