The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-22
HOKE HEARS THEN
CHOCTAW RAILROAD LOCATION I
WARMLY ARGUED.
Company, for the Town Of ShawDee'
and speed, for the Town OF Tecnm-
sch, Press the Claims OF Their Re-
spective Routes-Matter5 Left TO
Further Survey and Estimate.

Washinton, Dec. 21.-There was an
important hearing today before Sec
rotary Smith involving the right OF way
trouble between the Choctaw railway
and the town of Tecumseh. The hear
ing was attended by President Gown
of the road; ex-AssiStant Indian Com
missioner Armstrong, who is also con-
nected with the road; Governor Rem
frow and ex-United States Attorney
Speed of Oklahoma. Governor Rem
frow took no part in the controversy
except TO verify certain statements
made and both sides used him in this
way The officials of the road wanted
the secretary to approve the survey of
the company for running the road by
Shawnee and through the kickapoo
reservation and Mr.. Speed represented
the people of Tecumseh, VINO want the
road run through their town.
The survey of the company taking the
road through the town of Shawnee
leaves Tecumseh six miles to the south
and across the river and while 1t is
now the county seat it is estimated by
them, according to their statements
as appearing in petitions, that TO run
the road north of them would bring
about a loss to the town, finally result
ing in county seat troubles. The sur
vey, as submitted by the company, had
been approved some years ago by the
commission of Indian affairs and the
case was then carried to the secretary,
where the final hearing was today.
! For some days officials of the depart
ment have give time to the considera-
ton of the case and they in turn have
communicated their results and opin-
| ions to the secretary. In this way the
case developed until the secretary an
nounced that he was ready to give it
| personal hearing today.
The contest at times took on temper
| as the officials of the road insisted that
| they should be allowed to run their
| road where they should determine;
| they being Of the opinion that they
knew fairly we'll what they wanted to
| do. They also submitted the report of
| their engineer, Mr.. HinkIey, stating
| that 1t would cost 100000 more to To-
cate the road by the way of Tecumseh
than it would by Shawnee and would
| also make the road four miles longer.
This was offered as a substantial OBJ
! lection to being forced to run the road
| south of the river.
In opposition MI Speed held that he
| did rot believe that the line would be
| heightened that much by running the
road by Tecumseh nor did he believe
|
as represented. He suggested that he
would be willing to have an outside
engineer make survey and allow the
| secretary to have the data thus secured
placed before him.
| After two hours wrangling the secre-
| tary stated that he would ask James
| Dunn of Topeka, chief engineer of the
| Santa Fe. to name a man TO make Il
survey; that the work should be done
| as soon as possible and should it APP
pear that the road would not be over
! three miles longer to run it by Tecum-
sch and should it appear that it would
/ not cost very much more to run the
road by Tecumseh he would order that
the road be built by that town.
| He would favor the county seat town,
believing that the best interests of the
county and community would be serv-
ed by forcing the road to run through
! the county seat town, providing 1t
would not work too great hardship
| 10 the company.
This decision appeared to be very
satisfactory to Mr.. Speed, representing
| Tecumseh, and the representatives o.
the company indicated that they would
not object to the disposition made OF
it, but at the same time they would
have preferred to have had the matter
settled in their favor now. Mr.. Gown
/ invited Mr.. Speed to appear before the
. directory of the road at Philadelphia
! where the matter will be taken up.