The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-12-18
THE WICHITA AND wEsTERN.
A Proposition Involving Vast Interests.

peka ana SANTA re ROAD nave dSheu
the court to allow them to cease oper-
| ating certain branch lines or eXten-
sions. They desire to eleminate the
lines from the system because they
claim that they do not pay At least
they cannot be made to bear the bur-
dens imposed in the past and TO pay
their operating expenses additional.
Among those mentioned are the Mid
land and the Wichita and Western.
neither of which were built as Santa
| Fe branches, and which were far more
desirable as auXilliaries TO the Frisco,
when it was an independent line, than
| they can be 10 the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe. The claim that branch
lines do not pay is easily made, and by
| juggling of figures the claim can be
made TO appear truthful. but such
! branches are often robbed Of their
| true portion of the earnings, used
purely as feeders, when if they were
run independent their portion, on the
amount Of business they do, would rep
resent fair earnings. Then again,
when it is considered that the business
that branch lines turn over to trunk
line it renders branches desirable,
even if they have to be operated at
little or no profit The fact that the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
touches at many of the points on the
lines they pro- ose to abandon, may
have good deal to do with their effort
to let go of these so-claimed unproft-
able lines. IL there are any Of the eX-
tensions that do not pay now that ever
did pay, it is but temporary trouble.
Certain it is that the Wichita and
Western and the Midland both, within
two years were furnished more wheat
than they could find cars and motive
power to move as fast as it was offer
ed. These lines traverse one of the
richest agricultural countries in the
world, and because of n few unfavOr
able years they are found to be unable
to show business enough to meet all
the burdens and expenses imposed by
the trunk line they are to be abandon
ed. Before these roads are wiped out
of existence it should be demonstrated
whether they could be profitably oper-
ated, either as Independent lines or as
feeders for some other road than the
one that desires TO abandon them. Ac-
cording to published statements, the
Wichita and Western showed a net
earning over and above fixed charges
and operating expenses, more recently
than any other road in central or west
ern Kansas. This is 4 serious matter,
and all the facts should be thoroughly
investigated,-s for Il large num-
Der of people and for many interests.
During the regime of Mr.. Manvii
he repeatedly declared the Wichita and
Western ought to he extended from
AIullinville to Dodge City, thereby saw
ing some thirty-five miles from Wich-
ita and all points east to st. Louis,
over the Frisco, TO Western Kansas,
Colorado, New Mexico and the Pacific
coast. The reason that this was not
done was because of limitations and
embarrasSments imposed by the Santa
Fe before it purchased the Frisco. 1t
can hardly be believed that the Santa
Fe system would voluntarily surrender
sition road. or allow it to go into the
hands of an independent organization,
that might turn its business over 10
competing lines. The business men
of Wichita know that the Wichita and
Western originates enough business to
make its operating profitable, and
would gladly undertake 10 operate the
road if turned over to them, they TO be
allowed reasonable proportion of mo-
tive power and rolling stock, or other
wise be permitted to pay a reasonable
rental or charge for it.
To deprive the people who have built
their homes along the one hundred and
twenty-Seven miles of the Wichita and
Western, and to blast the towns that
have been built because of the road is a
matter that should not be lightly pass
ed over, and should never be adversely
upon at least, until a nominal service
had been tested and found unprofit-
able. A good many business concerns
in Kansas have been compelled TO run
at Il loss in bad crop years and they
have faith enough in the state to do so
even when they could remove their
are and should be of necessity perma-
nent, therefore temporary matters
ought not 10 force them to lay down
Many of the roads of Kansas were
built upon prospects and the future
was discounted and they should be
compelled to carry out their contracts
or turn their property over 10 those
who are willing TO do so. Again. Z
great deal of the money realized upon
this So-called Improbable property.
has been diverted 10 other uses than
developing and operating it. II Kan
saS lines were bonded and re-bonded
TO build expensive lines in Colorado or
New Mexico, it is no fault Of the state
that their stock has become worthless.
Railroads are not the only species of