The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-25
The Santa Fe Company, Says
President Ripley
To Journal" Reporter, VIII
Put 81, 100000
THE RAILROAD
Between the Present Time and
Next July.
Says the LeavenwOrth, Topeka
& s. w. May Be Closed.

ssBetween this time and next July the
Santa Fe company viii expend NH
lion and a half dollars for improve
ments.
This statement was made to Jour
nal reporter last evening by President
E. P. Ripley of the santa Fe. who has
been in the city attending the near ms
Of the Santa Fe receivership case Con-
tinuing, Mr. Ripley said:
THE road has been greatly improved
during the past three or four years, buI
more especially during the past year
In the past year nearly a million doi-
lars has been expended for improve
ments. We are practically putting Ine
money into the road alone. replacing
wooden bridges by substantial IRON
structures and laying new steel About
S400. 900 worth of new steel has been
contracted for which viii be lald ~ lne
spring. The majority of this rail viii be
laid on the Chicago division, put some
will be laid in Kansas and Colorado
But little of the improvements to be
made in the spring viii be in the way
Of new buildings. What buildings are
put up will be only Of minor import
ance, that is, with the exception q tne
new depot at Galveston Ground for
that has been procured, and a hand
some new building viii be erected.
~Wiu the improvements be the result
of the returning good times, was ask
ed
mot altogether We are now in a
position to improve the road and intend
man to take upon himself the role on
prophet, / believe that we should now
have several prosperous years Conh-
dence is returning, and even at this
early date the effect is to be seen to
some extent in freight traffic Merchants
appear to be stocking UP well for the
winter. and merchandise IS moving
What about the condition Of the
road?'
ssThe road is in a fairly prosperous
condition. said MI. Ripley. II feel sat
isfied over the years management, and
I trusk~tl1e public does. No railroad Ia
the state ef Kansas is at present pay
ing interest on the amount it COST 70
build it. or on the amount it would
cost to rebuild it now. The fact IS
there are too many railroads in kan
sas. Any one who has ever given this
matter any attention whatever can
readily see this There are hundreds
of miles Of branch lines in Kansas
which are today not paying the opera
ting expenses, and 1 am sorry to say
that many Of the Santa Fe branch lines
are included in this list. They simply
serve as a drain on the main line But
still, almost every branch line is an
accommodation to the people living in
that part of the state, and the commun-
titles are largely dependent upon them.
Under such circumstances it would be
almost impossible to cease operating
them.
Take for instance the eLavenworth.
Topeka & Southwestern railway, which
is now in the hands of a receiver. 1t
will be impossible for Mr. Mcclellan.
the receiver. to operate the road much
longer ard unless the bondholders
come to his aid, the line viii have to be
closed up. OF course the bondholders
viii hate to see this done and may sup
ply the deficiency in operating expenses
for sometime in the hope that the bus
mess of the line will increase. But it
probably never will
DO you think the business this win
ter will be sufficient to warrant an i'm
crease in either time or force at the
shops. So far as I know now there
viii probably be no increase until
spring
steamship line to operate. sbeUVeen San
Diego and Japan and connect with the
Santa F'e. Mr.. Ripley said that such a
line was in contemplation and that an
attempt was being made to raise the
required capital. He said, however. that
the scheme might drag along for some
time