Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-27
NEW GULF ROUTE FOR OMAHA
President stillwell Promises Its Completion
in About Four Months.
THREE SMALL GAPS YET TO BE FILLED
wcrI< Progressing ut n Rapid Rntc-
Means Ultimately Another Line
to Atlantic Scnbonrd-Adynn-
tugcs to This city.


has been considerable talk and a general
understanding though somewhat vague,
about important railway connections for
Omaha over the Omaha & st. Louis railroad,
which was purchased about year ago by
an eastern syndicate. The Bee today prints
an article by n staff correspondent on one
of these connections and what 1t means to
Omaha.
Many futile attempts have been made
within the past quarter of a century to con
struct north and south line from this ter
ritory to the Gulf of Mexico The time when
this project shall finally be realized Is now
close at hand. The Kansas City, Pittsburg
d. Gulf railroad is the name of the road
which Is rapidly nearing completion, and
which viii have for its northern terminus.
Omaha; for It's southern terminus Port Ar
thur. Tex.
you may say to the people of Omaha that
we expect to be running trains in there in
four months from now, said President Still
well to Bee reporter the other day. I'VE
shall aim to give Omaha the very best
service in both freight and passenger traffic.
There will be through train service from
your city to Port Arthur. The contract for
building the road from Pattonsburg to Tren-
ton Mo- has already been given out and
the men are at work. The contract for build
ing the line from Kansas City to Pattons-
burg, where we will connect with the Omaha
& St Louis for Omaha, will be awarded in
few days.
How long will 1t take to build these
lines, President stillwell?"
-Four months"
How long will it be before the entire
line is opened for business?'
-Four months. There remains but thirty
seven miles in the southern division that Is
not graded and track is fast being laid on
the graded portions. 1t will be fast work,
but that's the way we are working. During
the past year we have graded n mile day
and have completed seven eighths of mile
of track a day"
How long will 1t be before Port Arthur
is a deep-water seaport capable of receiving
oceanic steamships
Five months. Three of the largest and
most improved dredges will be put to work
on this within the next fortnight. We
have been delayed somewhat in the work of
dredging at Port Arthur by failure to secure
all the necessary right of way there as
soon as was desired The work of deepen
ing the channel will now be begun at an
early date, and | feel confident that it can
be accomplished in fye months"
BENEFITS TO OMAHA.
81 have not the slightest doubt about the
complete construction of this new north and
south line from Omaha clear through to the
Gulf" said Benjamin Smith OF Boston in
conversation with a Bee reporter the other
day. Mr. Smith is one of the principal
stockholders in the Omaha st. Louis
road and it is this road which will form
the northern end Of the new system and over
which the trains from the south will enter
this city He spoke most enthusiastically
OF the prospects of the new road and pointed
out the benefits that would accrue to Omaha
by it's construction
In substance Mr. Smith said: "The Omaha
& St Louis railroad, in which | am inter
ested is an integral part Of this north and
south railway system. II has been merged into
the whole system, and, think, will be an
important member Our line operates from
Council Bluffs to Pattonsburg. Mo, a dis
tance of l4i miles. From there will be
built a new road to connect with the Kan
sas City, Pittsburg & Gulf at Kansas City.
| understand the contract for this work has
already been given out In entering into
this great system of railroads the owners
of the Omaha & St. Louis have made the
best possible terms for Omaha
II think the building of this new road
Is OF the utmost Importance to Omaha. 1t
will offer a splendid opportunity to ship Ne
braska grain to the ports on the Gulf. These
ports have been steadily growing. II Is
nearer from here to these ports and there
is every good reason why we should ship
our grain through them We have what the
going to have a short line to the southern
points, almost an air line, so that 1t is plain
to see what advantages for the shipment of
grain are offered. DO believe there will
be sufficient northern movement of freight
TO make this great road pay? Yes, sir, |
do The south has plenty of things we want;
look at the sugar and the timber and other
commodities | believe large quantities
OF these commodities Will be shipped north
by the shortest line.
81 cannot say when the entire system will
be completed and put in operation, but the
day is not a great ways of. II is an as
sured fact that the whole thing will be
pushed to completion. There has been some
delay in the building OF the road. 1t is
true This has been due to the difficulty
in raising the necessary funds during pan
icky times hut the completed project Is
now in sight"
GETTING INTO THIS CITY.
"Mr Smith has 1t been definitely fixed
Just what terminal facilities viii be used
I'm this City?'
Il believe not. That question will be
solved when we get to 1t. There Is one
thing sure, however: we will enter Omaha
on better bridge arrangements than now
exist with the company controlling the
Union Pacific bridge We have a choice OF
two bridges, We can use either the Union
Pacific or the Omaha Terminal company's
bridge. Competition will certainly give us
moro reasonable rates than could possibly
be secured from the Union Pacific were no
othor bridge across the river here. II any
one should ever ask me what consider the
biggest bonanza in the whole western coun-
try should unhesitatlngly say, The Union
Pacific bridge The bridge tolls OF 81
car on hogs and cattle and other high
charges have gone long way toward keep
Ing Omaha back II would have been far
better for the city had there been half
dozen bridges across the river You may
depend upon 1t. II the new road comes into
Omaha across the Union Pacific II will be
upon much better terms than could have
been secured some time back.
Il cannot tell you anything about the
Omaha terminals or the depot. The work
is going along rapidly, l understand. and
the now road will soon be In here over one
OF the two bridges that now span the Mis-
souri,
In addition TO the great good that will
come to Omaha from the entrance OF this
lne-and It is my candid opinion that II
will prove the greatest boon 20 the city OF
anything in recent years-there will be ;he
added advantage OF connections with Chi
cago. Baltimore and the entire east. better
than any Omaha now enjoys. A connection
Will be made with the Santa Fe line that
VIII give Omaha another line TO Chicago,
II will be but forty miles longer than the
shortest OF the present Omaha Chicago