Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-17
THE UNION DEPOT.
Attitude of Cotton belt and Katy
Toward the Enterprise.

II will be remembered that there re-
Gently appeared In these columns a COPY
OF the communication addressed by
General Manager Thorne of the Texas
and Pacific to the general managers of
other lines centerlng here with refer
encc to the proposed new union deDot
General Manager Thorne In that COM
munication set forth the fact that his
line. which virtually controls the sit
uatlon here. was about ready to begin
work on the new building upon certain
conditions. These conditions are famil-
lar TO the puhic and not neccegsary to
enumerate here.
Since the formulation of Colonel
Thorne's communication II has become
apparent that there Is a serious hitch
existing in the proceedings, and the
position OF the Interested lines with
reference TO the enterprise at this critl-
cal stage OF AFFAIRS is OF general inter-
est and much moment.
Vice President and General Superin-
tendent Edison of the Cotton Belt writes
the Gazette as follows. from Tyler,
as to the Cotton Belts attitude:
Tyler Tex, Jan. ll.-This company
Is very anxious to see better depot ia
cilItes and would aid, with Its patron
age, any reasonable proposition.
Not having had an opportunity to
meet Mr.. Thorne / am not able to give
any particulars as to what kind OF a
~ UT lUt DuklS
upon which the ronds would Join.
Yours very respectfully,
j. A. EPSON.
General Sup't
This letter from Mr.. Edison substan-
tiates the assertion made in the Ca
zette recently that the Cotton Belt
people are friendly toward the propos-
ed new building and ready TO cooper
ate In anything reasonable.
Under date Of January IL, Vice Presi-
dent and General Manager Thomas C.
Purdy of the Katy writes the Gazette,
from st. Louis. and enclOses a copy of
his reply to the communication OF Gem
eral Manager Thorne. That reply Is
as follows:
St. Louis, Dec. II. 1901 s. Thorne.
Esq. General Manager Texas and Pa
| ciic Railway, Dallas, TeXHs,-Dear Sir:
/ beg to acknowledge the receipt OF
/ your favor of the 9th inst in relation to
| the building of new union depot at
| Fort Worth. | appreciate very sti ong-
| ly the necessity for the erection of such
| n depot, but would much prefer that
, the depot be built by the lines center
/ ing into Fort Worth and that the lines
using Its facilities should contribute a
| fixed amount, retaining n proprietary
| interest in the depot | would hardly
/ feel justified In agreeing to the prop
osition which yon submit, namely, to
[ contribute n fixed amount In payment
l of interest on the capital invested and
/ proportion OF the charges for operation
! and maintenance "a the depot. the con-
troll being In the hands OF the Texas
and Pacific alone Yours truly.
THOS. c. PURDY,
| Vice President and General Manager.
copy
From the above 1t will be seen that
while the Katy people are in favor of
new depot here, there exists little
hope of cooperation along the lines
| proposed by the Texas and Pacific.
A prominent Santa Fe official in
| forms the Gazette that his line would
| have probably co-operated with the
Texas and Pacific II that line had
| agreed to the location being changed
! has been so often suggested. He says
| his people are heartily In favor OF a
| new depot, but he does not think they
/ are able or willing to build a separate
depot unless other lines Will cooperate
In the movement.
From these statements It will be
readily discovered that there exists DIFF
! ferences of most serious character,
! and IL Fort Worth Is to have new
union depot n modification of the pres
I ent ideas of several OF the lines Ia
necessary before there can be any
agreement.
II is but natural that these differ
ences should exist. but. at the same
time, 1t Is to be hoped that some plan
may be speedily evolved that Will In
sure hearty cooperation among all In
terests and give to Fort Worth that
which all interests unanimously con-
oede she is entitled to receive.