The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-27
TO EXTEND THE LINE
Citizens Meet to Help the Kan
SaS Midland.
TO TOUCH COAL FIELDS,
Committee Appointed 10 Raise
Funds,
TO TOUCH COAL FIELDS.

The mass meeting which was called Dy q
committee composed of Aessrs. Charles
AylesbUry, J. o. Davidson and Thomas
G. Fitch, appointed by the Commercial
club to consider the advisability Of as
sisting in having the Kansas Midland eX-
tend their line south, met last night in
the city hail. There were about fifty Of
the most substantial men Of the city pres
emit There being wholesalers, lawyers
bankers and progressive spirited men
generally.
Mr.. Charles Aylesbury called the meet
ing to order at o'clock and stated briefly
what was the object of the mass meet
ing He stated the first thing in order
would be the selection of a chairman.
Mr.. c. H Brooks moved that Mr.. Ayles-
bury be made chairman. The motion car
ried unanimously. Mr. Fitch said it
might be well 10 have a report Of the
proceedings Of the meeting kept and sug-
gested the name Of Mr.. Burns as secre-
tary, which met the approval Of those
present.
The chair called on Mr.. T. H. Griffith
to state. the proposition.
M Griffith said in part:
You know the present extent Of the
Kansas Midland line; it is from Ellsworth
TO Wichita, a distance Of 1O3 miles. As il
is running now it is not a paying venture.
The bondholders are very wealthy men
and are willing I understand, 10 extend
the line if we present the matter to them
in such shape as to show them that there
la
invested Mr. Wolf, the receiver of the
road has recently returned from Europe
and he says they are willing TO extend
if it will be a paying venture. The line
as now proposed will be southeast from
here to Douglas, thence south to Dexter,
Pawnee, Chandler, TshOmingo to Deni-
son, Texas. The line will parallel the
Santa Fe about thirty miles to the east.
If the citizens of Wichita viii take the
matter up and get the topography of the
country, the crops and the other re-
sources and forward them TO the bond
holders they will undoubtedly extend the
line. 1 believe we should appoint a com
mittee to go over the proposed route in
buggy and make a report. 1t should be
men capable and competent"
Mr. c. II. Brooks asked Mr.. Griffith how
far we were from the coal fields. Mr..
Griffith said that we were about 100 miles
from the coal fields in the Creek country,
which he understood was underlying the
whole Creek country.
Mr. T. G. Fitch next addressed the as
semblage. He said that if the Midland
was extended that It would make an UNI
told saving TO Wichita in coal alone.
When he was connected with the electric
light company he said that it cost them
from $205 to 81. 40 a ton for the best slack
coal At the same time Missouri river
towns were only paying % cents for the
same quality. If the Midland is extend
ed they will connect with the NJ, X. &
T. and the Houston and Texas Central
at Denison and that Will give us another
direct line to the Gulf. We have the
Santa Fe and Rock Island which are
direct lines to Galveston, but their inter-
ests are eastern. They want the Ions
haul. The Midland is all interior road and
their interests viii be here. If necessary
a contract could be made with the road
on coal and other rates. As the road is
now, the bondholders viii either have
more or less road. If they do not extend
south. they will take up the line between
here and Ellsworth"
Mayor Ross was called on. He said
that he had nothing to say other than he
was in hearty accord with the move
ment.
Mr.. /. T. Naftzger asked Mr. Griffith
how much it would cost to hire two men
to go in a buggy and get the facts as he
had suggested Mr.. Griffith replied that
he did not know exactly. buzz did not
think IL would cost more than $500.
Mr.. c. V Ferguson said that in 1891 he
had gone over about the same line as now
proposed. He gave a good description of
the country and said that the cost of
construction would be about $500 per
mile 4 1.-THE time he had gone over the
country he had done so for some parties
who intended to build an independent
line He felt sure that the people in the
territory could be counted on for any rea-
sonabIe amount to aid in the building Of
the line.
Mr.. Holman said in substance that the
proposition of the citizens should be
placed in the hands Of the receiver. He
has no authority 10 aid the scheme, only
10 bring it before our people in New
York City and Berlin. The receiver can
not spend dollar. I would suggest hay
ing an examination Of the country made.
more to the resources of the country than
To the cost Of construction. or as civil
engineers called it. recoEnizance. at the
present time Get the number Of acres
In cultivation, what IS raised and what
area the road Will draw from. Is my idea
Mr. Holman handed the secretary TWO
letters which he had received which were
read. He said that the bondholderS had
plenty Of money; all they wanted to know
was whether they would set a reasonable
return on their money.
The line. as proposed. viii he about e9o
miles in length and viii have Denison.
Texas. as the terminus.
Mr.. Brooks moved that committee o.
five be appointed. with the - IS one
Of the committee. TO raise a fund 20 make
the reports which are necessary TO send
TO the bondholders. Mr.. AyIesburv ap-
pointed the following gentlemen: c. II.
Brooks. T. II. Griffith, T G. Fitch. J. O
Davidson. Chas. Aylesbury. They viii
meet with Mr. Homan probably on Mon
day.
The meeting then adjourned.