The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-19
RAILROAD NEWS.
Santa Fe Arranges to Spread
the Fame of Kansas.
William e. Curtis, One Of the
Brightest Correspondents
OF A CHICAGO PAPER.
Taken Over the State In a
Special Santa Fe Car
With Vice President Morton
and Commissioner Davis.

Three men sat in a private car stand
ing near the Santa F'e depot in the
| Santa Fe yards last night. All were
smoking, and each looked contented
with his particular lot in life.
I'VE expect to convince you that
Kansas is one of the most prosperous
states in the union" said one of the
men, addressing the smaller man of the
three.
I'm fact, we intend to show you that
Kansas is actually the seat of prosper
ity," said the other.
well, gentlemen, you will only have
to go half way said the one addressed.
Il am half convinced already:
The first speaker was Paul Morton,
third vice president of the Santa F'e,
the second ]. A. Davis, Industrial COM
missioner of the road, and the third VIII
liam F. Curtis, Washington correspond
ent of the Chicago Record, and one OF
the foremost newspaper writers OF the
country.
In another part of the car there were
four ladies-Mrs. Morton, Mrs Davis,
Mrs. Curtis and Mrs. MOrtOn'S sister.
The entire party was bound for trip
through Kansas, later Oklahoma and
after that west, probably as tar as the
Pacific coast.
The party arrived in Topeka in Mr..
Morton's private car yesterday after
noon and left at $50 last night for lola.
The presence with the party of Mr.. Cur
tbs means that the two first columns
reserved for his use on the first page
of the Chicago Record will for several
days be devoted to stories telling of
Kansas present and prospective pros
perity.
1t was principally for this purpose
that the trip was arranged. Mr.. Curtis
will be given the opportunity of noting
conditions in Kansas particularly, and
also in Oklahoma, and later the condl-
lions so noted will be told about in his
entertaining style in the Chicago Rec
ord The trip will be more for pleasure
than anything else.
The scheme to show Mr.. Curtis the
present conditions and possibilities of
Kansas was original with Industrial
Commissioner Davis. By contract with
the Record Mr.. Curtis writes a letter
for the paper every day, gathering ma
| terial wherever he may happen to be.
Consequently all the letters written
during his stay in Kansas will deal
with Kansas prosperity.
The party is spending today in the
| lola natural gas regions. Here, through
the efforts of Mr.. Davis, a new smelling
plant, backed by millions of eastern
capital, was recently located, and within
| the next few months a party of Michi-
gan capitalists will establish a large
| cement works. The limestone and clay
found in this region have been tested
and found to produce Portland cement
| of a better quality than the German
manufacture. The natural gas sup
plies fuel at minimum cost.
From lola the party will go to the
coal and zinc regions of southeastern
Kansas, and later through the wheat
| sections. The members will continue to
! travel through Kansas until some time
next week.
Since taking charge of the industrial
department of the Santa Fe, Mr.. Davis
has been much more successful than is
| generally known. FIGURING mills, brick
works, canning factories and other
smaller manufactures have sprung UP
| in different parts of the state through
| his efforts. He has the Industrial adj
Vancement of the entire country through
which the Santa Fe road runs to look
after, but so far his attention has been
| turned principally to Kansas and Okla