The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-03
Soldier Trains Made More Than
a Nile a Minute.
How They Reached Topeka In
Time For Parade.
TWELVE HOURS LATE
That Was the Condition When
Trains Reached Albuquerque.
Time Was AnnihiIated From
La Junta East.

Few people probably realize the great
/ undertaking the Santa Fe road accom-
plished in bringing the Twentieth kan
sas soldiers into Topeka between the
hours of l and s:35 O'Clock Thursday at
ternoon.
1t was an undertaking that required
phenomenal handling of the heavy
trains, and it was only through phe-
nomenal handling that the soldiers ar
rived IN Topeka in time for the parade.
Bursts of wonderful speed were made
with every section from La Junta to
Topeka,a at times the running time aver
aging as high as so miles an hour.
We were afraid to open a window
for fear we would lose our hair said
one of the boys of the regiment in
describing the fast time Of his partic-
uIar train
Word was sent out by General Pas
senger Agent Black 10 the superintend--
ents of the western, middle and eastern
divisions Wednesday evening that moth
ing was to be left undOne to get the
regiment into Topeka in time to parade
N the afternoon It was stated that
the parade had been scheduled for 3
Q clock, and every effort should be put
forward to get the last train into To-
peka by that hour.
II was Just 35 minutes past 3 o'clock
when the last train pulled into the To-
peha depot The distance from La
Junta TO Topeka. had been covered. with
al stops Tor meals, engines, coal and
water since three minutes past
o'clock Thursday morning.
The trains reached the Santa Fe road
proper at Albuquerque u hours late
Ihls was due To time lost by the South
ern Pacific and extra time consumed
by the soldiers at meal stations a -
hours delay in schedule time is sJIffi-
Gent TO trouble the most veteran OF
rallroaders, and when the Topeka Off
clals or the Santa Ee reached their
oTuceS Wednesday morning they were
CONFRONTED by the startling fact that
a blizzard was raging in New Mexico
and southern Colorado and that all the
wires were down south of La Juuta
II was a troublesome day for the Off
Gals here Efforts TO esta blfsh tele-
graphic communication relative To the
positions of the trains proved wholly
unavailIng up to about o'clock in the
afternoon Then Information was re-
eeIved Iflar II would be night before the
nrsr train reached La Junta. and prob
ably after midnight before the last sec
ton reached that station
We're up in the air until the trains
reach La Junta-' the Santa Fe people
said But when We get them on our
side of the hill ther@weu. Just vair
and see"
The Kansas people now see From
the Colorado division point 20 the Kan
sas capital, the Twentieth Kansas sol
QleFs rode faster than any other return
ING regiment OF volunteer soldiers in the |
history of the country
At La Junta, the third train. which
arrived there much behind the first and
second sections, was split iato two sec /
TORS Orders were issued, giving the
soldiers trains the right Of track and |
WhlIe the regular trains were not inter
rered with to any extent. all less i'm
portant trains were kept out of the
way
Each of the four trains was STONED
an hour for breakfast, but lunch was !
prepared at Florence and put on board 1
the second third and fourth sections (
ne first section arrived in Topeka in /
time for dinner
The distance from Dodge City to I
Hutchinson. 123 miles, was covered bv
the train in 10 minutes From Ia +
unra to Dodge City, a distance of 292 +
miles, the fourth train consumed but
little over four hours, counting a stoD +
OF % minutes on account Of engine /
Leakage
The Santa Fe people deserve to he
conpIimented FOR the way in which /
they handled the soldier trains Their
arrival IN Topeka. Thursday afternoon
IN plenty of time for a parade. showed
that the men in charge of the passeu-
ser and operating department of the
santa he are competent to overcome
great difficulties and accomplish great
undertakings