The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19
Will the Augusta Grade be
Santa Fe or Missouri Pacifc2
MAY LEAD TO BIG CONTEST
Whole of Western Oklahoma
on Edge of Railroad Boom.

IedChlHS from NOVA Kansas, 70 angus
IA, Oklahoma At least three great cor
PCrations are watching it and one another
with eagle eyes.
In the prenatal days Of Oklahoma, and
that not so very long ago, the little town
Of Rowa, Kansas. made a red-lettered,
taring claim 10 being the gateway to Ok
lahoma- Inasmuch as other border towns
also assumed this distinction, Kiowa's
honor was divided, and being divided,
weakened and being weakened, became
pFesugeless. But there are indications
now that the title may be even yet fully
indicated, as far as Kiowa is concerned
Some promoters, a little while ago,
planned line from Kiowa southwark in
to Woods county, Oklahoma, southeast
erly TO Enid ,Hennessey, Kingfsher or Ell
Reno. The destination was indefinite
the further terminus 10 be determined by
competitive inducements from the cities
named. The first inducement. out of
Kiowa was offered by the people Of the
town OF Augusta. The right-of-way was
donated. Within the month the farmers
have built the grade. From the first il
y as assumed that the Missouri Pacific
had this line "coDpered." There are in
dications now that the assumption was
in error, that the Missouri Pacific, not
only has not this grade "coppered," but
If II attempts to copper it It will have a
competitor for it in the Santa Fe. II
seems that the western officials Of the
Missouri Pacific are keenly alive 10 the
value Of this acquisition, but that the
New York end Of the officialdom is not,
and unless they IN their supremacy soon
realize ii. the plum may be pocketed by
the Santa Fe and be out Of reach. as the
Santa Fe is quick in action and both II
and the Rock Island do not want the
Missouri Pacific 10 make an invasion into
the territory Of Oklahoma. That part Of
the territory west OF the Rock Island and
east of the Woodward branch Of the
Santa Fe has long been held vacant by
the three railroads. who are mutually
concerned The indication that the Mis-
souri, Pacific was going to violate this
territory by coppering the Augusta grade
has been disquieting TO both the Santa
l'e and Rock Island, and if the Missouri
Pacific does violate that territory by cop
pering the Augusta grade. the liveliest
railroad time in Oklahoma ever saw will
ensue.
And not only this there are indications
that the Choctaw Is reaching in the direc-
ton of lIiOwa. From FL Reno west the
Choc-aw built through Geary to Wealth
erford. its present western terminus A
plan is talked Of, and may be consum-
mated, whereby the ChOctaw viii sur
render its purpose of an immediate west
ern extension and extend not from Wealth
-
kiowa- With the Santa Fe. probably the
Missouri Pacific and the Chocraw spread
ing out into western Oklahoma the title
OF gateway for Kiowa would be valid, and
OF more substantial value to Kiowa than
Il was I'm the days of openings"
The ChocJaw DEPRESSION from a direct
uast-west course has for its Involvement
large section of country which IS IN
drained SO far, which other roads have
kept invi0late. The Choctaw road is I'M
Ike any other in the west. II IS said
10 have had its origin in the desire Of
rich contingent - the east TO have
railroad Of their own. A virgin country
was selected and a dne valley followed.
It's ambition has extended from Memphis
as far west as Albuquerque. New Mexico.
It is bound for Memphis, but az long
stretch of unrenumeratve territory on
the west II halts and IT will not be sur
prising if the plan 10 divert northeasterly
from Geary grows to a fuU-fedged fact.
There Is closing in Oklahoma a period
C. twelve months Of railroad construction
activity. which has been excelled but
once in Kansas in the eighties.
Before thac period there were four lines
into Oklahoma of Importance, the Santa
t. outward with IA miles. the Rock
Island line also outward with u6 miles.
the Kiowa division on through Woodward
10 Texas with fl5 miles and the Chocraw
which then ran 10 Fl Reno.
These formed the framework Of the
future railroad distribution Of oklahoma.
which has lately been working out with
such rapiGity. That rapidity is due 10
struggle for the possession of the terri
tory. Between the n'rth-and-south lines
OF the Rock Island and the Santa Fe in
oklahoma there is a strip of 80 miles
width. Situated I'm the northern part of
this was Blackwell. surrounded by rich
country. The Frisco at Arkansas City
BEGAN q raid southwark into this thirty
mile strip. The Santa Fe. always
progressive and competitive. threw
line which ended at Hume
well. Kansas. southwark also Of
rockwell and then 10 discourage any
p 8 5itional southwark invasion by the
Frisco. TO Tonkawa. where che terminus
-f the Tunneweu branch II the Santa Fe
nov Is and viii remain. At the same
time the Rock Island and the Santa Fe.
- nut a stop To covetousness over this
tbf~ry--lile strip forever formed an 2ll-
snce. The Rock Island as Its share in
the work built a railroad eastward from
Enid into this strip TO Billings. soon 70 be
"a terminus. and not FAR from the Ton
lawa end Of The Santa Fe. This IS sup
-.ss5 m close the situation in the north
f-D mart ~ the thfrty-Tnils strip. But 20
discourage the Missouri Pacific or any
other ambitious rival from an irroad
further down the lue the Rock Island
and the Santa Fe have Jointly agreed 70
burs q line from Eingfsher ~ Guthrie
ana nua-ate Il together. mus closing the
s.t-8rin- m this point Had the Choctaw
Tot its line from Fl Reno IN Oklahoma
CITY the Rock Island and the Santa Fe
would have crossed there But rc make
the Job complete and give II finished
appearance FAR ro the south the Rock
Island aFd the Santa Fe may vet agree
Obey have not yer -o build Joint line
running east and west from Chickasha on
the Rock Island TO Faul's Valley on the
Santa Fe. thence east probably 10 the
South AfcAleSter coal fields bv the santa
r alone Within another wear ewing 70
this arrangement the Rock Island and
the Santa Fc with their connecting lines
wiz not look unlike a xylophone But the
Santa Fe had territory east of is main
n7-th-and-south line 20 protect From
Guthrie q line Is being constructed north
$500 - ra-k--e- -na-ca 49, :.