The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19

! Up until very few days ago the Hutch
inson Southern was threatening an east
ern attack in valuable territory from
Cross and It was the Santa FEES plan to
swing back from Pawnee 10 Bliss and
cut the Hutchinson and Southern out, and
making a semi-circular road from Guthrie
to Bliss with Pawnee on the outer cir
conference. But the Hutchinson South
| ems purchase by the Santa Fe said to
have been induced by a brigand-hke dis
regard of freight rate laws on the Hutch
inson Southern's part, eliminated the nee
| essity Of this odd loop and Saltwater and
Perkins and Pawnee will have then train
| service via Guthrie and it does not seem
likely that the Santa Fe VIII build east
ward from any point in Oklahoma north
Of Guthrie. On the other side the Rock
Island has not been as active in protect
ing itself in the territory west of II. The
western extension of the Rock Island
from Chickasha to Mountain View was
10 head off and tap a territory the Choc-
taw had drawn its bow for. There is
| good reason to believe that the Rock
Island viii in the coming year acquire
territory northwest Of Kinghsher by
building from that city to Woodward and
thence TO a connection with its Liberal
(Kansas) branch. No official action in
this direction, however. has yet been
| taken. Meanwhile the Frisco is quiescent
| It has reached Oklahoma City and has
eyes set longingly on a southwesterly
course from that city into Texas, but out
side preliminary survey has made no
sign. II is blocked at Blackwell. as re-
| lated above. There is a possibility that
It may push in from Chandler to Guth-
RE 1t is new in Oklahoma and is Of an
expansive temperament. II now has some
eighty miles of track in the territory.
It's territory from Sapulpa to Oklahoma
City is a valuable one and was a rich
prize The Choctaw's designs and the
Missouri Pacihc's poise for a plunge at
Kiowa and its peril, have been related.
The year is closing with all forces armed
and eager for combat and next year, while
it may not exceed in activity, the present.
will certainly equal it. The manner Of
origin in a railroad in Oklahoma is SINH
lar to that practiced in Kansas in a like
period.
It is accompanied by all the old-time
scenes. the excited farmer who discovers
a troop of surveyors ambling across his
farm, and after ordering them away,
comes face to face with a ferocious tru-
culent monster, the Right OF Eminent
Domain; and later the warmth in the pos
sibility of a town-site near and an en-
HANGED price for his farm, possibly
tcwn-site right on his farm and a fortune
ready-made, riches hand-me-down. The
location of the town-site, the public auc-
ton of lots. the sudden and resplendent
boom at a temporary terminus and the
somnolent effect when the railroad moves
on are there. 1t is an old story with the
older men and women. To the new gen
Grafton it is not
Few railroads construct their own lines.
This work is done by a construction COM
Dany.
A railroad corporation having signified
its approval of a certain territory which
is TO be penetrated with branch line,
preliminary survey is made. Two pro-
moters will take buggy and traverse the
country and follow a possible route,
sound the farmers along the way and
while picking out possible town-sites, find
If the established towns. with the fear Of
a rival town with a railroad in their
minds. will put up bonuses and provide
certain amount of the right-Of-way, con-
tig1Ious TO the town or if it is a big town
the right-of-way in the whole county
The preliminary survey follows this trip
and marks out a general route, for the
surveying party which follows with
stakes and runs the line" 1t is running
the line which stirs a peaceful farm COM
munity to its depths. The demon with
the stakes is disQuieting. 1t happens
that he runs number Of lines and IS
proiigal with his stakes and the uncer-
taiutv as to whether the engine Will 90
putting over Jones farm, or Smith farm
or Browns farm. is not conducive TO hap
niness. When an evil fate directs line
straight through mans house or, worse
still. his orchard the unhapDiness be-
comes anguish. After the line is run, or
several of them. the promoters send out
men 10 secure the right-of-way. The
right-of-way is generally one hundred
feet in width. although the option Of one
r:ght-of-way in Oklahoma on which there
are no rails as Yet. is said 10 be mile IN
width. A right-of-way crossing farm
sauarely that IS at right angles, TO any
one Of its line fences. takes out OF THE
farm six acres: If run diagonally. that IS
from corner to corner the loss TO the
farm IS eight acres. The man with the
nropertv gives a right-of-way deed TO the
promoters and receives the agreed price.
This is sometimes 500. 5000 and if the man
wishes to make a gift of it as many do.
81. the legalizlng consideration. If there
is a dispute. the district court appoints
appraisers who fix the amount Of damage
and report. the sum being deposited at the
district court subject 10 draft by the
owner Of the property. The appraisers
are usually partial to the progressive
aims Of the railroad and II is related that
recently a promoter protested to some
appraisers that they We're squeezing the
amount down too closely and asked them
to be more liberal with the property
holder.
The tOwn-site men now 80 TO work The
tow n-sjte privilege secured from the COM
pany on a building railroad Is one Of the
richest things n be found in a new coun-
try. Il enters into politics and religion
and the commercial life Of the country.
In Oklahoma as many as four men have
made As much rs $500 each out Of town
sites In their contract with the rail-
road. the town-site men are allowed a
great deal OF latitude. The only things
in which they are restricted are in the
distances between the towns. the general
rule being that towns shall not be closer
than seven miles 70 each other. rule
the town-site men would not overlook for
the Sood Of their own towns. Another
restriction i that the town-site Be To-
Gated on a place on the grade. no1 in
hollow or on a hill. where the railroad
would be compelled 10 either cut o. 'fll'
Tor tracks AM depot. Inilt5re us'y
with the work OF the town-SiJe men Is