Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-08-25

ton Was made Construction westward
from Atchison vas started about the
same time that it was from Omaha, and
from Kansas City. Bul the day came
when mole powerful influences in favor
of the other routes dominated, and the
building on the Atchison line stopped
in the prairies. Central Branch,
Union Pacific" was the name given 70
| the road withC ut terminus. Accord
ing TO the understanding among pro-
jectors, when the land grant legislation
was obtained in Washington, about the
close of the civil war, the Cenuai Branch
was To have continued west To u june
| ton point with the Omaha and Kansas
City liucs, near the Rocky Mountai Us.
II was TO be combined with them in IA
common route through to the Pacific
coast. But it was not.
This Central Branch retained its MIS-
LOmer with its loose end in the prairie
1t languish,d awhile until patient pio-
neers began TO discover the corn pro-
ducing qualities of the counties through
which lis course lies. Even the Union
Pacific Co. was tardy in recognizing
the possibilities. Jay Gould travelling
leisurelv OYER the western country aud
picking up bits of road, from which
to contruct great system. saw the
growing acreage in corn in the double
tier OF counties from AtchisUn west.
He leased the Central Branch. The
Union Pacific company seemed very
willing to let it 90. The corn fields
grew. From the loose end in the prair-
les feeders were constructed as the coun-
try became settled. The Central Branch
became a parent stem, with sprangled
termini still farther out in the prairies
Then time came when the Union Pac tc
could give title and was willing TO
sell. Two great systems struggled for
Officially this is still the Central
Branch" By the people who know
the territory it serves and the wonder
full development "the corn road Is the
famlia designation. And certainly no
route in the country more naturally
merits the title.
One of the corn kings in Kansas,
Frank NJ. Baker, through whose eleva-
tors passes no nconsiderable part of the
crop along this road sat in his office at
Atchison and did some impressive tigur-
ing on the now maturing crop. He
showed that it would take 10000 cars
to move this crop. That means 25OO
trains. There are ninety stations on
"the corn road" and its sprangling
feeders. Ripenlng in the fields tribut-
airy to these ninety stations is ii yield Of
corn which will require over 600 Gals
to station to move 1t. Some OF these
stations will need from 1000 10 1900
cars. Others will call for less than 800.
The average will be over GOO.
When Mr. Baker figures on sc 900
cars to move this years crop from the
ninety stations of 1.-the corn road of
Kansas" he counts only that proportion
of the crop which will naturally 60 TO
market as corn. One-third of the corn
raised in the territory considered will
be fed to live stock. The rem aiming
two thirds will go in original form.
Fortunately for the peace of mind of
the transportation people the demand
for the 10000 cars will be well distri.
buted. The farmer will begin picking
in October and shellDg ia November.
They will be- at it all winter and
Into next March. The moving of the
crop will begin in November and it will
continue until next summer, taxing the