The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-21
Rock Island Said to Contem-
plate a Line to Kansas City.
Franchise Asked From Council
Has a Hidden Object
TO SECURE AN OUTLET.
Believed This Is the Meaning of
Proposed Right OF Way.
Line Would Parallel Santa Fe
ON South Side of River.

The proposed ordinance to give the
Rock Island a franchise to build
spur from its track on First avenue
east, down the alley between Adams
and Jefferson streets, across Crane
street, past the Topeka mill and across
Thornton street. was introduced into
the council last evening. 1t has been
ready for introduction for some time,
but was not presented until last even
ing, and was Immediately referred to
the committee on streets and walks for
investigation.
The alleged purpose of the spur is to
give the Topeka Milling company an
outlet to the Rock Island tracks, so
that Rock Island cars can be loaded at
the mill. At present the mill has only
Santa F'e spur which runs in on
Crane street from Adams. Immediately
west of the Santa Fe round house.
But this is not the only reason that
the Rock Island wishes to get a spur
down that alley to the river-at least
SO some of the councilmeH have been
given to understand by those who are
working for the passage of the or
dinance The road is looking for an out
let on the east side of the city so that
it can build a road of it's own to Kan
SaS City.
At present the eastern end of the
Rock Island on First avenue east runs
up against the Santa F'e shops and
to get across. them. To be sure, a road
could be built around North Topeka
from the Horton branch, and on down
to Kansas City on the north side of the
river but this would necessitate build
ing another bridge across the Kaw at
Kansas City, q very expensive piece of
work. With an outlet through the east
side of Topeka, a road could be built
direct to Kansas City without any ex-
pensive bridge and Kansas City trains
would not be compelled to back into the
depot and then run over to North To-
peka as at present, an operation which
requires time.
With spur down the alley between
Adams and Jefferson streets to Thorn
ton street. which is on the river bank,
the eastern outlet problem will be prac-
tically solved. When the river bank is
reached there will be almost nothing to
| hinder the road following down the
river, across the LeavenWorth, Topeka
q Southwestern at the south end of it's
kaW river bridge, and on east out of
| the city The problem is an easy one
! when once the right of way to the
| river is gained past the Topeka mill.
| Incidentally a spur could be run up
| the river to the Wolff packing plant
| but it is not probable that the railroad
! company would expend any great
| amount of money to secure a, right of
way to build spurs no the mill and to
| the packing plant, in addition to the
/ building of the spurs themselves, which
| will be expensive on account of the
]
! have to be done north of Crane street.
Within the past two weeks the Rock
| Island has paid out S2,1O0 for parts of
/ lots in the block between First avenue
and Crane street, and Immediately east
| of Jefferson, for the right of way to
the mill. OF this amount 81 200 was for
| the three lots Immediately west of the
| alley facing on First avenue. In order
to make the turn to get into the alley
! the spur would have to cross a small
| portion of these lots. At present there
are three little negro huts, in the last
| stages of decay on them For any
other purpose the lots would not be
worth one-half the sum paid for them
| by the railroad company.
The west end of the Topeka mill
| stands across the alley down which it
| is proposed to run the spur, and to get
| around the mill the spur will have to
| make a jog to the west. This necessi-
| tated the purchase of the east one
| fourth of the lots Just south of Crane
| street and facing on Jefferson. These
lots are occupied by a row of brick
buildings. in the east end of which are
the offices of the Topeka Milling COM
| pany. The Rock Island has paid $500
in order to get enough of these lots
| to make the jog around the mill.
On the north side of the mill sim
liar jog will have to be made to get
| back into the alley, but the lots on that
side are owned by Captain John Seaton,
of Atchison, and he has given his con-
i property.
Just north of the mill there is sharp
decline which will necessitate a high
grade. Adams street is also graded up
d for three Santa Fe tracks which run
north on the west side of the Santa Fe
shops, and the result viii be that the
i lots between will be surrounded by a
4 high embankment This will be the
only property injured to any extent by
the proposed spur.
The matter has been kept quiet for
the reason that property owners along
a proposed right of way frequently at
tempt to "hold up a railroad company
in cases like this. but the council will
thoroughly investigate the matter be-
fore granting the franchise.
With this outlet to Kansas City, it
is said that the long talked-of shops
will be built in Topeka, and the greater
part of it's western work will be done
here
SWITCHING MADE EASY.