The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-19
RAILROAD NEWS.
immensely of Kansas Wheat
Crop is Given.
Would Require 13O,125 Grain
Cars to Hold it.
OVER 5000 TRAINS.
5000 TRAINS.
Would Extend q Distance OF
Nearly 1000 Niles.
How the Roads Are Taxed to
Garry the Wheat.

The Chicago Record says this week OF
the Kansas wheat crop:
Statistics just compiled give conclu-
sive evidence that, so far as the pro-
duction of wheat is concerned, there is
nothing the matter with Kansas They
show that the state OF sandstorns and
sunfiowers this year easily stands at the
head of wheat-growing states, not only
breaking it's best previous record, but
making a better showing than that
made by any other state in any other
year. Kansas output of the grain this
year is 7S 000, 600 bushels, which is as
good as $39, 900, 600 to the farmers within
its corporate limits.
Railroads operating in the western
states find themselves utterly unable to
provide adequate means for the trans
portatiOn of the surplus holdings to the
markets. The growers are urging the
carriers to come to their rescue, but the
carriers can do but little more than
make string bearing promises At many
stations in the wheat growing sections
of the state thousands of bushels of
grain are piled up in the open air at the
mercy of price-knocking elements. The
railroads are exerting their best efforts
to prevent serious congestion of traffic
at Kansas City and the important term
inal and junction points of Kansas At
various times within the last few weeks
serious conditions have arisen at Kan
sas City At one time there were 20
miles of grain cars stored in the yards
of the Santa Ffe line at Argentine. Near
~ every road east bound from Kansas
City at different times has been COM
PEELED to refuse to accept deliveries of
grain from the grain roads, and fire.
Quently cars have stood in the Kansas
City yards for weeks because the lines
could not provide motive power to
move them out.
The man OF estimates has come to the
front with his conclusions He has de-
holding nd fah
tons to back up his assertions, that
130s125 standard grain cars would be re-
quired to hold the 1900 wheat crop OF
Kansas. These cars would make 1905
trains of rs cars each, which, standing
on a track, with no allowance for space
between the trains, would extend over
a distance of eS5 miles, or, approximate
ly, would reach from Kansas City to
Buffalo. The man of IDEAS has come
forward with this: The output of Kan
saS wheat would make possible a loaf of
ordinary bread as long as Lincoln park,
as wide as the Mississippi river at st.
Louis and as high as the Ferris wheel
In 1892 Kansas stood at the head of
Wheat-producing states The crop in
that year was about 70s000,0 600 bushels.
In 1887 the crop in the western state
footed up early 1000, 900 bushels In 1889
the states showing was 80, 000, 900 bush
els, and in the following year the state
did quite as well. In 1893 only %. 600 900
bushels were raised. In 1894 Kansas
came third, in 1895 sixth, in 1886 third,
in 1897 and 1898 second and in 1899 third
The averages this year in the most
productive OF Kansas counties were
enormous. Sumner county contributed
100000 bushels to the general output, and
Barton county thrashed 5000 600 bush
els Six counties averaged % bushels to
the acre and A counties had an average
OF 20 bushels or more to the acre. 1t is
estimated that about SO per cent of the
total output is of a quality to be rated
In the market as good" Is per cent as
medium, leaving but per cent to be
rated as below medium Wheat was
cultivated on 4, 26S, 704 acres
This Is from a man who had to do
with the compilation of the statistics:
Kansas are wheat crazy Many
farmers are selling their live stock in,
order to utilize their grazing and mead
ow land for wheat fields They win
abandon contrasting with the same
purpose in view Some of the more con-
servative, however, are reversing this
practice to an extent in order to keen
their productions diversified and avoid
the serious consequences of a possible
failure OF the wheat crop next year"