The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-29
HIS WORK IS DONE.
Continued From First Page.>


state headquarters. Col Holiday turn
ed his attention to the organization of
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail-
way. The great railway system that
now extends from Chicago to the Pa
cifie coast and the Gulf of Mexico,
stands as giant monument to his eff
forts.
His original idea was to build a rail-
road to the City CT Mexico and San
Francisco. When he unfolded his plans
to the moneyed men of the east they
laughed at him. Their laughter had no
effect upon him. He was indefatiga-
BILE in his efforts, and at last was sue
cessful in floating sufficient bonds to
start the construction of the road.
At a meeting held in Usage City in
the interest of the road, at time be-
fore the track layers had reached that
station, Col. Holiday predicted that the
Santa Fe road would one day be one of
the great transcontinental railways of
the country. Years ago Col. Holiday
saw the fulfiIlment of his prophecy.
1t was nine years from the time that
Col. Holiday, as member of the ter
ritorial senate, secured the passage of
the bill chartering the Santa Fe road
until, it's incorporation. During that
time Col Holiday worked untiringly
trying to secure the necessary financial
aid. When he finally succeeded a con-
tract was entered into With Thomas J.
Peter to build the line frofh Topeka to
Burlingame
He was the first president of the San
ia Fe, and through the years of the
roads success had hand in it's control
as director. He was likewise the first
mayor of Topeka. 1t was only meet
that his should be the first hand to
guide the railway and the city he
founded.
During his early life in Kansas Col.
Holiday took a great interest in poll
tics. He was a member of the first free
state convention, held in Topeka in 1851
ole NnJ- .4st he
state convention held in Topeka, which
was on April 28, 1858. AT this time, Col.
Holiday was nominated for lieutenant
governor on the Free State ticket.
When Horace Greeley came to kan
sas in 1859 to organize the Free State
men in the Republican party, Col. Hoili-
day was one of the prominent factors.
At the Osawatomie convention in May
of that year. when Greeley organized
the Republican party in the state, Col
Holiday was one of his active support
ers, and was member of the commit
tee on platform.
In 1861 he was state senator for the
Sixth senatorial district, which included
the counties of Shawnee, Jackson, JEFF
ferson and Usage, and two years later
was adjutant general. He handled the
business of Kansas regiments during
the civil war. There were q, 086 enlisted
men from Kansas, comprising air
branches of military service, and the
record of every man was perfectly kept
by the adjutant
After the war Col. Holiday resumed
the practice of law, and in 1866 again
drifted into politics and represented To-
peka in the house of representatives.
On August %, 1874, he was candidate
for the Republican nomination for con-
gresham, at the congressional conVen-
ton held in Enporia.
In 1884. Col Holiday was nominated
for lieutenant governor by a Democra-
tic convention and a convention of Re
favored omission
of the prohibitoFy amendment. Charles
Robinson was the nominee for governor.
For a number of years past Col. Hol-
liday held the position of president of
the Excelsior Coke and Gas company
and that of president of the Merchants
National bank.
For several years it was Col. HolH-
days intention to write a history Of
Topeka, and in his possession was a
collection of valuable documents bear
ing on the city's early life and growth.
One of the papers in the collection is
the original patent from the govern
ment for the land on which the city
now stands. 1t bears the signature of
President Buchanan and the date, Feb
ruary H. 1859. The site of the city was
originally the headlight of IsaiahW a1ker,
an Indian, who was induced to deed the
land to the Topeka ToWnsite company.
Another patent bears the signature of
Abraham Lincoln, and was issued from
the I-ecompton land office to the mayor
and council OF IOpeka. 1t was 6Z acres
on the bank of the Kansas river The
original records of the Topeka. Town
site company, showing how the COM
pany was formed and the lots distribu-
ted, are also among Col. Holidays col
lection.
In speaking of the founding of the
city some time before his death, Col.
Holiday said:
4 arrived at Lawrence in October,
1854. and came into possession of a few
shares in the Lawrence Town company,
but prefering to be interested in town
of my own. started west on November
81, with a party to look up a desirable
town site. In that party We're Cover
nor Robinson, Rev. S. Y. Lun, Rev. Mr..
Clough, Frank Billings, a Mr.. Davis,
Captain Rolles, John Armstrong and
myself. Mr.. Armstrong and myself are
the only members now living. On No
venber % We arrived upon the ground
upon which the city of Topeka now
stands which at once impressed me as
a favorable location for a great city.
The selection of this town site was not
an accident; it offered every advantage
as a town site. Here was a great river,
plenty of water, and, above all, the two
great trails of the continent-Fort
Leavenworth and St. Joe to Santa Fe
and Independence to California, crossed
at this point. We journeyed farther
west quite a distance, and then return
ed 10 Lawrence