The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-28
SANTA FE SHOPS.
General Manager Nudge Returns
Today From Chicago.
An Important Conference With
Vice President Barr.
ONLY IL ACRES NEEDED
Mr.. Barr Decides on Places of
Nudge and Player.
Topeka Sure of Shops If She
Will Raise the Money.
The Amount Necessary Is
Greatly Reduced.

General Manager Nudge of the Santa
F'e returned at noon today from Chi
cago, bringing with him the informa-
ton that Vice President Barr had ap-
proved the plans made by Superintend-
ent of Machinery John Player for the
shop improvements in this city. These
plans contemplate the purchase of but
twelve acres of land in place of twenty
two, which was originally asked for
by the company.
The big locomotive erecting shop,
which has been under consideration by
the Santa F'e management for several
years, and several small shop buildings,
in addition to the building for the con-
Struction of which money has already
been appropriated, are included in Mr..
Players plans. The superintendent of
machinery says the twelve acres will
be adequate for the company's needs
for several years to come
The tract extending from the main
line tracks to Seward avenue and from
the car sheds to Branner street repre-
sents the twelve acres which the Santa
Fe wants. 1t was at first thought that
the ground as far east as Chandler
street would be needed.
Mr.. Nudge said today that Mr.. Barr
is not willing that more than $500 per
acre should be paid for the land. The
difference between 5000 and the aggre-
gate price demanded by the several
property holders will have to be raised
by the people of Topeka.
The executive committee Of the Com
mercial club, appointed to handle the
matter, will meet with Mr.. Nudge
Monday. After this conference the
work of raising the necessary money
for the purchase of the land will be
taken up in earnest.
The approval of Mr.. Players plans by
Vice President Barr practically makes
this Santa Fe shop Improvement GER
tain for Topeka The exact amount
necessary to be raised has not yet been
determined. but it will be materially less
than the amount which would have
been necessary in the event the COM
pany demanded the original twenty
two acres.
1t should be a comparatively easy
task for the Commercial club commit
tee to raise this money. The proposition
is the biggest from a commercial stand
point that has come UP in Topeka in
recent years The business men can not
help appreciate the benefits to be de-
rived from the proposed improvements,
and give literally toward the fund as a
result.
The shops that will be built this year
will employ 300 additional worlzmen- In
a short time the wages of these men
will have eQualled the amount raised
for the purchase of the necessary land,
and this money will be distributed in
Topeka as are the wages of the hun
dredS of men who are now given en-
ployment here by the Santa Fe.
But this is by no means all The ben
efits to accrue to the city in general by
the improvements planned for this year
are small compared with the benefits to
| be derived from the improvements con-
| templated, and which are included in
| the plans prepared by Mr.. Player. The
| securing of additional shops this year
| insures the construction of the locomo-
| tive erecting shop and other new build
| ings becoming more needed every day
| because of the rapidly increasing bust
| ness of the road. With a modernly
/ equipped erecting shop the Santa Fe
| will build all locomotives in Topeka,
! and this will mean an increase of sew
| eral hundred men to the shop force in
| this city. Many more men will find en-
| ployment in the auxiliary shop depart
/ ments.
The Santa Fe road is now one of the
/ greatest railways in the country. With
the contemplated improvements COM
| pleted, Topeka will easily rank among
the most important railroad shop towns
| in the United States.
This conference of General Manager
| Nudge with Vice President Barr. who
has the matter in charge, is a most i'm
| portant one for Topeka The adoption
| of Mr. Players plans by Mr.. Barr after
| they had been carefully considered by
Mr.. Nudge, puts the matter in encour-
| aging shane.