The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-16
RAILROAD NEWS.
Orient Stock Is Selling Well in
London.
To Be Quoted on the British
Exchange.
BUY RAILS IN BELGIUM
A, E. StiIWell Trades His Sub
sidy For Iron.
Laying of Rails in Mexico to
Begin January L.
SUNDAY.

1t is stated that the finances of the
Kansas City. Mexico & Orient railroad
are now in such shape that there can
not possibly be any further hitch in the
construction of the road. The finance
committee, of which c. H. Sanders is
chairman, with headquarters in Lon
don, will have full charge of the finan-
cial affairs of the company from now
on Nearly every member of the COM
mittee was one of the original stock
holders of the Kansas City, Pittsburg
& Gulf railroad which was also built
by A E. Stilwell.
1t is stated that the stock of the road
has practically all been placed and that
it will be listed on the London stock
exchange before the end of this month
The stock has recently been quoted at
rs. About one million dollars worth
has been placed in Boston The stock
is all in a ten year voting trust.
The Kansas City, Mexico & Orient
railroad will be 1000 miles long, extend
ing from Kansas City to Port Stilwell,
on the west coast of Mexico. A section
100 miles long will be completed about
March 1, from Port StilWen to Guero,
and the entire line will be operating.
It is believed, within a few years. Its
projectors expect that the road will
handle from the start very large por
ton of the Oriental business with the
United States
Contracts have been entered into I'M
der which a Belgian firm of steel rail
makers will furnish the rails to lay the
tracks of the Kansas City, Mexico &
Orient railroad in Mexico 1t was found
impracticable to buy rails in the United
States. partly because the mills here are
rushed beyond their possible capacity,
and particularly because the freight
rates across the continent to Mexico or
to the Seaboard and thence to destina-
ton were so high that Belgian rails
could be laid down in Mexico cheaper
than can the product of American mills.
Under the arrangements made by
President Stilwell, of the Orient in Eu-
rope, the rails for the line in Mexico are
to be furnished and the subsidy given
the road by the Mexican government is
TO be accepted in payment, the company
furnishing the rails taking the Mexican
subsidy and paying to the Orient COM
pany the difference between the value
of the rails and the amount of the sub
Sidy, which exceeds by about 100 per
cent the cost of the rails. This subsidy
is payable upon the construction of each
100 kilometerS (about Sixty-two mileS),
and with the completion of the first 100
kilometers the difference in the amount
of the subsidy and the cost of the rails
will become at once available to the
Orient company for work on the road
bed of the next 100 kilometers
The first shipment of rails under this
contract is to be made about December
]. and 1t is expected the work of LAYING
the rails will be carried on with no UNI
necessary delay after the first of next
year. The roadbed for the first 100 Ixilo-
meters east from Port StilWell is prac-
tically ready for the ties and rails The
ties have been bought, and large part
of those needed are on the ground so
that the road can at once be completed
from the Pacific coast to FL Fuerte A
mining center and health resort little