Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-04-18

AMONG THE RAILROADS
Extensive c Construction contem-
plated In the Southwest.
MANY BIG PROJECTS ON HAND.

E1Gt1eth OF tine chicago,
Milwaukee andasst. Paul Road-In-
tcrestins Story of the First Trip ON
That Great System Half a Century
Ago.
Plans of railroad companies operat-
ing the southwest, which have been
made public in recent months, indicate
that that portion of the United States
is to become in the near future a center
of remarkable activity in railroad con-
struction. 1t is estimated, says the
Chicago Inter Ocean, that within the
next W. years more mileage will be
built in the region west of the MisSlS-
sippi and south of the Red river than
In all western and northern states COM
bined. Within two years 5000 miles
Of railroad will be constructed in Tex
as, the Indian Territory, Oklahoma, Ar
kansas, Louisiana and New Mexico.
Among the more important projects
are extensions Of the Chicago, Rock Is
land and Pacific and the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fee companies which
will enable both systems to reach El
Paso, Tex, the gateway to the Mexican
republic, by their W lines. Ell Paso
is on the direct route between the
United States and the City of Mexico,
as it is the terminus of the Mexican
Central railroad. The Santa Fe has
also planned extensions which will con-
siderably shorten it's present route to
the Pacific coast, and the Rock Island
is also branching out in the same direc-
ton.
Contracts a%ggregating yer 300 miles
have been let by these two companies
in the southwest, while the total dis
lance to be covered by them in new
construction aggregates fully 800
miles. The Choctaw, Oklahoma and
Gulf company has let contracts for
about 100 miles Of extensions from
Oklahoma southwest, giving 1t a con-
nection in Texas and New Mexico.
In the same section the Kansas City,
Mexico and Orient is being promoted
by e. E.. Stilwell, to be constructed
between Kansas City and a point on
the gulf of California. OF this line
over 500 miles have already been let
to contract.
The International and Great North
ern Railroad company in Texas will
build over 200 miles to give it a line
from Houston into northern Texas.
The Missouri, Kansas and Texas is
completing a 80 mile extenson to San
Antonio, while the st. Louis and San
Francisco is completing a new route
south from st. Louis by constructing
from a point in the Indian Territory
through eastern Oklahoma to Denison,
Tex, where it obtains connection for
Fort Worth. The Gulf, Colorado and
Santa Fe has made arrangements to
build into eastern Texas to connect
with the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas
City, which is now being completed
through the oil and timber district.
In Louisiana contracts are about to
be let for a railroad (which will termi-
nate at Sabine Pass and form a new
line between Arkansas and the gulf Of
Mexico. The Illinois Central will
probably build nearly 100 miles east
and west through southern Louisiana
during the present year, as surveys
have been made and an appropriation
made to pay for the cost of construc-
ton. The Goulds have purchased the
New Orleans and Northwestern rail-
road from the Hyde syndicate of IT.
tusvil1e, Pa, and will build about IT'S
miles of extension, giving a shorter
route between Little Rock and New
Orleans.
The reasons given for these extern
sion projects are the necessity for new
lines to develop the timber, mineral,
oil and agricultural resources of the
southwest and the appreciation of the
Development of Mexico by the great
railway systems west of the Missis-
sippi river. The freight and passenger
business between Mexico and the
United States has greatly increased
within the last few years, and the
traffic which will accrue to the lines
reaching the Rio Grande, 1t is believed,
will well repay the cost Of such a.
extensive construction.
he fftieth anniversary Of the Mil
waukee road passed ~unobserved in Mil
waukee the other day. At least there
was no formal celebration of the event,
as was at n time intended by the Of
fcers of the company. Just a half cen
fury has passed since the first passen-
ger train moved in the state of Wiscon-
sin, and hat train left Milwaukee for
Waukesha to formally open the "Mil-
Waukee and Mississippi River railway"
the parent system Of the now great
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul. That
was a great day, writes a correspond
ent Of the Chicago Inter Ocean, and
there are several persons in Milwau-
kee today who are able to tell all about
the event which has resulted in such
great things both for Wisconsin and
the northwest.
In 1S48 Byron Kilbourn had begun
the organization of the road, and in
January, 1849, the work OF construc-
ton was begun, and on Feb. %, 1851,
the first 20 miles was completed and
formally opened with,an excursion at