The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-19
WILL never DO.
Why Topeka Needs No Kansas
City Electric Line.
Merchants and Others Express
Themselves on the Subject.
LOOKS VERY STRANGE.
Mr.. Nelson Tried to Secure
Franchise Without Notice.
Asks For Valuable Concession
Without Pay.
LOOKS VERY STRANGE.

Retail merchants or TOpeka are pre-
pairing to enlist in an active campaign
against the proposition to allow D. r.
Nelson a right of way through Shawnee
county to Lawrence for an electric rail
way to connect with line to be built
from Kansas City
A meeting of the members of the
Commercial club is specially called for
Wednesday night to consider the prop
osition.
1.-THE actions of Mr.. Nelson" said J.
p Rowley, who is strongly opposed to
the plan upon reasons we'll founded, lin
coming in here quietly and trying to
get franchise without the knowledge
of the people at large in the county
is at once suspicious 1t shows on the
face that something is wrong If he
is not willing that the matter should
come up before the residents of the
county to be voted upon, there must
be a reason for it, 1 am opposed to the
plan for the reason that the history of
every city of the relative size of To-
peka that has been made an appenda ge
to a larger city by such electric lines
has been ruination.
IN these days there is no sentiment
about business. If we could get an
electric line built into the territory
tributary to on the west, there
would be some advantage in having an
electric line There would, however, be
nothing we could gain by being con-
nected with Kansas City, but on the
other hand, there would entail great
loss of business to Topeka.
Il am informed that the parties who
are endeavoring to secure the franchise
have no money back of them to build
such a road in case they secured the
franchise 1t stands to reason that it
would be an unwiSe act on the part of
the citizens of Shawnee county to give
away a franchise that is valuable and
that could be sold for an enormous
sum.
IF upon a vote of the people of the
county it is learned that the majority
of the people of the county want the
line, then say give the franchise, but
only under such conditions that it will
result proftably to the county. The
franchise is worth as much as it would
cost the company to buy the land need
ed and should not be given for less
Nov is the time for people to stand
up for Topeka and Shawnee county
more than ever" said w. F. Roehr TT
is a fact, although it seems many peo-
pie do not know it, that people pay
higher prices for an inferior quality of
goods in Kansas City than they do in
Topeka. 1t is well known that as cleo
trio line between the two points will
work against Topeka in favor of the
larger city, and we cannot afford to kill
our own interests in favor of another
city,
I'VE cannot afford to give that fran
chise,' said Major Anderson this morn
ing. 1.-THE county commissioners have
taken so days to consider the PROPOSE
ton and l believe that even if they
should be convinced of the advisab ility
proposition to a vote of the people be-
fore signing a franchise.
IF the franchise is worth having it
is worth paying for, and in event tie
people express themselves in favor of
| the road there are a few things that
| should be exacted from those who get
| the franchise. There are certain points
| that should be settled in favor of To-
| peka. What Topeka wants is an cleo
| trio line running from here west.
| II am violently opposed to giving free
| franchises. Topeka has had a few ex-
amples of such methods already We
have Leavenworth as an example of
what an electric line between here and
| Kansas City would do for US. Business
| is business and we cannot afford to help
build up Kansas City merchants.
| 1T has even been suggested that
| Kansas City merchants furnish the cap
| ital to build suburban lines, and while
reaping a benefit from the trade it
brings to the city, they reap a hand
some dividend from the money invested
| in the railway"
81 believe when we grow to see the
need of such a railway we can find
capital to build it right here at home, .
| sail S. T. Howe. "I am opposed to Civ
who shows up. We do not know what
Nelson will do with the franchise should
| the county commissioners grant it.
"Of course there is the argument of
| progress in favor of the PLAN but when
we consider the progress would result
| disas trously to us in favor of the larger
center, we should hesitate 1t would in
| deed be progress for US if arrangements
could be effected for a line to run from
| Topeka west through the cities and
al f1o x a
/ f. Fl. Crosby is strongly opposed to
| the plan He said Undoubtedly a
| few farmers who live along the route
or near where the proposed line would
pass would be in favor of it, but con-
| of the people of the county the opposi-
| ton in other parts would be enough to
| overwhelmingly defeat the project
IF the people only realized it, they
would know they have one of the best
markets in the world at Topeka and
and the prices as reasonable here as
almost any city in the world
1T is more feeling akin to brag-
| gadocio that people assume when they
| purchase goods away from home. that
| leads them . to go to Kansas City or
/ Chicago" said Mr.. Rowley. They like
| to say: I bought that in Kansas City
| or I bought that in Chicago They
| don't stop to consider that the Kansas
| City merchant sees them first and al
most invariably sells them an inferior
article and charges more than they
would be asked to pay for a. good ar
ticle at home
M. c. Holman, ex-president of the
Commercial club, expressed himself as
/ opposed to the plan to a reporter for
/ the State Journal who preached the
| subject to him.