The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-22
PROGRESS OF
THE ORIENT
IS OUTLINED
Mr.. Sylvester of Kansas City
Tells of Its Condition
AND The WORK DONE
In a Letter TO a Citizen of
Augusta, Oklahoma.
AND The WORK DONE

Augusta. o. T. Sept. Nv. 2. willin.
OF this city. has received a letter from
W W. Sylvester, general manager of the
Orient road, in which he says:
Answering your request for fun and
complete synopsis OF the situation Of the
Kansas City. Mexico and Orient railway
IN your country, so that You may show
your people something tangible that
comes from headquarters, and something
that can absolutely be relied upon as
facts I beg TO say. as follows:
The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient
railway is sure to run into and through
Augusta, and within a reasonable time.
as II Is certain that some day we all must
die I think you know something OF the
work we are doing in Mexico. where we
/ hope 10 have 100 miles in operation about
/ the first Of January. This does not inter-
est your people, however, except that II is
a part of this great through transcon-
J tinental trunk line from Kansas CITY To
the Pacific ocean. It is easier TO get rails
delivered in Mexico than in this country
because the rails for Mexico come from
european markets. while the rails for
Kansas. Oklahoma and Texas come from
our own mills in the United States
which are at present all shut down on
account of the strike and months behind
on delivery. II may also not be Of inter-
est to your people particularly to know
ath there has been many Icing tongues
set wagging by would be rival railroads.
and through all this talk the Kansas civ.
Mexico and Orient has pursued quiet vet
effective method of steadily growing, and
when the people of Augusta get this raod
they VIII have transportation that will
take them somewhere. While it is also
true that other roads Will get into Au-
gusta ahead Of US. they are OF little or no
use TO the people, unless they wish 70 go
visiting other towns like their own When
the Orient is running they can leave
their comfortable homes after supper and
take breakfast in the metropolis Of Kan
sas City the next morning
In the various counties in Kansas which E
we run through. we have been treated
very literally; they have ali voted us
bonds at the rate OF s2,000 per mile. and
such cities as Wichita and Emporia have
given eus large amounts Of money. II is
therefore only fair that we spend little
portion Of money in their immediate
and show them our good
faith by building our road through their
cities well as through Woods county.
Oklahoma. AS a matter of fact however,
and for the benefit of your people. I will
says that we have done more work IN
Woods county, Oklahoma than in any
other single place along our line. From
The city OF Anthony, Kansas. TO the
-immeron river the right of way has
been bought and paid for; the entire
grade is completed and a beautiful level
grade ii is of less than = per cent
stretching a distance Of about 20 miles
IN this 20 miles OF completed grade from
Anthony south our latest report from the
'hief engineer advises that for the first
o miles the bridging is all IN and com
'leted; also all paid for, and there is
omething less than 600 ties now stack
d up at Anthony ready 10 lay on this
.rade and these bridges as soon as we
an get the rails. There is but one thing j.
eeded TO make this a completed road.
nd that is the rails, and the money is
n the bank waiting TO pay for them as
con as the mills can furnish them. How
Don this will be I cannot say. but ] do
now that we are more anxious than the
itizens Of Augusta to see these rails laid.
ecause we have everything at stake ard .
he interest on the money already ex- 2
ended for grading bridging and ties run q
p into a great many dollars while we are q
-aiting for these rails. do not believe D
here is man in your town, with hores
snse. that thinks we are doing this work ?
y fun or bluff, or any one Of the many +
Icuses that our noisy rivals have given 3
II. II there are any dyspeptics among n
ie people Of your town or any indiges-
We sufferers. I heartily recommend that u
ley ride on the Chootaw until the orient o.
IT'S in. They viii surely get their ia
oney's worth. as they VIII 80 nearly as K
any miles perpendicular on that new rs
ad as they do horizontal. es
L believe there IS not citizen among %
ia who has not laid out plans. no mat h
r how carefully drawn. b1t what have iu
en- interrupted by things beyond his sh
ntrol. and the good Lord is Just as re- m
onsible for The drought sou have down be-
ere as we are for not having rails. the ~.
ST rails from the mill viii he sent direct Al
Anthony and viii be laid from there iot
wn toward Augusta. ard the next part we
the lire built viii be from Augusta ~ II
lrview. our division poins some three 10
les below the Cinmeron river. t. tle fs'
liens patiently waiting Tor transporta- ,
"a the road seems long and weary. h8t 49,
US doing the work we car bur feel 49,
u we have made wonderful progress a.
IN - months time we have under acf- -
construction. SD this country sorne a..
miles % railroad ard l9o miles uorr lr =
Mexico This has newer been knoHu
ore H. the history ~ railroad b1Ha- Z
lt Is a marvel ai over tn middle
% from Kansas CITY clear throlsh fn e.
Atlantic ocean. and this has eve-
q accomplished in the face ~ eFerr
raarosd ia thc west ard V-ali sf-eef
The east lEht.rg sgainst rs. Fer
ir yo-rs. ~.
W So. SYLVESTER -