The Iola register., 1901-06-14
Ft Scott, lola q Western
is Granted Rieht-Of-way
ThrOught lola City
FOLLOWS The MO. PACIFIC
Must Keep Close to North
Line and Maintain Cross
ings and Guards for
Public Safety

If 10 is a fact, as has been claimed
right along, that the railroad from
Moran to Piqua, franchise for which
was asked some weeks ago by Mr.. j.
z. Henderson, is really but a new line
for the NJ. X. d r., then the Katy is
coming into lola. The city council
last Thursday granted franchise to
the new road.
The right-of-way is practically
along the north side of the Missouri
Pacific right Coming from the
east the road strikes Highland Park
at Benton street and runs along it to
First street. There it runs west
through lots IS" and "R" in Bough-
tons addition and strikes Benton
street in the city proper at Cottonwood
street. Thence west along the north
side of the right of-way of the Mis-
souri, Pacific to the west side of town
The road must be as nearly as posi-
BILE on the established grade of the
city at all the crossings and proper
steps must be taken to insure the safety
of the public, by establishing gates or
bells or watchmen at all street cross
ing. The road must put in sidewalks
and road crossings where each street
crosses its right-of-way. Permission
is given to construct side tracks and
fdepots along the route and switches to
yVith tho Ea anA tho
Missouri Pacific railroads. Where
private property is taken for this pur-
pose the road must either buy the land
or condemn it in regular legal manner
and the connections with the other
roads must be made as close to the
other road as possible, nor shall any
OF the tracks laid be permitted to V
block or impede traffic on any streets,
The ordinance aiterreciting the fore
going provisions declares that the
franchise shall become null and void
unless the road is constructed and
ready to operate between lola and
Moran within year from the grant
ing of the franchise,
One Of the main objections raised
all the time to the granting of the
franchise was that nobody knew
positively that theroad would connect
with anything else. Mr.. Henderson
has declined to make any promises,
but it does not follow that the line will
not be taken charge Of as soon as
finished by some large system, prob
ably the Missouri, Kansas 81 Texas.
As the REGISTER has already pointed
out the branch would make a desirable
cut. off for that road and it seems good
logic for the Katy to buy it whether
they do or not. There is also talk
that the line may be extended to Ft
Scott and if this is done lola would
be put in touchlwith the Memphis, ithe
main line of the Katy and the Pitts
burg and Gulf.
Furthermore, if the report be true
(aud it is that the Frisco people have
been nosing about with a view to get
ting into lola, then this new road may
be the cause of the Frisco hurrying its
talked-of line across country from
Parsons to lola. Both the Katy and
Frisco are well represented in the
coal and zinc fields and since the CEN
tering Of the smelling industries at
lola they naturally have considered
coming here. The freight business
done here in lola is simply beyond be-
lief. The REGISTER knows this to be
a fact, although the roads now here
both cave orders several years ago
thai no more statements should be
given out of the amount Of their busi-
ness II is rich field for business
and lola may yet become an import
ant railroad point.
And yet, while the town at large will
probably rejoice that the die is cast,
it must he remembered that number
of property owners will suffer A
number of homes viii be moved and
nearby property will be damaged.
No railroad can come into lola with
out doing this today and if the route
selected works the least harm to the
least possible number then it is the
best route Every guard should be
maintained to secure the utmost recon-
pense for those whose property will be
damaged for the benefit Of the town at
large.