The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-22
RAILROAD news.
H. .. Nudge Says Cutoff Sur
veys Are Not Finished.
New 24O-Mile Extension to Mid
land, Tex, is Proposed.
PECOS LINES.
Everything Being Made Ready
For the Change.
Shops and Depot at Wellington
May Be Enlarged.

General Manager H. U. Nudge of the |
Santa Fe denies the statement which
has been made in several newspapers |
to the effect that the Santa Fe has com |
pleted its survey of the proposed cut
off from Portales, N NJ, on the Pecos /
Valley line, to a point near Albu-
querque where it will connect with the
Santa Fe main line to California.
our surveying parties are still work
ing in New Mexico said Mr.. Nudge,
and no final reports have been made.
The object of all the Investigations and
surveys is to find route which viii
give easy grades That is the principal
object OF the surveys"
The Santa Fe is now surveying for a
new line from Hereford, Tex, on the
PecOs Valley line south toward Lub-
buck, a distance of 10 miles. This pro
posed line viii enter a portion Of the
rich PecOs valley which has heretofore
been without railway connections. It IS
said to be the purpose of the Santa Re
to extend this line through to Midland,
Tex, a point on the Texas Pacific road
240 miles from Hereford. This new line
viii be built, it is said. as soon as the
surveys are completed and the con-
tracts can be let for the work.
The Santa Fe officials have main
tanned throughout that the chief object
of the proposed Portales cutoff is not
to secure short line to California, and
thus regain its supremacy as the short
line to the Pacific coast, but to avoid
the heavy grades on the line through the
mountains near Lamy. The proposed
route from POrtales to Rio PuereO, on
the coast lines, is $50 miles in length. It
will cut off at least $50 miles Of the
present distance via the Santa F'e to
Mexican and Pacific coast points, and
Will be 80 miles shorter than the Rock
Islands new line. The territory through
which the road viii pass is a. good ag
rlcultural country, and is capable of
n q
ton. The Santa Fe is already doing its
utmost to stimulate immigration to this
country, and thus have the region set
tied to some extent even before the ad-
vent of the road.
The Pecos Valley lines will be relafd
with new steel, and viii be rock bal
lasted The Pecos Valley lines are now
what is known as a mud bed" road,
which is all right for light service, but
which could not Withstand the heavy
use it would get when the through
trains to the coast are put on The pro-
posed Portales cut off viii also be laid
of heavy steel on rock road bed, and
when these are CON pleted, the Santa.
Fe will have a line to the coast which
will be capable of withstanding all the
heavy traffic it can get.
In speaking of the proposed cut off,
the Las Vegas Optic says:
#. Meredith Jones, the well known
civil engineer who for so many years
has been in the employ of the Santa Fe
road, is paying brief visit to his fam
lily, they being residents of Las Vegas
Mr. Jones for some weeks has been
at Portales, in the Pecos valley, but
is now on his way to Belen, or rather
to the section Of country a little south
of that place. His headquarters, how
ever, will be in Belen.
'Of course, Mr. Jones cannot say
whether the cutoff line will be built
or not. He knows that it is being care
fully surveyed, with estimates and that
the proposed line will be quite feasible
both ia 1frnpr1loGC n nd
of construction
Much conjecture has been engaged
in concerning the effect such a cutoff
would have on north central New Mex
leo, the section through which. now
runs the Santa F'e's main line. The OPP
tic does not believe that this section
would be at all damaged by the cut
off OF course, the portion of the ter
ritOry through which it may run viii
be largely benefited thereby, but this
will be a benefit to the entire territory
instead Of a damage to any part of it.
ION the other hand, only fast freight
fast through passengers and fast
through mails, would use the cutoff.
All other travel and traffic would seek
the old route through the more desir-
able, healthful and picturesque portions
of the territory. In fact, the Optic
doubts should the cutoff be construct
ed whether the ordinary traveller or cit
izen would see any difference along the
old line"
terested in the proposed cutoff, and the
Wellington News says of it. TT will
work to the great advantage of Vel
lingtOn in that it will place this city
on the direct Mexican and California
route of the Santa Fe. making it much
shorter than the present route and viii
of necessity add to her Importance as a
division point"
1.-The Santa Fe will certainly make Well
ingtOn a heavy division point. The shops
will needs be enlarged and it is not out
of the question to say that the depot will
be made to accommodate half hundred
men, The bulk of the business now done
out of Newton viii be done here Newton,
Wichita and Topeka well other
towns on the main line of the Santa Fe,
will not be given all through train service
but it viii have to be given this town.
The Santa Fe is laying a double track
over the EmpOria cutoff, which shOrtens
the distance between Emporia and Kan
sas City nearly 20 miles. This is indicative
that good deal of the through passen-
ger and perhaps all of the through freight
business will be sent that way.
From Florence via Ell Dorado and Null
vane is a branch which leaves out New
ton and Wichita and makes the run 16
miles less to Wellington. This IS to be
relaid with new steel. double tracked and
viii be used almost exclusively for Cali
fornia freight and passenger business OF
be denied Wichita Wichita IS like New
ton and Topeka in the respect that it hap
pens to be on the road somewhere