The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-04
What Commercial Club Com
mittee Has Under Way.
DIFFICULTIES NET.
Early Conference Of the Four
Railroad Companies.
Plan Involving No New Bridges
or Radical Changes.

The Commercial club committee, Of
which DR.. ]. c. McClintock is chairman,
IS endeavOring to bring to some practi-
cable situation the Union depot project.
The committee has labored under disad-
vantages from the difficulty Of arrang-
ing a conference with the representa-
tiVes OF the different railroads, particu-
larly on account of extended absences
from the city, on important railroad
business, Of M. A. Low, Of the Rock
Island, and General Manager. Nudge, of
the Santa Fe. It is believed that an
early meeting will be brought about.
Correspondence and consultations have
been underway with this end in view.
The simplest plan which the commit
tee has under consideration appears to
be a project which would provide for a
Union depot at some point in the Sec
ond ward between the present Rock
Island depot and of the Santa Fe, loca-
ted at a place which would not require
the Santa Fe to back any of It's trains
into the station and which by the use of
the present Santa Fe bridge and the
present Rock Island bridge would per-
init the Rock Island to enter the station
without backing its trains. The idea is
also to bring the Union Pacific trains
into the station in q similar manner. the
trains from the east pulling across the
Santa F'e bridge into and through the
Union station, thence west and across
the Rock Island bridge returning to the
main line. The east bound trains would
simply reverse this route.
It is believed that this plan on the
whole would probably be more salts
factory than any other yet suggested
and could be brought to a successful
result at the least expense and be most
acceptable one to all the companies.
It is a well known fact that the Santa
F'e the Missouri Pacific and Union Pa
cific all have very inadequate accommo-
dations and are all providing for early
appropriations to increase these facili-
| ties. The Rock Island is also cramped
for room in it's present large handsome
building. Since the enlargement of the
| jurisdiction of the officers west of the
4 Missouri river, whose headquarters are
~maintained at the general offices and
| depot building here floor space is at a
| premium. The new St. Louis line-of the
/ Rock Island Will also increase the size
/ of quarters demanded to say nothing Of
| the enormous increase of business on
the part Of this road in connection with
| its new Oklahoma and southwestern
/ lines.
! The space now occupied as waiting
rooms and ticket offices in the present
| Rock Island building could be easily
utilized for the additional general Of
fee room required.
In connection with the union depot
| project, L. NJ. Wood an architect Of
this city, has another scheme. His plan
/ provides for the construction, by the
/ Union Pacific company, of q new bridge
/ across the KaW river Just west of Grant
| vile, for the use Of the Union Pacific
| and Rock Island railroads. a new line
to be built for the same joint use from
Granville to a point near the intersec-
ton of Ninth street and the Shunga-
| nunga, in the neighborhoOd of Crosby
| mills, then along the present Santa F'e
and Missouri Pacific tracks to Sixth
avenue a proposed location for the
union station, within a block Of the pres
( ent Santa Fe station, thence to First
/ avenue and west from the present Rock
Island station, the Union Pacific to use
the Rock Island bridge in returning to
| the north side Of the river It is said
/ of distance and avoid the detour around
| by Calhoun bluffs The expense of the
new line for right of way, track, the
| Kaw bridge, etc, would, of course. be
/ heavy The Wood scheme would also
of course, Imply abandonment of the
| North Topeka main line track which is
not contemplated by the other PROPOSE
tons.