The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-11
FOR A new DEPOT
Missouri Pacific Plans to Build
One in Topeka.
Commercial Club Receives an
Official Notice.
Y. M. G. A. IS COMING.
Proposition for international
Conference Is Approved.
Bailey Inauguration Arrange
ments Left to Club Directors.

Russell Harding, third vice president
and general manager of he Missouri
Pacific railroad, has put himself on rec
ord as beirg in favor of the erection OF
new depot for that company in To-
peka: he has writer. letter to 9. r.
Holiday. jr., which was read at the
Wednesday evening meeting of the
Commercial club. saying that the city
needed such an improvement, and that
he would take up the proposition at
once.
Mr. Holiday wrote him some time IN
November. reminding him of the COM
pany's needs in this respect. and calling
his attention not only to the betterments
which the Santa Fe is making and the
improvements generally in the vicinity
of the Missouri Pacific terminus. but
mentioning also that some years ago
the project was actually commenced
and indefinitely suspended on account
of a stringency in the business conds-
tons of the country
In reply to the letter of Mr.. Holiday
Mr.. Harding said: Il have read win
a great deal of interest its contents, ana
would advise that 1 will Immediately
take the matter up to the end that [
may satisfy myself as to the necessities
and the best methods to pursue. l fully
realize that Topeka is sadly in need o,
the depot and shall endeavor to taslv
same within the near future 1 Will
again communicate with you on the
subject after having fully looked into
the matter and worked up the de-
tails"
Answering Mr. Harding, Secretary
Anderson of the Commercial club has
written him suggesting that he visit the
city at some time convenient and go
over the ground with the people here
regarding the depot proposition. In
speaking of the project at the meeting
Wednesday evening, Major Anderson
said: 4 think that if the thing be man
aged properly we can secure a depot
that will be a credit to the city, Afte.
the discussion which followed the read
ing of Mr.. Harding's letter, the club
voted to empower the president anc
secretary to use their best abilities for
securing the new depot. There has been
no suggestion as TO the location of l1e
new depot but it is taken from the cor
respondence that the ground which the
Missouri Pacific now uses for terminals
will be occupied by the new structure.
In amount of business done. the We'd
nesday evening session of the CONNER
cial club should go on record as an eX-
ceDtional one. After the Missouri Pa
cific depot proposition had been gon7
over, the matter ofsvthe international
conference. of the RAILROAD Y. NJ. c. A.
mentioned Come days go as likely to be
brought tofTopella next Spring provided
the city did its part, was taken up ana
considered at length George d. Nc
I Dill, international secretary for that de-
partment of the association, whose head
quarters are at Omaha. Neb., was pres
ent and outlined the proposition. The
| international committee in New York
met some time ago and after consider
/ ing the stability of holding the con-
! ference in ToDekaes decided favorable to
/ it. after they had rejected the offers OF
Montreal. Detroit, Cincinnati and st.
Louis. The date as decided upon Is
f. - =
briefly the work which the railroad Y
M. c. A. is doing and the interests rep
resented in the organization. In the
eastern states its strength is much
greater than in the west and on dc-
count of it's being brought to a city as
4 far west as Topeka warrants that there
will be an exceptionally large attend
ance because of the inducement to men
who never have been west to make u
/ trip to Kansas In 1895 there were 4S9
men in the conference at Clifton FORGE.
N. Y: in 1900 there were Ito from the
157 railroad associations. Now the mum
/ Der of associations is 1T9. representing a
membership of So 900. Mr.. McDill places
the number who will attend the Topeka
conference at ABOUT 1900, but by mans'
his estimate is regarded as conservative,
and if the gathering takes place under
the best conditions it seems probable
that there will be fully $500 visitors IL,
the city.
Regarding the class of men who
4 would assemble. MT McDlll SAID that
lit would be the most Representative
body of railroad men in the country.
He quoted some figures from the report
of the last conference at Philadelphia
showing that among others there were
400 yard and enginemen, 81 officials
holding different positions, and 10 super
1 intendents besides a miscellaneous list
of "a and four delegates from Europe
The programme has not yet been ar
ranged, but at Philadelphia such men
appeared as DR. Theodore l. Cuyler B.
/ D. Caldwell, John ]. McCook, who will