The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-25
Are WIDE awake
People of Dover and Vicinity
Talk Trolley Line.
Plan For Road From Topeka
Received FavOrably.
BIG MEETING CALLED.
About 200 Farmers Meet in
Town Hall.
Adopt Resolutions Giving the
Project a Boost.

The citizens of the village OF Dover
and vicinity held a meeting last even
ing in the town hall to discuss the feas-
ibility of building an interurban electric
railroad from Topeka to Dover as
lance of twenty-five miles. the mass
meeting was attended by nearly 200 IN
terested citizens from Dover and near
by towns and townships
The following resolution was adopted
by the mass meeting:
Realizing that suburban and trolley
railways are necessary for the upbuild-
ing of a modern community and that
such railways must radiate from the
city of Topeka, which is our commercial
center,
ssBe it therefore resolved, by the citi-
gems of Dover township in mass meet
ing assembled at the town of Dover on
this oath day of July, 1902, that our rep
resentative and state senator ana our
county commissioners be and are here
by requested and directed to use all
their influence to aid all SUCH railways
and to secure their early construction
and equipment This request is prompt
ed by a realization of the fact that
railroads build up and make a com
munity and that they should be aided
in every consistent way, as the penents
derived therefrom greatly exceed their
cost.
BE it further resolved, That a copy
of these resolutions be furnished by the
secretary of this meeting to the state
senator, our representative in the state
legislature from Shawnee county and
to the board of county commissioners.
&C. C. BRADLEY, Chairman.
"T. N. TOMSON, Secretary"
The mass meeting was opened with an
address by Mrs. E. W. Crumb, post
mistress of Harveyville. Mrs. Crumb
outlined the advantages to the residents
of the vicinity adjacent to the electric
line Mrs. Crumb has been one of the
prominent agitators of the project for
the interurban electric line for several
years. She has been instrumental In
the calling of mass meetings for the
consideration of the project.
T. F. Doran was the second speaker
at the meeting. Mr.. Doran briefly out
lined the possibilities of the enterprise;
discussed the difficulties which would be
encountered, and as an Illustration OF
what might be accomplished by un--ed
effort he pointed out what was accom-
plished by the untiring energy of one
man, C. X. Holiday. when he began the
construction of that great railroad, the
Santa Fee, under the trying and dis
couraging circumstances that were met
with here in the pioneer days.
The plan for an electric railroad is
one of the hobbies of ex-Chief of Police
Frank Stahl of Auburn. Mr.. Stahl was
at the meeting at Dover last night and
spoke in favor of the PROJECT.
Major II. ]. Anderson, c. c. Baker Of
the Topeka City railway and F. G. Kelly
of the Vinewood Park railway, spoke at
the meeting and explained some of the
details which would have to be taken
into consideration in the construction Of
the road.
The matter of the financing Of the
road was touched upon. The people at
the mass meeting were unanimous In
their approval of the plan of lending the
road aid by voting bonds and many Of
fered to subscribe to the project by cash
donations and subscriptions
However. the details of financing the
road will be worked out later. mo-
ton was passed authorizing the chair
man of the meeting, DR.. c. c. Bradley,
to appoint a committee of nine mem
bers to take up the matter and holA
more meetings In Dover township and
also to hold meetings in the surround
ing localities.
E. l. Knapp of Keene explained that
one reason why Dover should assist tn
project was that unless something of
that kind was done the towns which
were on the railroads on either side OF
Dover would eventually attract the
trade from Dover He explained how
the rural free delivery routes emana ted
from the railroad towns and said that
Dover might as we'll be the central
point from which the mail distribution
should be made, if a railroad were bull,
to enable this condition of affairs to
exist.
The Mission creek valley seems to
afford a natural course for the railway.
Those who made up the Topeka party
which went out yesterday took in the
situation as they passed through the
country. 1t appears that road could
be built through Mission valley with
out neceSSitating a very considerable
amount of grading and cutting. 1t is
believed from surveys made by the
Santa Fe dozen years ago that the
line could be built so that tie grade
would not at any place exceed a IN
the road would cost from $12, 900 to S15,-
600 per mile to build and equip.