The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-02
uNDFRWEAR
THAT vINEwooD PROBLEM.

The position of the State Journal on
the granting OF a franchise to the Vine
wood Park Railway company should not
be misunderstood. It has been stated
over and over again. but stiH there are
people who apparently misjudge the mo
tives of the paper.
We have opposed the giving away Of
this valuable franchise to this particular
company for the reason that the whole
scheme is a fraudulent one. There have
been deceit and deception connected
with It from beginning to end.
If we are going to open up connections
with one Of the three Kansas City cleo
trio lines seeking an entrance into To-
peka, let us do so openly and above
board Let US deal with some company
which says plainly. we want a right Of
way into and terminals at Topeka; we
believe that these are valuable fran
chises and we are willing to pay for
them
Do not let US assist somebody in turn
ing over a white elephant to somebody
else
The present Vihewood Park company
secured what little investments it mas
by exchanging some southwestern
ranch lands with Ithaca. New York.
people. who found the resort line an ex-
pensive trial and tribulaton. The pres
ent Vinewood company wishes simply
to secure for practically nothing a vail
liable concession from this city and
then sell or trade it to some one else.
The present Vinewood company has at
tempted to make our people believe that
it means to spend from 100000 to $780,
OOO This is the sheerest nonsense, and
we are the most gullible people in the
state If we believe it.
This Ubiquitous scheme has been
killed several times in the council. but
the breath Of life has been pumped into
it again and again by attorneys and
individuals who are grasping at means
to secure for themselves well earned
fees and the gift of valuable conees-
sions for the use of their clients.
The city council is not really to be
blamed for killing the project one night
and jerking it into life the next for the
reason that there are prominent mer-
chants in this town who have signed Pc
titions favoring the scheme and have
then gone to members of the council
and opposed the same thing which they
had advocated by petition. If these mer-
chants were drawer they would all come
out openly and say both by word and
pen what they believe to be the truth.
If the merchants of this city tell US
they think we need an electric line to
Kansas City. the State Journal will do
its best to secure it. but we do not want
to see an electric line come in here with
fraud stamped all over its cars. Fur
thermore. if the franchise is so valuable
to the yinewOod company. it is valu-
able to Topeka. Why not make some
company pay literally for this franchise
if it must be granted? The town is
overtaxed and the corporations are not
paying their share of the burden.
Let US quit giving things away to
promoters. The time to begin this
thing is now. The object to set upon
is the present vinewood company. The
residents of Highland Park and that
portion of the city are entitled to
transportation facilities, but no per-
manent good can come to them through
fraud. The people of that neighbor-
hood know that the present company
has operated the road only to suit it's
own convenience, only to hold what few
rights It has. only for the purpose of
gaining something to sell at a better
ADVANTAGE