The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-26
Report of Santa FEES Short Line
to California Confirmed.
Either Build a Line or Use
ChOctaw Tracks.
SURVEYORS WORKING.
Trying to Find an Easy Route
to Albuquerque.
MAY Result in the Purchase OF
the ChOctaw.

General Manager H. u Nudge mas
partially confirmed the report printer
in Fridays State Journal concernlns
the proposed extension of the Santa re
from Amarillo TO form a short line 10
the Pacific coast
Mr.. Nudge said to. reporter for the
State Journal:
THE Santa Fe now has surveyors III
the field between Amarillo ana AlDu+
ouerque We are trying to ind OUT
whether there is an easy route across
the country. The object is to get
short line to Los Angeles. The ChoctaW
is also at work in this locality, UNDER
stand. 1t can be stated that il the
Choctaw decides to build from Weath-
erford to Albuquerque that the Sahta
e will not build.
Indications are, therefore, that the
Santa Fe has fully determined upon an
important reduction in the present
mileage from the Missouri river points
to the Pacific coast. 1t Is only a ques-
ton of whether il will build its own eN-
tension or enter into traffic agreements
with the Choctaw.
1t is said to be part of the plan of the
Santa Fe to acquire full ownership OF
the ChoctaW. The contemplated extern
sion of the Choctaw to Albuquerque Is
likely to have an important bearing on
the plan, and win probably hasten tne
day when the ChOctaw Will come Lhto
the control of the big system CONFER
snces were held some time ago between
the Santa Fe and the Philadelphia own
ers of the Choctaw looking to such ac-
QUESTION. but there was a disagreement
as to price
Control of the Choctaw road rests in
the hands of eight or ten people, most
of them directors of the road. They m
clude E. B. Smith. f. l. Gowen' > n
Catherwood, Z. b. Morris and e. h
CoIlxet the latter president of the Hunt
ington and Broad Top company
The common stock of the ChoctaW V.
road sold at 1884 last week its highest
price In 1897 this stock sold at 50
share, when the company went through
a reorganization, acquiring the Lite
Rock and Memphis road and extending
its road through Oklahoma and opening
up Oklahoma and the Indian Territory
Some other rumors have been cir
culated concerning the possible extern
sions of the Santa Fe in the southwest
one was that extension would be
built from Roswell, the end OF the
Pecos Valley line, to Ell Paso, in order
that the Santa F'e might beat the Rock
Islands time into that city. This ru-
NOR however. has been denied. An
other story was that the Santa F'e was
surveying from Roswell to Torrance,
N M. the junction point on the Rock
Island. and from there to a point near
PuercO. on the Santa F'e Pacific.
The proposed Choctaw extension,
however, would be of much more value
than either of the proposed Roswell ex-
tensions. 1t would give almost d.
rect line from Weatherford, Okla, to
Los Angeles. and would enable the
Santa Fe to send its California business
via Amarillo, on the Pecos Valley lines,
straight to Los Angeles
The Santa Fe has realized that it
must improve its facilities for handling
the southern California business, or it
will suffer from the keen competition
of the Rock Island. Heretofore the
Southern Pacific and Santa Fe have
practically controlled the southern Cal
ifornia traffic. Now that the Rock ISL
and has a short line to FL Paso. it has
taken away the Santa Fe mail con-
tracts. and is a formidable rival for
California trade
r. W Martindell the travelling freight
Pecos Valley lines. was interviewed re-
Gently at FL PasO. and he threw damper
on the nope OF RI FaSo Ior the extension
Of the Pecos Valley line from Roswell to
this city. He says that in his opinion this
line VIII never be built and that no man
connected with the Santa Fe or PecoS Val |
ley line ever said that it would be built |
He brands the quoting Avery Turner by
an FL Paso paper to the effect that it
wouldn't be built as q. pure fake and an
act deserving Of a good trouncing, for Mr.,
Turner hasn't the authority to make the
statements credited to him and under
stands his position too well to make them |
He SAYS that he believs the ChoctaW
road viii be extended from Amarillo to
Tucumcari. where it will connect with the |
Rock Island for FL Paso but he doubts !
that the Santa Fe will build from San |
Angelo to PecOs and states that he be- |
lieves that if the connection such a line |
would make is ever obtained il will be |
done by building direct from San Angelo |
TO Albuquerque. leaving Pecos City out in |
the cold, as there is not sufficient business |
in that country to Justify building the line /
that much out of the way.
1t is true that the line from San Angelo |
direct TO Alouquerque would be much |
shorter and cross a country better adapted |
TO cattle raising than the neighbOrhood of |
Peeos city Such a line would provide the |
connection between the PecOs Valley line |
and the Santa Fe line for the Pacific coast |
that was mentioned in a recent issue of |
the Times