The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-22
RAILROAD NEWS.
Heaviest Stock Movement in
History Of Santa Fe Road.
$4,000 Head in Sight to BE
Hauled North.
PLENTY OF EQUIPMENT
The Transportation Department
Making a Good Record.
Rock Islands New El PasO Ex-
tension Brings Cattle.
PLENTY OF EQUIPMENT

The heaviest stock movement In the
history of the Santa. Fe road is now on
Hundreds Of carloads of beef steers are
coming north from Texas and New Mex
SEQ every day. to be fattened for mar
ket on the pasture lands in Kansas and
Oklahoma.
From the carefully prepared estimates
of men in the field, it is given out by the
Santa Fe that the movements of stock
this spring win aggregate $500 carloads,
81. about 900 head. This is about 20,-
20 head above any previous record
Since April /, the Santa Fe has hauled
5000 cars over the Gulf Colorado &
Santa Fe, via Purcell, and it is esti-
mated that this is only a little over 50
per cent of the total movement for the
season. So far most of the shipments
have been coming TO Red Rock, White
Eagle EIgin and Davidson. four cattle
towns OF immense Importance situated
IN Oklahoma and southern Kansas The
town of Elgin IS the greatest shipping
point in the world for fat cattle, or cat
tie 1attened On grass ana ready 10 pe
finished off with Kansas corn.
Before May 1. it is estimated that the
Santa Fe viii haul 1000 cSeIoadS Of cat
tie over the Peeos valley line, ana 6UO
cars more from the big ranches IN New
Mexico.
In anticipation Of this stupendous
movement Of cattle, the Santa F'e has
for months been gradually preparing TOR
the rush. and now the officials OF the
transportation department are iubllant
at the record they are making Tor the
abundance of equipment where it IS
needed.
Plenty Of equipment" said George
Heatherington Of the transportation de-
partment TO-DAY We have not had a
bit Of trouble so far through lack Of
cars This IS simply because we have
for weeks been getting ready Tor the
movement, and have been sending cars
to the country where the cattle are
shipped from. The movement is now at
its height and We are taking care Of the
cattle as fast as they come. We viii
have the heaviest movement We have
ever had"
The cattle now aeing shipped north
are not for market Thew have been
spending the winter on the pasture
lands in southern Texas and New Mexi-
&C. They are now leaving the exhausted
pastures Of that country, and are COM
ing to the north, where the pastures are
beginning to get green. They viii be
kept on grass during the summer and
then sent to market
The unusually heavy movement of
cattle is said to be due to the fact that
the cattle are now pretty well cleaned
out of the north, having been rushed TO
market last fall when the corn crop fell
short
ROCK ISLAND ALSO RUSHED.
The unprecedented rush is not con
fined to the Santa Fe- The Rock Island
traffic officials state that their business
this year viii eclipse anything in the
history of the company. This is due to
considerable extent. no doubt, to the
completion and operation of the Ell
Paso extension. 1t is stated that over
5000 car loads of cattle were hauled
over the FL Paso line last week. The
Rock Island viii haul a great many
cattle to the summer pastures in WyOm-
ing and Idaho, but this movement has
not started as yet. The cattle for these
points viii be taken to Dalhart. and
there transferred to the Colorado &
southern 1t is estimated at the present
time that about 10000 head viii go
north by this route