The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-02
Railroads Won't Compete for q.
A. X. HOnOrs.
No Contest for Title of " Official
Route"
FIRST TIME ON RECORD
Has Always Been a Scramble
for Selection.
Believed That Roads Have CON-
bined This Year.

There seems to be a combination be-
tween the railroads of Kansas to enter
into no active competition for the dis
tinction of being selected as the off,
cial route of the Kansas G. A r. dele
cation to the thirty-seventh national
encampment at San Francisco.
Within a week or ten days, Depart
ment Commander Smith will name the
official route. 1t is all left in his
hands. and the route which he selects
will be the one upon which the Kansas
officers of the G. A r. will travel
Usually there is fierce competition be-
tween the various railroads for the off,
cial patronage. This year it is dif-
ferant.
1T don't seem to make any differences
to the roads which one gets it." saia
Adjutant General w. w. Dennison of
the C. A. r. "They all go after the
business anyway, and fight just as hsrc
if they don't secure the selection as IL
thev do
Department Commander Smith is not
in the city but when here a few dayA
ago he said that there is so little in
terest in the matter that several of the
leading railroads in the state had not
even sent a representative to him to
apply for the honor.
There are four roads recognized as
being in the race, generally speakine.
and one of these roads will no doubt be
chosen as the official route. The four
are the Santa Fe, Rock Island, Union
Pacific and Missouri Pacific. Some
times the fight is SO hot between the
roads that they offer to the G. A. r.
posts, through the department COM
mander, very valuable concessions in
the way of free transportation for GER
tain G. A. r. leaders,. There Is not
likely to be much Of this sort of thing
this year. The combination between the
roads is in the nature Of a traffic deal.
The rates of fare have been fixed for
keeps, and the railways thereby do
away with disastrous competition.
/ 1t is believed lilEely. that the Rock IS
land has the best show to be chosen
as the official route. The Santa Fe Is
said to insist that the dslega tions use
its lines both east and west bound. ana
to offer no Choice of-routes for the east1
ern trip. This is not satisfactory to the
old soldiers. who want to have IT LETT
so that they can go out one way and
come back by some other line. The
road which is selected for the official
route will probably have. to make some
such concession this.
| In speaking of the prospects for >
large delegation from Kansas to the
reunion, Commander Smith said: 1T is
! too early to make any forecasts as to
how many will go to. San Francisco
some at home who would otherwise
have gone, but l believe that the at
tendance will be well UP to the aver
age
The encampment will be held during
the week beginning Monday, August IL.
| The Transcontinental Passenger asso-
citation has announced the following
date of sale for tickets: East of but not
including Colorado common points, east
of Ell Paso and Dalhart. August l to
IA. West of above mentioned points.
August to Is. The rate of fare is fix-
| ed at one cent a mile.
The following are some of the an
nouncements promulgated by the ma
tional commander by means of gem
| eral order:
! Headquarters of the Grand Army OF
the Republic will be established tenn
porarily at the Palace hotel, San Fran
cisco. Cal, from August 18th to 21st in
elusive.
The executive committee of the ma
| tional council of administration will
meet at headquarters, in Palace hotel.
on Monday afternoon, Angst II at 3
o'clock.
THE national council of administra-
tion will meet at headquarters, Palace
hotel, Monday evening. August II, at
O'Clock.
THE parade of the Grand Army of
the Republic will take place on We'd
nesday, August 10 and will move prompt
| ly at 10 o'clock a. m.
| Aides de camp on the staff of the
commander-in-chief will Immediately
upon their arrival in San Francisco re-
port to ]. Cory Winans. chief of STAFF,
| at headquarters in Palace hotel.
/ Detailed information as to parade
will be announced in circular letters 10
! department commanders and in orders
to be issued from Office of chief marshal
in San Francisco.
THE business sessions of the 37th
national encampment will be held in
San Francisco beginning at $3.50 &. m,
August 20.
place of meeting to be announced Ia
! ter.
THE general committee of arrange
| ments are providing literally for the en-
tertainment of all who may visit San
Francisco during the week of the en-
campment. Comrades or their friends
intending to be present and desiring in
formation as to quarters, halls for
unions, etc, should communicate direct
| with General George Stone, chairman
committee of arrangements, San F'ran-
cisco, Cal. Letters of inquiry should be
very explicit. and each letter refer to
| one subject only"