The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-10
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M. NJ. MURDOCH, Editor.
THAT SOUTHEAST RAILROAD FOR WICHITA.

road from Lake Superior connections directly south to
the Gulf Our contention would be found to
be more profitable feasible go down hill to tide
water products Of west than twice
the distance and across chain mountains to Atlantic
ports Another railway scheme advocated by the Eagle
as early as 1872 construction of either railway
or canal down Arkansas river valley to the ship
navigabe waters of the Mississippi river.
Later in the eighties the Eagle became the circum-
sanitation of north and road which named the
Omaha Abilene Wichita and Gulf railway liDe or the
ike The conditions propitious and the time ripe
Jointly with two or friends organized, named
directory made preliminary survey secured some right
ofway and voted bonds. The dream seemed about
to materalize when along the Rock Island and Of
fered to line from the Kansas river to Wichita
and later further SOUTH condition Of reinquish
ment of our charter, rghtofway ETC. Abilene rather
than Salina two three unmportant rea
sons the most influential of which the fact that one
of the promoters had formerly lived in Abilene where he
was still interested.
Eut now a change is coming the transportation
interests and agairs Of the entire Mississippi
valley then unexpected episode has occurred which
is going to fulfill the Eagles prophecy OF thirty years
ago. The construction of the Panama canal is going TO
divert branches extensions Of all the western trunk
lines railway Gulf connections and ports The pro-
ducts of the west going down hill to the water over
these and over additional north and south lines
which will be constructed the future The Bur
lington the Alton and a number of other systems will
make an effort to participate in the advantages and
profits arising from the digging of that canal which in
linking two oceans is going develop warrant water
TRANSPORTATION which will prove enough competitors
to the transcontinental lines of railways.
The announcement made the other day that company
had been organized for the construction of railroad
named the Nebraska Kansas and Gulf Railroad, was
SO indefinite as to inception and backing that little heed
was given the matter then however, more definite
information has been had 1t if the Burlington
system or some northern trunk line is back OF the
enterprise charter taken out at Topeka for
the construction of railroad from the north. through
salina south to Gulf connection at Fort Smith The
company is incorporated for s2,500OO0 The Kansas In
corporators are James A Kimba of Sana, j. c. Gaford
of Minneapolis and Stewart of Concorda The other
ipcorporators are Lambert of Joliet Ill., represent
ing the Illinois Trust Savings company of Chicago,
and the Illinois Steel company Samuel w Jurden, pres-
dent Of the City National of Kansas City; H. f.
Reddng City, who is the attorney for the COM
pany; William Kenefck of Kansas City, the head Of
firm of railway contractors and Martin wollman and
George Wolff, also of Kansas City.
The charter gives the company the right to build
road from line of Kansas south through Repub
lie Saline Cloud, Mcpherson, Harvey Sedgwick and
Cowley counties the southern terminus be Fort Smith,
Arkansas.
1t is supposed asserts the Topeka Daily Journal that
this company is only promoting" the line for the
purpose OF selling it to some established system. The
probability is that it to with the Burling
ton system The Burlington already has line running
from the northeast Concordia road from there
south would give direct connections from Omaha into the
great Kansas wheat belt BY extending the line from
Concordia north the line it would with
the main line of the Burlington from Denver and also
connect with the Burlington line Montana and the
northwest the connection made at Superior,
Neb it would the southern terminus of the Ere
mont EIkhorn and Missouri Valley which reaches up
into the Black Hills and is part of the Chicago Great
Western system. This would give both of these lines
short connection through the Kansas wheat to
Gulf of Mexico
But whether bona fde and selfsuffcient enterprise
or but promoter graft the line only feasible
one but reasonable one of possibilities and Importance
eQualng any the present north and south lines From
Wichita to Smith is line that the late Jay Gould
desired built would built but for the objections
of his directory The Of the Midland would have
extended their from Wichita Fort Smith had not
the Frisco bought up just that thing. The
road from Wichita Fort Smith would be valley road
for distance 25o miles valley of width
innumerabe tributary valleys; valley of the great
est agricultural possibilities. rich in soils and of abund
ant timber, hundred miles of which viii be
opened settlement and when opened Will be settled in
fortnight There is coal and oil gas along this pro-
posed line There other possible link for connecting
the great northwest with the Gulf system Of railways that
can equal this proposed ink for rectnes for low grades