The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-19
TO Take Place on Plan Pub
lished in State Journal.
MR.. BAKER NAY STAY.
Believed He VIII Be Head of
New System.
Details Completed and Await
the Official Action.
All the Lines of City Railway to
Be Rebuilt.

At the meeting of the stockholders
of the Topeka city railway in this city
on April 6, the proposed consolidation
Of the city railway and the Vinewood
Park line. which was announced in the
State Journal Of December will be
effected unless there is an unlocked for
hitch AT that meeting new directors
will be chosen for the city railway. and
there is reason to believe that the pres
ident Of the Vinewood Park line. E. W.
Wilson, and some of his associates
VIII be added to the city railway board
and they will probably have a control
ling interest in the consolidated lines.
C. c. Baker. president Of the city rail-
way, is in New York. supposedly work
ing on the final details of the big deal.
He will not return until shortly before
the meeting of the stockholders. Owing
to his absence. nothing can be given
officially. but there is every reason to
believe that the plan of consolidation
for the lines which was outlined in the
State Journal of December will be
followed out very closely.
President Baker win probably be re-
tanned as head of the reorganized city
railway. The consolidated company
will operate both of the existing sys-
TENS. and the present city railway line
will be rebuilt and refitted.
1t is stated that superintendent Ward
who is in charge Of the construction
work for the Vinewood line has been
instructed to go ahead and prepare TO
rebuild some of the city lines for the
city railway. He will first replace the
Kansas avenue double tracks with new
roadbed, and heavy rails Of the latest
pattern The tracks may be paved
with asphalt instead of with stone AZ
/ ter rebuilding the Kansas avenue line
lother lines VIII be rebuilt 1t viii cost
/ several hundred thousand dollars TO
carry out the programme which the
! consolidated company IS said 10 have
planned.
An official of the city railway-not a
very high official, however-nade bet
today with one of the street car con-
ductors that within 30 days, the city
railway would begin the use of double
/ truck cars. Double truck cars are much
! heavier than the present cars, and could
not be operated on the existing track
Frank G. Kelly, manager of the Vine
wood Park road, was asked this mC-s1-
ing concerning the state of the c0-a0li-
dation negotiations.
Il have nothing to say said Mr.. Kel-
ly. 4 expect Mr.. Wilson will be in the
city before long and he can do his own
talking"
1T IS rumored that the city railway
will control the NinewoOd line, ano Will
I give in return representation to Mr.. VIII
son on the board OF directors. Is that
/ true2" was asked.
L can't say. There have been all sorts
of rumors. You viii have to talk to Mr..
! wilson
One thing which is said to be delaying
the progress of the work of rebuilding
the city railway system is the lack Of
railway ties. Ties are difficult to obtain
for love or money, and there may be
I considerable delay in obtaining a suffl-
cient quantity. The plan is to use moth
ing but new ties, and new rails. in relay
ing the present car lines. Superintend-
ent Ward has been instructed to order
$4,000 new ties to be used in the recon-
stIuction.
1t is of course admitted to be a fact
that none of the proposed city lines Of
the Vinewood company VIII be built
The only reason the VineWood company
had for obtaining the franchise ts build
all over the city was to force the city
railway to give it favorable terms on
a consolidation The Rock Island and
Santa Fe depot lines will be abandoned,
also the elaborate system which was to
have been extended over the western
part Of the city. The only line which
viii be completed viii be the road to
Vinewood park. This will be finished up
as planned. It is a line which the city
railway has long needed.