The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-06
ORGANIZE
AND WORK
On Railroads Was Decided by
Chamber of Commerce,
ALSO TO GET GAS HERE
CentennieI Celebration for
July | Was Considered.
ALSO TO GET GAS HERE

At the Chamber Of Commerce meeting
last night the following were appointed
a committee to draft a plan for the or
ganization of a company to build a rail-
road into the coal fields OF the Indian ter
ritory: Kos Harris. j. II. Stewart, P. V.
HeaIy. c. NJ. Dickson and Albert Van
zandt, and when the meeting adjourned
it was until next Tuesday evening, when
this committee VIII report the result Of
It's labors.
I The appointment of this COMMITTEES
! came as Z result of very stirring speech
! by Kos Harris regarding the building of
| line into the southeast Mr. Harris
reviewed the propositions now before the
people of this city and county regarding
the building of such line. He talked at
| some length regarding the benefits OF
such j line TO Wichita and the sur
rounding country, but he said that the
people of this city seemed TO be asleep.
He told of how the Rock Island was Sc
| cured. Some OF the business men Of the
city organized the company, procured
charter and made a survey for line
from Omaha to Wichita through Abilene.
| The Rock Island company heard of this
action, and were afraid that some eastern
| line was backing 1t and would break into
southern Kansas territory. The COM
pany's attorney came to Wichita, bought
the charter and stock and the Rock Is
| land was built into Texas.
The Denver. Memphis and Atlanta was
| built in the same way, except that the
plans went further. A committee wait
ed on Jay Gould, but he refused to hear
| them. They returned, organized COM
pany, made a survey and had several
| thousand dollars voted as subsidies.
These facts were communicated 10 Mr.
Gould. who asked to see the men. and
Immediately took hold of the proposition
and built line across the southern tier
of counties Of the state.
Mr. Harris advocated a company of
men being organized. get charter, make
the surveys and have the subsidies voted
and be ready to begin active operations.
He believed that long before this was
completed there would be plenty of bid
ders for the charter and the line would
be built by some company desiring new
field. He stated that this could be done
with small sum or money.
When he finished speaking, James Alli-
son, p V. Healy and J. II. Stewart spoke
along the same lines. G.. NJ. Dickson also
made a few remarks about what had al
ready been done toward this line. The
business men of Winfield organized
company and had a permanent survey
made from Winfield to Pawhuska, l. T.
They had secured guarantees of subsi-
dies and had been asked by several COM
panies about the line when the company
found they were up against this PROPOSE
ton. There was not a trust company or
railroad who would take hold of the line
and build it with the northern terminus
at Winfield with a much larger town but
a few miles away. a week ago yester-
day a delegation of Winfield people came
here and talked with the Wichita men
interested in the road and wanting
Wichita to join with them in getting the
line constructed.
The Wichita parties made a definite
proposition TO Winfield regarding this.
and an answer is expected shortly AT
the meeting last night this announcement
met with much favor. and it was clearly
the voice of the meeting that Wichita
would meet Winfield half way on any
proposition to build a line into the coal
fields OF the Indian territory and both
cities get the benefit of the joint labors.
The committee appointed last night will
draft a plan Of organization and work.
and Will report next Tuesday night
\ z. Helm was present and stated that
during a visit in Ohio a short time ago
he met some Of the men from Union
town, Ind. who were granted a fran
chise 10 pipe gas into Wichita last year.
but had failed to make any movement
to keep the franchise. Mr. Helm found
that these gentlemen We're ready TO come
to Wichita and begin work. and had sent
experts to this section to look over the
field. and were perfectly willing to make
a proposition to Wichita. Mr. Helm laid
the matter before the Chamber OF Com
merce. and the following committee was
appointed 10 look into the matter: A E.
Helm. c. W. Southwark. J. E. Howard
James Allison and George Fultz.
On a motion by Mr. Howard the Cham
Der Of Commerce instructed the secretary
to sign the membership blank in the Kan
sas Federation Of Commercial interests
organized AT Topeka last winter. Il was
through the efforts Of this organization
that the bill was passed giving the cleo
ton OF the railroad commissioners TO the
people. and a number of other proposi-
lions are before the organization. The
Kansas Federation Of Commercial inter
ests is an organization OF the Commercial
clubs OF the state
This year is the centennial year OF tn
purchase Of the Louisiana territory. and
the matter Of holding a celebration Of
this event WAS discussed The matter Of
making it a citizens movement and %
make II a celebrate ton OF southern Kansas
and Oklahoma was discussed. The
Fourth OF July comes on Saturday this
yeSr. and according 10 the plan the cele-
bration is 70 De held on Thursday and
possibly continuing two o. three DAYS
This is not TO be fair or exposition. but
, celebration where everyone csn have
9 good time Aithoush no definite action
was taken last night. It IS understood
that a mass meeting Of business men viii
be shortly held 70 take steps in this mat
ter
The secretary IN his quarterly report
stated that the pai6-up membership q
the Chamber or Commerce was 81. and
the treasvrsr's books showed So =
balance on hand. Several new members
were elected to the organization last
night
WILL GIVE PIANO RECITAL.