The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-09
RAILROAD NEWS.
Future Plans of the Rock Island
Management.
Great Increase in Mileage Dur
ing Next Two Years.
WILL ACQUIRE ROADS.
Cover All Points Along Gulf of
Mexico.
Frisco VIII Bring in Products
of Oklahoma.

Great as has been the extension of the
Rock Island system in the last two years.
Il has by no means reached its limit.
Plans have been already adopted for
further extensions, to be completed
within two years. which will add very
materially to the mileage of the whole.
Among the accessions decided upon are
thesfollowing:
In addition to the recent purchase Of
aalf interest in Houston and Texas
Central, an interest in Houston. East
ard West Texas, Houston and Shreve-
port, and San Antonio and Arkansas
Fhss is certain. The position of the
frisco and Rock Island lines in Texas
makes either these lines essential or
else the building of lines to parallel
them. Parallel construction is the last
thing that the Rock Island proposes.
Frisco and Rock Island trains will
run from Memphis to New Orleans
and from a point south of Memphis
across country to Houston and Calves
ton. In this territory also the system
will avoid parallehng existing Or pro-
jected lines. The routes will be obtain
ed, but in the obtaining of them neither
their future nor the future of the lines
of Missouri Pacific or Iron Mountain
will be endangered.
From Galveston and Houston the sys
tenn will operate a coast line running
through Sirton and touching the Next
can border at BroWnVille, Texas. This
line will tap every port on the gulf coast
from the boundary to Galveston. IL
will put the system in better position
than even the Southern Pacific to bid
for the coastwise traffic and whatever
commerce may flow through these coast
ports from Central or South America.
LINE TO FOLLOW MEXICAN COAST
Beyond BrownVille a line will follow
the Mexican coast to Tampico, connect
ing at that port with the new line of the
Mexican Central and making with it the
shortest line by $50 miles from gulf
ports, St Louis, Chicago, etc, to Mexico
City.
From Brady, Texas, to Sinton the sys-
tenn will operate a direct line via the
Frisco and Arkansas Pass, giving 1t by
far the shortest existing or projected
line from Kansas City and similarly
situated cities to Mexico and the far
south
other trunk lines at present under
construction are those between st. Louis
and Kansas City along the valley of the
Missouri, and from Memphis to Tecum-
cara, which will be created by the com
pletion of the 'Choctaw extension
The various parts of the system will
be very materially benefited by the con-
soddations that have been accomplish
ed.
Notably is the position of Chicago and
eastern Illinois bettered by the merger.
FDrmerly a tremendous amount of coal
and lumber traffic originating on Choc-
taw was carried to St Louis over the
ron Mountain and distributed at that
point between the various Chicago lines.
This entire tonnage will flow north from
the Choctaw division of the new system
over the St. Louis, Memphis and South
eastern to st. Louis, and from ST. Louis
will reach Chicago via the new line of
Chicago and Eastern Illinois now being
pushed through as rapidly as possible
The entire division of the St Louis &
San Francisco southeast from Kansas
City to New Orleans, as it Will be com
pleted by the putting in commission OF
the Louisiana q Arkansas, viii receive
80 per cent more tonnage than it could
POSSIBLY have secured without the CO.
operation of Rock Island lines south and
west Of Kansas City.
On the other hand, the Kansas City
St Louis line now under construction
by the Rock Island assumes new mn
portance in connection with the short
route from the latter point TO Chlcago.
GARDEN SPOT OF THE COUNTRY.
The lines of the Rock Island, west OF
the Fort Worth division, are in posi-
ton to receive what benefit may arise
from the fact that the local lines of the
Frisco cover the Oklahoma and Indian
Territory farm lands more thoroughly
than any other system. This territory is
new and has never yet showed its true
traffic developing capacity, so that 1t is
necessary to take the word of its friends
for the fact that it is capable of pro-
ducing more agricultural tonnage than
any equal section of the Union with the
possible exception of southeastern Kan
sas 1t is almost unnecessary to add
that the ChOctaW east of Fort Worth
and the new lines of the Frisco from
the Red River to New Orleans via
Shreveport will share in any future that
may lie ahead of this territory.