The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-24

track. Tt also has about two miles out
side Of the city limits, this being largely
comprised in the Oakland line, The
total is 1872 miles.
The vinewood Park company has 20
blocks of its line inside of the city, and
about miles outside. making total
of about SIC miles.
Including the large amount of double
track which the city railway has, the
total mileage of the combined systems
will be over IS miles
The addition of the Ninewood line to
the city system gives street car facilities
to one part of town which has needed
these facilities badly. The city railway
touches every part of town except the
extreme southeastern part. This is ex-
actly the territory covered by the Vine
wood line.
There is only one other portion of the
city which is coming to need extended
street car accommodations, and that is
North Topeka a line west on Gordon
street from Kansas avenue. and thence
north through Shorey to the Reform
school would be a very profitable in
vestment for the company, and boon
to people living in that part of town
1t would tend to build Up North Topeka.
The owners of the old city railway
have covered the town very well with
their lines They have built to all the
important terminals, and have occupied
the most desirable streets. The only
thing needed by the city railway is a
general ONerhauiing, which can only be
brought about by the expenditure of g.
large amount of money The tracks
must be renewed, and the rolling stock
replaced by new and larger cars.
Roughly estimated, the combined val
ue of the City railway and Vinewood
Park line is $1,000, 600 The Vinewood
Park Railway company owns Vinewood
park tract of 476 acres. which it is
proposed to improve and use as a sum
roc r,Fff
ated on Deer creek, and is heavily
wooded. Summer amusements of all
kinds viii be provided at the park
The Ninewood Park railway manage
ment claims that it will spend $500, 600
in its park and line of road To rebuild
the City railway lines would probably
cost upwards of 100000, and $780, 600
more should be spent on equipment
If all the plans for consolida ting the
roads are carried out. it viii mean much
to Topeka, not only from the improved
facilities for transportation, but also
from the large sums of money which
would be spent here, In rebuilding the
City railway line It would give steady
employment to men for several years
The map on this pa ge, which is pre-
pared by the city engineer, shows the
mileage in the city of both the City
railway and Vinewood Park roads. The
Ninewood Park road is practically com
pleted with the exception of a big fill
+ dCiDSS Inc oAQIS dAutiSa creek DOJJOIIS.
and the ytaduct across the Santa Re
and Missouri Pacific railways tracks
About 100 men are now at work com
pleting the fill.
The Vinewlood road also holds a fran
chlse to build throughout the western TART
of the city and to the Santa re and Rock
Island depots. It's first franchise to Duild
the famous loop which is now coel-
pIeted. was granted May Y, 1902 On No
venber 5 1902. it secured an additional
franchise to build to the santa Fe and Rock
Island de1ots. On December / it secured
third franchise, the last being by far
the most comprehensive of all. It included
the complete right of way for a system
to reach Washburn, Qulnton Heights.
Potwin and all the west part of town
Only the first franchise has so far been
used by the company as a basis for active
construction work. and the supposition is
that it procured the other franchises for
the purpose of forcing the city railway
company to sue for peace The under
standing is that the president and owner
Of the Ninewood park road viii be taken
into the consolidated street railway corD0r-
alton on a basis of partial ownership. He
may be found to control enough of the
stock to dictate the policy Of the COM
pany.