The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-25
Mr.. WATSON HERE
Vice President of Orient Rail-
road Talks.
Explains That Success of Pro-
ject Is Assured.
MUCH is IN OPERATION
Road Already Open for Business
in South.
Why Southern End Is Being
Built First.

United states ana MeNlcdH IiuSl Gum
pary, and also of the Union Construc-
ton company. which is building the
eastern $50 miles of the Orient railway,
was in Topeka today. visiting Frank
Grimes, the Kansas fiscal agent for the
road Mr.. Watson formerly lived in
Kansas, but is now q resident of Kan
sas City.
MI. Watson has the characteristic
confidence of a Orient man. that his
road is destined to be the biggest money
making proposition ever offered to peo-
pie for Investment He says that 81 in
vested in construction company stock
will yield SO.
The Orient financial outlook is as
sured 3" said Mr.. Watson. Nothing un-
der heaven can stop the construction OF
the road. Why. we have a railroad now.
1t has zone so far that we had
wreck down near Wichita the other day,
and we also have car famine on hand.
isn't that enough to prove that our pro-
position is go?
1T does not occur to the average citi-
zen that our Pacific terminus, Port Still
well, is 1000 miles this side of san
Francisco We will not only have the
shortest line from Kansas City to the
coast, but the shortest line by q miles
from Kansas City to Wichita ThOuSn
we do not pass through Topeka. our line
will have a trackage agreement with
the Missouri Pacific, and Will open up
all the new markets of the southwest to
| Topeka just as much as it will to Kan
sas City.
There is not five miles of the Orient
line which is unproductive. We entirely
avoid the western deserts. We split in
two the great cattle country of Texas.
The mineral wealth of certain portions
of the line is assured. A line like That
can't fail. We open up a new empire,
and do not parallel any other line fer
any considerable distance.
~'People have wondered why we do not
build the east end of the line now. Well.
it's easy to explain. We-want to occupy
all that rich unoccupied country in the
southwest before some other road gets
it. There are several other roads which
are not anxious to see the Orient built
a very short-sighted policy on their part
however. We want to get our grades
built in all this new country. That eX-
plains why we have spent so much time
so far on building grades and getting
right of way, and so little in laying
rails.
out of the entire 1000 miles of the
line, the right of way for 1900 miles is
bought and paid for. We have 800 miles
graded. South of Wichita we have 100
miles in operation. In Mexico there Is
one stretch of $50 miles in operation
and another stretch of 20 miles In oper
alton. We have 80 miles of track in
operation in Kansas. and SO miles of
grade in Kansas. We expect to nave
the line from Kansas City to San Angelo
| completed with IS months or two years.
The line from Wichita to Kansas City
will be built. We are now grading near
Matfield Green. / do ont think there
will be any work done at Emporia just
at the present time.
Il can't say whether the line wilt run
to Lawrence or not. II rests with the
people up there. We want to see what
they will do. If it does not reach Law
renee it will run a few miles south of
1 there The difference in the length of
the line by either route is only a mile
or So"
Mr.. Watson states that last month
the Orient line south of Wichita hauled
400 cars of wheat and 125 cars of Okla
hOma watermelOnS. The demand for
cars could not be supplied, and better
elevator facilities are being provided. AL
FairVieW a 300-barrel flour mill is being
constructed. Two new engines and 300
new freight cars have been ordered.
Lawrence people are getting consider
ably enthused about the new line. and III
an interview in a Lawrence paper, Sena-
tor Henley said:
The best assurance can give that the
proposition is a good one is to invest my
money in it. That thing / have done.
do not care to advise others unless they
ask me for advice, but I would not have
put into the company the amount of
money I have If / had not thought it a
paying thing. There were two things that
| led me to invest: first. possibly a selfish
object. to make money. But the other
was to help Lawrence to get what she
ought to have We need the trade from
the southwest, and we not get it
without the road. The town has been in
different and has not taken the interest
wake up and do something. So far as
am personally concerned, I have now
nothing to ship in or out, but the town
needs the road. and it would be a serious
blow if it should be built few miles
away from us. If any one asks me If il
is a good investment. I shall say it is