The Topeka state journal., 1903-04-01

anticipate any difficulty in getting a
new franchise 1 believe that the city
council viii gladly help US to establish
what is practically new and thorough
" modern city railway in Topeka.
We also want the privilege of run
ming the new cars a little faster The
present limit is eight miles an hour
have secured from fifty of the principal
cities of the country the speed limit in
those cities, and it averages consider
ably higher than in Topeka
ASIDE from the speed provision. 1 do
not think of any important changes
which we will ask to have made in the
ordinance.
IF the council should refuse to grant
US a new 30-year franchise continued
Mr. Baker. the plans for improving the
+ lines would have to stop right where
they are Nothing could be done, be-
cause we could not sell bonds and con-
sequently could not get money to use in
making the improvements. But as far
as the consolidation of the lines is con-
cerned, that is an accomplished fact.
! We would simply have to give up our
/ plan to rebuild the lines here
NEW MEN OWN THE COMPANY.
The reorganization of the city railway
company means that an entirely new
set OF men are in control of the street
railways of Topeka.
Heretofore, the bulk of the stock and
bonds of the city railways are said TO
have been owned by Scotch and Eng
llsh capitalists. They were represented
by j. Kennedy Tod &. Co. of New York,
and 1t was through Mr.. Tod's firm that
! Mr.. Baker secured his option on a ma
jority of the stock and bonds.
The only old stockholders of the city
railway who are stockholders in&the re-
organized company are Joab Mulvane,
w. H. Rossington, Charles Blood Smith,
/ C. C. Baker, Isaac 7. Burr of Boston
and the United Electric Securities COM
| pany of Boston.
B. E. Sunny, of Chicago, one of the
principal stockholders in the new con-
cern, is western manager of the Gen
eral Electric company, and is a heavy
investor in street railways
E. w. Wilson, of Pekin, Ill, is presi-
dent of the VinewOOd road, and of an
interurban road in Illinois. He is said
to own a large block of stock in the re-
ling interest.
l. E. Myers, of Chicago. is Wilson s
right hand man in the Vinewood deal,
and is wealthy contractor
l.. w. Noyes, of Chicago, is president
of the Air Motor company, a windmill
manufacturing concern.
The United Electric Securities com
pany of Boston is a dealer in electric
railway stocks, and does a general in
vestment security business.
Adolpn Nathan. of Chicago. is a cap
italist. and is a friend of President Rip
ley of the Santa Fe
]. B. Wilbur. of Chicago is president
of the Royal Trust company of Chi
cago.
w H. Holmes. of Kansas City, is the
man who was formerly president of the
Metropolitan street railway of Kansas
city. He retired from that position to
accept the position of president of the
Pioneer Trust company of Kansas City.
Conway F. Holmes. of Kansas City.
IS a brother of W. H Holmes, and was
formerly general manager of the Met
ropolitan ailway. He is now connect
ed with the Pioneer Trust company
Isaac T. Burr. one of the old stock
holders Of the city railway. is well
known in Kansas, and was formerly a
director of the Santa F7e railway
The rest of the syndicate are Topeka
men who will have the welfare of the
city at heart as well as that of the
company.
The present board of directors of the
city railway does not indicate anything
as to the ownership of the company
The men who really own the company's
stock do not appear in the list The
meeting of the stockholders in May will
choose a new board. The retiring
board is as follows: NJ A Low, J. G.
Slonecker. Chas. Blood Smith, L C.
Wasson, L. c. Bronson, Chas- S. Gleed,
H G. Spear, Howell Jones, T. G. Ken
nedy, J. M. Patten, w. H Rossington
F. G. Willard and c. C. Baker
MEETING TO BE HELD APRIL s.
Although the stockholders of the city
railway will not meet until some time
in May, there is to be an important
meeting held here one week from today
April 8. which will be attended by B.
E, Sunny, of Chicago. f. w. Wilson. L.
E. Myers, and few other principal
owners of the company This meeting
is for the purpose of finishing up some
of the operating and business arrange
mentS for the reorganized line.
The new franchise ordinance will he
prepared, ready for Introduction at the
next succeeding meeting of the council.
The problems involved in rebuilding
and re-equipping the line will be dis
cussed.
STILL A LITTLE MYSTERY.
There is stiH some uncertainty as to the
exact status of F.. w Wilson and the
zation. Presideat Baker is rather rsticent
in discussing this matter. He says:
Most of the rivalry and enrnity between
has been newspaper talk, but whatever
there has been is now passed away Mr.
, in perfect harmony. will say frankly that
, the city railway has not acquired the
Mr.. Wilson was correct. However. Mr..
Wilson is on the board of the city railway
or will be. and the two companies are one.
They will both be owned by the reorgan-
lied concern
1t seems to be the purpose Of the reoE-
ganized company to simply issue enougi :
bonds to buy the Vinewood line. park and
all This has not yet been done. but it
will be included in the general bond issue
which will be made as soon as the other
necessary preliminaries can pe gone
viii the new company operate the
Yinewood line as has been planned?' Mr.
Bal-er asked
YES the line will be operated as plan
ned. 1t will probably be ready by the be-
ginning of the season"
Are any other extensions of the city
| railway to be built2"
''That 1 can not say OF course it was
> the original plan of the city railway tc
build a line in North Topeka reaching tc
the reform school. but whether this will
be done now rests with the new board
which is soon to be elected
At any rate things seem to be fixed II
now so that Topeka will soon have q new
street railway. equipped with modern cars
and it win also have a splendid sumnlsi
; resort for brief excursions in the shape Of
Vinewood park
Standard Oils Big Loss.
Calcutta, April IA number of oil
: tanks al Baibai province of Bengal