The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-05
Why Syracuse Is the Most Ad-
EantageOus Terminus.
Gives the Best Outlet From the
Cattle Country.

Syracuse, Kan, May 5.-The propos-
ed Santa Fe southwest cutoff is attarct-
ing considerable attention in the pa-
pers these days and there are as many
different terminals mentioned in connec-
ton herewith as there are towns be-
tween Syracuse and Dodge City The
fact that one of the civil engineers of
the road has rented a room in Dodge
City has convinced everybody with d
foot of property there that the new cut
off VIII leave the main line at that point.
1t seems, however, that the engineer
has established his Office at Dodge City
because that is the division superin-
tendents headquarters and because he
has considerable work on this division
aside from surveying TO a cutoff. There
IS a hill just east Of Dodge City that
needs pairing down considerably before
the grade there VIII be satisfactory to
the officials who superlntend the opera
ton of the road. Mr.. Jones is to over
see this work and that is probably his
business there at this time. This does
not conform TO the cherished hopes Of
the old town but it is the reasonable
and practical view of the case. Furth-
ermore, it is a fact that il Engineer
Jones had orders TO survey new route
from Garden City Lakin or Syracuse
he would establish an Office at division
headquarters.
Up to this time two routes appear to
have been looked over Several months
ago surveying party struck out south
west from Dodge City, and were heard
of in Gray. Haskell and Stevens coun-
ties. The Syracuse route was examined
three weeks ago when party OF rOut-
ing engineers reached here from the
southwest. AS the country offers no ser
ious obstacle to railroad construction
from either place nothing would be
gained by selecting point that is not
already a division point on the main
line of the road. Hence it resolves it.
self.
First. into a question of distances to
some converging point in Beaver coun-
", Oklahoma, or New Mexico.
Second. into question Of local sup
port or patronage which viii naturally
come to the new road in the country
tributary to it,
The new line according to reports Of
the preliminary survey, will cross the
Cimarron river about 20 miles east of
kentOn, OF say 30 miles east of the New
Mexico boundary line. Taking then
this crossing on the Cimarron as the
cOnverging point of the Syracuse and
Dodge City surveys. a rough cOmpu-
tatiOn of the distance to Syracuse by
section lines is $50 miles, while to Dodge
City the distance to the same point is
30 miles by section lines. In angling
across the distances would be reduced
considerably of course, but the fact still
cast of the Texas-New Mexico line
Dodge City is 1873 miles east of the same
line. At the least calculation the SYRIA
cuse line would be 70 miles shorter to
the main line than by way Of Dodge
City
Southwest from Dodge City for fifty
miles a new railroad would run paral-
lei to the Rock Island and only a few
miles from it. To the north is a range
of sand hills and the main line of the
Santa Fe For fifty miles the strip of
land which would furnish business for
the new road would not average over
Is in width. While from Syracuse
southwest the new road would open up
the great grazing lands where 80 600
cattle are awaiting an outlet to market
and where the ranches are now freight
Ing supplies for distances of IS to 100
miles. road from Syracuse southwest
would find a large local businessawait-
ing 1t which is now divided between
three roadside Santa Fe on the north.
the Rock Island on the east and the
Colorado Southern on the south.
Syracuse is not Growing over her
prospects of beir g made a junction
point for new southwest cut off but
is content to abide the time when such
line shall have been determined on.
When that time arrives Syracuse will
be prepared to establish her claims as
being the most favosably situated of
any town on the main line for such a
junction The same considerations
which have caused the ranchmen from
g far southwest as Kenton. Oklahoma
and intermediate places to freight srom
Syracuse for twenty years past will
have due weight in esta bHshing a route
for new railroad across that country