The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-14
Quarrel About the Santa Fe
Freight Division.
Newton and Hutchinson Are
Very Much Interested.
IS THERE TO BE CHANGE
Newton Thinks Things Are to
Remain as They Are.
Engineer Nudge Visits Hutch.
inson to Make Examinations.

AS a result of the State Journals
exclusive story concerning the prob
able removal of the Santa Fe freight
division from Newton to Hutchinson,
which was printed on the authority of
a Santa Fe official we'll known both in
Hutchinson and Newton, but whose
identity must be concealed for obvious
reasons, the Newton and Hutchinson
newspapers are having a series of Sc
we're spasms.
The Hutchinson papers are rejoicing
at the towns good luck, and are dig
ging up additional information tend
ing to corroborate the opinion of the
official quoted. The Newton papers
prove conclusively that there is no
truth in the story. In the Newton
Kansan Republican appears the fol-
lowing laborate defense of Newton's
side of the case:
"Emporia and Hutchinson have work
ed themselves into state of ecstacy
over a recent report in the Topeka
State Journal which quoted a Santa
Fe official whose name is discreetly
withheld, as saying that the Santa Fe
will remove the freight division tern1in-
al from Newton to Hutchinson next
spring. Emporia and Hutchinson pa
perS have eagerly seized upon this
hot air" tip and have with childish
ina gination pictured themselves as
great railroad centerS, made so by the
addition to their railroad interests of a
few freight train crews. Reports like
this are perennial in this locality and
Newton people have come to expect
them just as they do the SHOWS of win
ter, the showers of spring, and the hot
winds of summer. In the meantime
the road has quietly but steadily been
adding to its interests and building up
its plant until today the Santa Fe is
doing more business in Newton and is
spending more money here every
month than at any other time in It's
history. Instead of the removing pro-
cess here there is in fact a steady
building up. If the pipe dreams of
these newspaper men were worthy of
a moments serious consideration, we
might call their attention to the fact
that less than four weeks ago the men
in the resident engineers office at this
point were called upon to make sur
veys and to furnish estimates on the
construction of twenty 2,000-foot tracks
on the company's property west of the
carriage factory This fact is we'll
known among local railroad men and
| its truth is beyond dispute Such an
extensive addition to the company's in
terests in Newton as this would hardly
| fit in with the fairy tale to the effect
that the freight business here is to be
decreased. If the Santa, Fe is figuring
on adding to its track facilities here sc
largely, it must be expecting to do a
large freight business and it is absurd
to expect the removal of the freight
terminal to Hutchinson.
I'm connection with this fairy tale
( the Topeka papers have resurrected the
old story about the inadequacy Of the
/ Newton waterworks, giving this as one
/ of the chief reasons for the change
Local railroad men know and the trair
men admit that the supply of water
here is not only ample but is Of a quail
/ ity hard to equal at any point along the
line. Engineers frequently take long
chances in order to get to Newton t.
fill their engine tank. The water 1:
pure and does not corrode the boilers
while the Hutchinson water is notori
ously bad In addition to the immense
amount of water used in the shops, ar
average of 70 engines are 'watered' here
every day and yet the supply is an6
always has been ample.
"Hutchinsons case is a mighty slim
one and she is building up hopes or
mighty poor material There is not the
/ least probability that the freight ter
minal will ever go to that town anc
even if it should Newton's Importance
as q railroad town would suffer very
little. The freight service is only ONT
of the many interests of the Santa F,
here and not by any means the mos
! important Hutchinsons case is 81