The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-17
The Old
Kansas Pacific

\ Kansas man writing of the early days
OF western railroaaing, recalls an excur-
sion had over the Kansas Pacific railroad
from Lawrence to Wyandotte in 1864. In
August of 1853 Samuel HalIet began the
construction of this railroad. 1t is signifi-
cant Of the times that the first work done
was the erection of a tall post ct the Mis-
souri, Kansas line. on the Missouri side OF
which was inscribed the word slavery
and on the Kansas side the word free
DOM. The work of construction was
pushed with what was regarded as I'M
common CELEBRITY in that day and genera
ton. The road had reached Lawrence,
some thirty-eight miles away, during the
following summer IN November the ex-
cursion to which the Kansas pan alludes
was given. OF 1t he says:
You might search the annals of Ameri-
can raiiroading without finding anything
more primitive than the equipment and
the service of the old Kansas Pacific We
started from Lawrence about S o clock in
the morning. Cur train was composed OF
a ittle old woodworking locomotive with
a funnel as big as her boiler and a string
OF fat cars on which temporary seats had
been erected by the use of rough boards
and nail kegs. That engine WAS wonder
TO behold. Her tender held about q half
cord of wood. Three times the passengers
turned ont and carried wood 10 her from
piles alcng the track. She had a whistle
which was a cross between steamboat
oalliope and the shrek OF a damned soul.
We hated To have her whistle. because it
that sne had To stop while she aecuauiat-
81 more. 1t took rs FIVE living hours TO
get 10 wyando;te and a little longer to get
back Butsit was the most glorious rail-
road ride of Kansas history. II was the
visible evidence that Kansas was joining
the world. II was the real beginning OF
our prosperity. and IL can never be for
gotten
Yhe remark Of the Kansas man shat the
annals OF American raiiraasing can show
nothing more primitive than Gle cid Kaa-,
sas Pacific Will hFve ~ be taken vita
bushels OF salt The trctn j. that the
excursion OF which he speaks was a
dream OF Oriental luxury when compared
TO cartier modes OF rsiiroad tfansporis-
ton. Recently tie Scientific American
tstfc = 49, sftAtAt - t4a-
Columbia railroad buli ard oreTa;ed by
the state CT Pennsylvania TnasTn'lch as
the state had built tac railroad. & vas
held that anyone had the right II use ne
tracks SO long a he ebevssi TIE resuia-
tioss axed b the law. 80 private con-
veyanees. sometimes drawn by horses.
could frequently be seen and a1acnS The
ruIsx goveTning the traffic we're tlse two
fsilowins,
SEC. se-No ca- sNaii CARR a greater
load than rhree tors. nsr NOR thar
three ard one-half tons On ihe Portage
railway. nor shAH any burden ear travel
at 4 greater speed than I've Fafss Al
hour. ur,iess the car beiy ar1 load SHAH
be supported BY GOOD STEEL sp-iuEs
Sc leS-TI shah - tn dsty O.. The
coadsescr q cars moving With less sresst
Ipon the railways. aaron n0sire ST ring
n "a he'll blowing hern. ~ oss-e-Nsse.
of the approach q Ieearaottse snel7e
or other cars us0Ffn- IN tss same direc-
ton a. a greater spees. 70 Jsrscesd sElsk
al n<sSiale disr4tch to she arsz svttra
N she cossrse u sAeiT ysSssss. sEa pass
OF szl1 track uatsl Sad SerVz1o-ivs ~
giue er ether CARS nscvsr 80 gTezser
spe@S1 czn pass D.. Tn consucterz af
siower cars are ds-ecfse 20 cpen ssi