The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-05
RAILROAD NEWS.
New Railway Construction Is
Planned In Kansas.
Big Building Proposition Cred
tied to Rock Island.
NORTH AND SOUTH LINE
New Railway TO Tap the Rich
Wheat Belt of the State.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
i'm Railway Circles.

The Rock Island railroad is said to be
behind the scheme to build a north and
south line of railroad through the
wheat belt of Kansas, connecting on the
north with the through line to Denver
and the northwest, and on the south at
Enid for the Gulf of Mexico points.
Although authentic information is
not at hand it is said by those well
versed in railroad circles that the con-
struction of the Gulf, Hutchinson and
Northwestern, and the Denver, Enid
and Gulf contemplates corralling the
bulk of the enormous wheat traffic
from the wheat belt of Kansas for the
Rock Island railroad company.
1t is a notable fact that Kansas, while
we'll supplied with trunk lines of roads
running in an east and west direction,
is almost wholly without north and
south lines in any portion of the state
The Denver, Enid and Gulf road is
said to be under construction. The road
will reach from Enid northwest to
Kiowa, Kansas. AT Enid, this line
would give a direct connection for the
Rock Island to route shipments direct
to the GulS over the main line of the
road.
Preliminary surveys and trips over
the proposed route have been made
from Hutchinson, Kansas, to Great
Bend, Stockton, Lenora, Jennings, ODER
lin and Atwood in Rawlins county.
From the connection at Jennings
with the main line of the Rock Island
it is said the road will be built in a
direct southerly direction so as to in
clude all of the county seat towns in
the wheat counties through which the
road will pass. 1t is said the road will
be built over one of the following two
routes south from Jennings, Kansas.
Leaving the Rock Island at Jennings
south and east to Lenora, Stockton,
Hays City, La Crosse, Larned, Pratt
fO KinXV9 Tn q with
Denver, Enid and Gulf, which gives
a direct connection for the Gulf ports
at Enid. The alternate route would
leave the main line of the Rock Island
at Jennings, the same as the above
mentioned route, pass through Lenora
and Stockton, but instead of passing
through Hays City would go a trifie
farther east and south and would pass
thorugn Russell, Great Bend and st.
John and thence straight south to Pratt
and Kiowa. This route would cut out
Hays City, La Crosse and Larned.
The latter route will in all probability
be the one which will be chosen for the
reason that the connection with Hutch
inson could be best made from Great
Bend.
The advantages of such north and
south line make themselves apparent
at once. The proposed route is through
one of the richest sections of the state
of Kansas and besides taps a territory
where local traffic between the county
seat towns along the route should
prove good, and where there will not
be any competition. The people in that
portion of the state desire a north and
south road and the construction of this
proposed line will prove a happy idea
Another reason for the construction
of such a line by the Rock Island is
found in the recent decision of the
United States supreme court relative to
mergers. Mergers are declared
unlawful and for this reason the rail-
roads will be unable to enter into annie |
able traffic arrangements for the hand
ling of the heavy grain crops in Kan |
sas, so it stands to reason that each of
the various roads will provide as eco |
nomical a method as possible for trans |
porting grain to the Gulf of Mexico and |
for the transportation of the. products |
of the south to the northwest.
Kansas. Arkansas. Texas, Indian Ter
ritory and Oklahoma look to the north |
west for the major portion of the lum- |
Der used and the snort line proposed |
would serve admirably in the transport |
tation of this commodity. |
1t is a we'll known fact that the Rock |
Island railroad company, in making ex- |
tensions and in building new lines, en- |
deavors to keep the movement under |
cover by doing the work under separate |
This fact adds grounds |
for the belief that the proposed lines |
are in reality Rock Island improve |
mentS.