The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-27
Rock Island to Undertake Gil
gantic Improvements.
Plan to Ballast All Lines West
Of Missouri River.
WILL COST MILLIONS.
Actual Work to Begin In Short
Time.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
In Railroad Circles.

Indications point to a vast deal of i'm
ture of hundreds of thousands of dol
lars on the Kansas division of the Rock
| Island railway, although it may not be
stated at this time how soon actual
work will commence. The improve
ment work it is said will not be con-
fined to the Kansas division alone but
will include all lines of that railroad
west of the Missouri river.
Before General Manager Goodnow
left the Rock Island it was decided to
carry out policy of track improve
ment and about two years ago the
plans for ballasting the lines west of
the Missouri river We're first conceived
and moves were made to carry out the
plans. Shortly after L. H. Loree came
into the control of the road, the work
was stopped for the time being. but
present indications show that work will
be resumed in this direction shortly.
The line from Colorado Springs and
Iimon, Col, was ballaSted last fall
with disintregated granite from the
Cripple Creek district. This work was
completed before orders came to shut
down on the work. 1t is now quite gem
orally understood that the roadbed
from Limon to Goodland will also be
Creek.
The remainder of the roadbed will be
ballasted with Kansas native stone and
gumbo.
At the present time the Rock Island
is burning gumbo in bitches at Solo
mon, Kan, Martell. Neb., and at Chick
asha, 1. T. The gumbo bitches were
started about a year and at Solomon
the work of burning has progressed
continuously ever since it began.
At the present time it is understood
that there are about a million and
half cubic yards of gumbo which has
han hun la6 hrIf cd frOr
the bitches at Solomon.
Stone crushers were installed at the
stone Quarries at Mcpherson and Alta
Vista about year ago. They were
down. Later the crusher at McPher-
son was again started and it has turn
ed out considerable crushed stone
which has been spread from Harrington
to Caldwell.
Crushed stone from this crusher has
also been largely used in the construc-
ton of a number of concrete bridges.
Orders have come to open the stone
crusher at Alta Vista on September 1,
and it is generally believed that a few
weeks viii develop considerable actiV-
ity in the direction of the carrying out
of the project of ballasting the roadbed
of the lines west of the Missouri river.
Before orders came last fall, which
stopped the track improvement work,
a great deal of ballast was distributed
along the right of way of some of the
central Kansas lines of the railroad but
this ballast has never been placed I'M
der the track.
At the present time force of about
$50 dagoes are at work near Paxico on
track Improvement.
President Loree is now making a trip
over the lines of the road and it is
said he is taking several weeks to
make his inspection trip. He will un-
doubtedly devote no little part of his
time to this very work.
General Manager Winchell was in st.
Joseph yesterday and he is also in
specting the road. These officials will
probably be in Topeka within a few
days.
1t may be well to note in this con-
nection that the news of the improve
ment work which it is said is about to
begin will be gladly received by both
patrons and employees of the road.
1t is well known among those who
are in a position to know that the road |
bed of the Rock Island has been sadly |
in need of the repairs which are about !
to be made.
The Rock Island is dirt" road and |
in this fact is found the main reason |
for the rapid degeneration of the road |
and equipment when it was attempted |
to show a big saving by cutting the
appropriation for the maintenance de- |
partment after c. H. Warren took hold |
Of the management of the road.
Heavy engines were bought and put |
in service and that taken with lack |
Of proper track repairs and continued |
rains has been responsible for pulling
the condition of the roadbed to a lower
standard.
Recently more attention has been
paid to this department of work and
improvement has been
shown, but the results desired will be
only by the completion
IF the project for ballasting the road
ped from one end to the other.