The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-18
RAILROAD news.
Senator w. A. Harris Gets Po-
sitIon With the Orient.
Has Charge of land and Town
site Department.
MEMBER OF THE BOARD
Believes Panama Canal Will
Help the Orient.
Port Stilwell Destined to Be a
Great Southern Seaport.

It is announced from Orient head
quarters that w. A. Harris, former
United States senator from Kansas,
has become connected with the Kansas
City. Mexico & Orient railroad, which
is building a short line from Kansas
City to Port Stilwen, on the Pacific
coast of Mexico. Senator Harris will
be a member of the executive commit
tee and will have charge of the land
and townsite interests of the road He
is fitted by experience for this end OF
the railroad business, having learned it
with the Union Pacific Railroad com
pany in the early days. In 1855 he re-
signed his position as engineer on the
Union Pacific and took charge of the
Indian reservation and congressional
grant lands of that railroad, between
here and Denver, and held that posi-
ton until 1872. Senator Harris is man
ager of the American Shorthorn Breed
ers' association and will be for year,
but that will not take all OF his time.
He will have a great deal of time to
give to the affairs of the Orient road.
OF the work he will do Senator Harris
said:
.eThe Orient road has many valuable
fOWnsites in Oklahoma and the KiOwa
and Comanche country which have sur
prised all of US in its rapid develop
ment Into the KiOwa and COmanche
country there is pouring tremendous
population. 1t has a wonderful climate,
has proven capable of the best agrl-
cultural development and as there is
strong movement of farmers from the
north to the southwest this country
Will attract great numbers OF the pest
farming people in the world. 1t VIII be
mart Of my business to help develop
the townsites of the Orient road there
Senator Harris was asked how he
came to go with the Orient. He an
swered:
road routes began a great many years
ago and has been continued ever since.
The active part 1 took for six years in
urging the building of the Panama
canal made me feel that access to the
Pacific coast by the shortest route from
Kansas City was one of the most at
tractive propositions that had ever ap-
peared upon the railroad map. 1 know
from conversation had years ago with
Thomas a. Scott and Coils P. Hunt
inKtOn who built the Central Pacific
and Southern Pacific, that they be-
1ieved in the ultimate building up of
great seaport south of San Francisco
on the Pacific coast. Believing that
this port would be San Diego, Scott put
his interests greatly there. Huntington
believed it would be San Diego or
Santa Monica. and he put his interests
in those two places. 1t was the ad-
vantaEes of these ports which led to
7
was far below the frost belt and
reached the coast by a shorter line than
any then built. But the influence of
rival transcontinental railway lines pre-
vented the development of those ports.
But there exists the same tendency OF
bushes to find in some Southern Pa
cific coast port access to the trade of
the Pacific and it has been found in
Port Sttlweu 1t and the Orient road
are far enough south of all rival trans
continental lnaE n he fire.
from their antagonism and be beyond
their sphere of influence. Also Mr..
StilweH, founder and builder of the
road. recognizes no such domination
and reaches above and beyond their in
fiuences for support.
No one thing in all the history of
Kansas City bears any comparison with
the Orient railroad in the vastness of it's
Importance to this city. Close reciprocal
relations between this country and Mex
leo are coming soon. 1t is in the air
The unmistakable trend of public senti-
ment in both countries is for it and We
shall therefore find delivered at the
doors of Kansas City by the Orient
route the richest and best products of
the undeveloped empire of Mexico; by
, the Orient route because it is shortest.
The Orient road will be largely sup
Elemental to the Isthmian canal. A
rapid transit route from the Pacific by
the nearest way will be a necessity and
the Orient will absolutely occupy the
only available position in this regard
1t viii be great factor, too in the
building of the canal Its southern end
IS rich in materials, in coal, iron, cement
and timber needed in the canal con-
struction- So that, taking into consid-
GRAFTON all these things brought about
by the development and necessities of
Kansas City I am glad 1 am connected
with this superb work of building up
this great enterprise in the heart of our
country"
Railroad to Guatemala.