Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-08-18

The Wichita Eagle says: II the
fact that ten carloads of steel that
have been received here for installa-
ton on the Panhandle division of the
Santa Fe is any indication, Wichita
is soon to be on the main line Of that
company.
This shipment of steel now standing
in the local yards of the Santa Fe
consists of ~65-peund rails. The car
loads contain enough material TO re-
lay the present track half the distance
between Wichita and Wellington.
Within a week or ten days it Is ex'
pected that there will be a big force
OF track layers here to commence OPP
creations. @-
This move toward getting the Pan
handle division in such condition as
to compar with the Santa Fefs
present main line, is said With
out doubt to be the frst
doubt to be without doubt the first
move toward building a much talk.
ed OF cut off to a New Mexico point.
When completed the route to Wichi.
ia. Kansas City and Chicago will be
several hundred miles shorter than
at present. All of the California
business will be operated through
Wichita.
The principal advantage, however,
which Wichita may eventually derive
from the cutoff, according to rail
road men. is that this city will then
stand some show Of being In line for
Santa Fe shops. Heretofore It has
always been said that Wichita would
neve be anything o than a
''whistling station" on the Santa re,
due TO the distance Of its situation
from the main line.
The proposed cutoff which VIII
shorten the distance to California by
several hundred miles, Is to be Duilt
from Amarillo. Texas, the terminus
of the Panhandle division, either to
Belen or Texico, where it will join
the present main line.
A large force Of track layers Is
already working on the Panhandle d.
vision. The intention is to have the
tracklayers working out OF Wichita
ioin those at Belle PLANE. W.T.
two gangs the Santa Fe expects 70
have the new line completed IN a
short time. -
5Vandals at Newton.
One of the very few acts OF van
dalism that have happened in the
railroad yards at Newton was per-
petrated Monday night about ! o'clock
when some person unknown to the
authorities attempted 10 disable En-
CINE No. $40. The attempt was
made about midnight, The man VINO
did The work escaping the visilant
watch maintained by the Santa re
noliceman. Only a few minutes were
required to do the work but the In
i,,ry done 10 the engine will keep 1t
in the shops for repairs for some
time. A couple of taps were placed
so that they would be caught be
tween the bar OF the piston and the
cylinder head. with the result that
when the engine was started, the CYL
inder head. the bar and the piston IT,
self were bent and twisted. As soon
as the engineer discovered the on
dition of his engine, which was
about as soon as he opened the throt.
tie. he shut off steam and another en-.
CINE was secured to pull the train.
New Residences.
The FL Paso e Northeastern rail-
road has commenced work on the
plans for fifty residences at Alamo
gordo. Thirty Of these homes will
be built at once These houses are
being built to accommodate the men
who are employed in the shops there
and who want to make that place
their home. Every vacant house IN
Alamogordo has been rented and the
railroad company is rendering the
men a great service In this enter
prise. The houses will contain from
four to seven rooms each and will
be sold to the shopmen on the In.
stallment plan. They will cost from
s7oo TO $500 and will be fitted up
with all modern co%nveniences. Gen.
eraI Manager Martin states that 1t u
The general policy Of the road to pay
the very best wages. ~ BY this
means they secure the best ele.
ment Of skilled workmen, and that
The payment of good wages will al.
so enable the men TO purchase and
nav for homes there in a short time.
Changes al Wichita.