The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-07
Would Carry Mail From Chicago
to Western Points.
MATTER OF s1,4OO, 900.
May Ultimately Mean Separate
DepOts at Kansas City.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Kansas City, Aug. THE mail con-
tracts comprise an important feature
in locating the union depot. It is now
a contest of long years standing; an
nually more money is involved.
Under the ruling of the postoffice de-
partment the pioneer road gets the mail
as long as a favorable connecting
schedule is maintained. In short, this
means that the Burlington road having
a line between Chicago and Kansas
City before the Rock Island and Santa
Fe, gets preference of mail weights
from Chicago to Kansas City. Not only
does this apply to Kansas CITY local
mail, but it applies to mail intended Tor
all points west on the Santa Fe and
Rock Island. A letter to Newton or
Guthrie from Chicago must come to
Kansas City over the Burlington, trans
Ter to the Santa Fe here and proceed on
its destination A letter to Marion or
FL Reno from Chicago must come here
on the Burlington; transfer to the Rock
Island.
The officials of the Rock Island and
Santa Fe insist that line should han
die the mail to be delivered by it for all
possible mileage. If the Burlington is
late into Kansas City the trains west
over Santa Fe and Rock Island leave on
time Connection is not made and the
mail intended for the west is delayed
the business man for whom it is intend
ed means possibly twenty-four hours
Rock Island officials have insisted that
mail out of Chicago intended for points
on their line west of Kansas City
should be given to the Rock Island at
Chicago; that the Rock Island connects
with itself at Kansas City, and if late
into Kansas City would reach western
points hours earlier than if connection
is missed with the Burlington. The
&c hxrf
Fe. but so far it has never appealed to
the postoffice department.
The weigh period comes once in four
years and lasts about a month. From
this an estimate is made for pay for the
term of four years. In that time the
Burlington sees to it that its trains are
not late into Kansas City; that con-
nection is made. It gets the volume of
mail and pay on that basis AS soon
as the weigh period is over the sche-
dule on the Burlington may not be
made so scrupulously in time the mail
largely to the Santa Fe and Rock Is
land because of bad connections. But
the pay for the full four year term
goes to the Burlington and the other
roads are forced to do the work by the
department for no pay
This game has been worked for years
and under the ruling of the department
there is no end to it. 1t is matter
of 81 000, 900 annually now to the Rock
Island and Santa Fe. 1t means more
as the country develops and volume of
mail increases. This is worth fighting
for, and there is a fight for it.
If the Santa. F'e had a depot in Kan
sas City separate from the Burlington
then that road would get the mail it
claims, for the government could not
make the wagon transfer from the Bur
Iington depot to the Santa F'e. If the
Rock Island could get depot and keep
the Burlington out of it, then that line
could force the department to change
the plan. This means to the Santa Fe
$4,000 annually now and 100000 to
the Rock Island now, and it will be
more every year.
It is safe to say that the Rock Island
and Santa Fe would be able to go into
the Union depot plan with more will
ingness if they could get this mail out
of Chicago. So lar the Burlington has
shown no disposition to give up its
cinch and wants to be with the Rock
Island and Santa Fe in some depot by
way of holding the mail. In the alb
sence of negotiations arranging for a
division of the mail two depots may
result. Should the Santa Fe determine
to protect its mail business, and locate
a depot on the Belt line, it would see
to it that the Burlington does not get
into that depot. This would mean two
depots. It would also mean three de-
pots if the Rock Island should follow
the policy of fighting for its own in the
same fashion