The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-29
DISTANCE so MILES.
Main Line to Be Double Track
Chicago to Lincoln.
Eighty New Engines Have Been
Delivered to Rock Island.

w. II. Moore, chairman of the board
Of the Rock Island system, says that
it viii not be the policy Of the com
pany to make extensions to the exist
ing lines for year or two. but rather
the road will exert every effort in a
campaign of betterments, with the
view of bringing the present lines of
the system UP 10 the highest state of
physical excellence.
This policy VIII, however. make ex-
ception for connection to be built to
give better service or connection
from Omaha to the lines diverging at
Harrington, Kan, to the southwest, Ell
PasO and California, and to the south
through the Indian territory, Okla
homa and Texas to the Gulf Of Mexico.
This connection will be made by the
construction of about 80 miles Of track
through the counties of Washington,
Clay and Dickinson in Kansas.
The connecting link viii be built
from Fairbury Neb., few miles
north of the Kansas state line and
viii enter Washington county, run
ming in a sOutherly direction, pass
ing through the town of Clay Center,
TO Enterprise on the Salina branch of
the road in Dickinson county where
the Salina branch would lead directly
to HeringtOn, Kan, to the connection
with trains to the south, bound to
gulf points, and to trains southwest,
bound for Ell PasO and California
points.
A glance at a Rock Island map win
show how useful the connection be-
tween Fairbury and Harrington will
become to the Rock Island, once it is
in operation. Under existing condi-
tons, passengers from points west of
Davenport, on the main line of the
Rock Island through Iowa and Ne
DraSke which includes three irnpOr-
tant cities, Des Ncines, Omaha and
Lincoln, destined to points on the
south or southwest lines of the Rock
Island south or southwest of Herring
ton, kan, have to make the trip by
very CircuitOus route with many de-
lays. The proposed new connection
will do away with that. A coach may
be run on the main line train through
Iowa and Nebraska on a schedule to
connect at HeringtOn with the Golden
State Limited, or the other California
train and also to make connections
with the trains to the gulf
A glance at map of Kansas will
also show that the proposed connect
ing link will tap a country where local
freight business viii be good because
1T would be in territory where grain
now has to be hauled ten to fifteen
miles to a railroad.
Mr.. Moore announces that in addi-
ton to the large sums of money which
will be spent in track betterment, bal
lasting and bridge building in Kansas
and the southwest, which has hereto
fore been announced in the State
Journal that the company intends to
spend nearly two millions of dollars in
Iowa in Strengthening the main line
and eliminating grades and curves.
This work is being done with the view
to double tracking the line as far VEST
as Lincoln, Neb.
The Rock Island now has double
track west from Chicago through
Davenport to Iowa City, Ia. Mr.. Moore
says:
I'VE hope to complete the double
track west from Iowa City to Valley
Junction in the next eighteen months
and all new work will be with this in
view. It is our intention to have a
double track system from Chicago to
Lincoln, Neb., within the next four
years and to secure a more direct con-
nectiOn between Omaha and our
southwest division as soon as possible.
THE plans for shop improvements,
etc, at Valley Junction outlined some
time ago are to be carried out as rap
idly as possible. it being our aim to
give to this and the Moline shops a
capacity for overhauling and rebuild
ing about so engines each month.
zone of our first important extern
sions viii be to push our line west
from Colorado Springs or some point
in Colorado to salt Lake City to a
connection with the Salt Lake & Los
Angeles road. but that is for the
future"