The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-16
RAILROAD NEWS.
Santa Fe Officials Tour the
Southern Part of State.
Pres. Ripley Denies Rumored
Traffic Alliances.
NOT TO DRILL FOR OIL
General Manager Hurley Speaks
of the Ottawa Shops.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

'Chanute, Kan, Aug. 16.-President E.
f. Ripley, of the Santa Fe, and a party
of officials were in Chanute for a short
time the first of the week. In the party
besides President Ripley were Vice
President j. W. Kendrick, Passenger
Traffic Manager George T. Nicholson,
Freight Traffic Manager J. E. German,
General Manager j. E. Hurley, Chief
Engineer Dunn, Superintendent Fox of
the eastern division, Assistant Superin-
tendent Mentally of the Southern Kan
sas division, and w. T. Treleaven, oil
agent and division freight agent
We are just out looking at the coun-
try said Mr.. Ripley. I'VE have been
hearing about the wonderful develop
ment of the oil and gas country and we
thought we would come down and see
about it.
mo. we did not stop at Ottawa. Was
there any committees there waiting for
I'VE are not going to stop many
places. This trip really has no signifi-
canoe. We are not buying any rail-
roads and we are not making contracts
for the building of any railroads. We
already have All the stories about our
making terms for other railroads or
traffic alliances or anything of the kind
are pure imagination
reported deal between the Santa Fe
and the Rock Island whereby the Santa
Fe is going to secure an entrance into
st. Louis over the ST. Louis and Kan
sas City line of the Rock Island.
General Manager Hurley was just a
little bit more loquacious than the
president. We have sent the oil en-
CINE back to Texas" he said. 1--WE
satisfied ourselves of the economy in
the use of oil if it can be got at the
right price, but none of the producers
are willing to make long time contracts
at the present prices. We find ourselves
in the position of being willing to use
oil but. cannot get the oil unless we
volve the creation of a new department.
! We are unwilling to go into the oil bust
ness in competition with the legitimate
producers at this time"
About the run through Ottawa Mr..
| Hurley laughed when told that the Otta-
wa papers threatened the party with at
| least two reception committees when
next they reached that town. I'VE did
not see any hostile demonstrations at
| Ottawa he said, land think the pa
pers have been getting excited a little
about the removal of the shops and 9TH
er things. Ottawa is one Of the best
towns on our line and always will be
and there is no need of the people there
| thinking that we are going to do any
thing which will injure its town or de-
tract from its material prosperity. 1t is
not the policy of the Santa Fe to in
| jure the towns on its lines. 1t is our
policy to build up and keep building
up. If some monkey wrenches and some
bolts and some lathes and a few men
have been removed from Ottawa within
| the past ninety days. it is all in a days
work and is incidental to the conduct
of the system of railroads which we
| have the honor to serve. We are not
playing favorites and we are not going
| to play favorites. We are conducting
| the affairs of the road to the best of
our ability, and that is all we are do
ing"