The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-13

OR A DIRECT LINE.
Kansas Avenue Extension Would
Strike Independence.
State Journal Correspondent
Asks Commercial Club to Act.

To the Editor of the State Journal:
am not a member OF the Topeka
Commercial club. I am not eligible.
Nevertheless, as a citizen of Topeka I
am able to notice things that are going
on around this city, and with apologies
to the Commercial club want to men
ton a few Interesting facts which came
under my observation on a recent visit
to Independence.
Independence is directly south of To-
peka, and the distance is 125 miles. The
line running south from the southern
end of Kansas avenue in Topeka, is
Tenth street in Independence. The short
est railroad mileage between these cities
is 161 nils and a roundab bout route which
consumes practically an entire day. BY
direct line into Kansas City from indie
pendence it is only 166 miles. I mention
Independence because it is directly south
of Topeka and is the headquarters for
the Kansas oil field. Montgomery coun-
ty, as well as Wilson, Woodson, Coffey
and Usage Is Topeka's legitimate trade
territory. Thousands of people living in
these counties would like to visit the
state capital several times year and
patronize our merchants and hotels, if
there was way for them to get here
without going around by Baldwin or
Emporia, routes which kill from eight to
twelve hours.
The fact is that the people of Topeka
know very little about the very rich
territory mentioned. The oil and gas
DEVELOPMENT down there opened our
eyes. but before this development took
place southeastern Kansas forged ahead
of any other section in population and
wealth That it did SO in spite Of the
fact that the people were generally
served with branch lines of railroad,
and that private cars bearing railroad
officials were rarely seen in that section,
is one of the wonders of that prosperous
region. There is another thing about this
part of Kansas that 1 have not forgot
ten Many of us remember the contag-
ion of nervousness which formerly seized
the people of Topeka at intervals of two
years. These nervous attacks would
come on" Just before a legislature
would convene-and they would last I'M
til it adjourned. If the capitol building
was not to be removed to Mcpherson,
it was Abilene, kanopolis, Salina or
Wichita. That's what caused the
nervousness. In those days the hos
pitality'' Of Topeka knew no bounds.
Before the members would arrive the
list would be scanned and divided out
among ToDekans for entertainment
purposes. But in this parceling out bus
mess the members and senators from
southeastern Kansas were not taken in
to account-they were all right anyway.
They were and always have been the
friends of Topeka When Governor
Leedy threatened to yank the state
house out into the prairies of Rice coun-
ty. southeastern and south central Kan
sas took the floor and told him to go
slow And then, when Senator Kelly
started to pull the capitol building off
to Mcpherson, the same fellows warned
him that he was undertaking too big
d job for one man. I mention these mat
ters lest the people of Topeka may have
forgotten them. It is good thing to
occasionally recall ancient history,
especially when it rev1ves memories OF
old friendship and points the way to
Topeka's commercial Importance.
Take Montgomery county for ex7
ample It's population in round num-
bers is $4,000. It is a, state senatorial
district and has been for nearly a
quarter of a century. It takes Brown
and Doniphan to make a senatorial
district with a combined population OF
only $4,000. It is a singular fact that
only 5000 of Montgomery's $4,000
population live on farms. The other
1000 live in the cities of Independ-
ence, Cofeyville, Cherryvale, Caney,
Elk City and other towns Labette
county has a population of 80, 385.
Labette is a senatorial district. Nema-
ha and Pottawatonie make d senator
ial district with a population OF 5000
Other comparisons could be made, not
to disparage northeastern Kansas, but
to prove that it would pay Topekans to
look to the very rich territory to the
south which, from every consideration,
is the legitimate trade territory for
this city.
I learned while at Independence
that a. com any composed of Pennsyl-
vania capitalists is now constructing
the finest interurban line in the west
from CoffeyvilIe north to Neodesha via
Independence. What this company
intends to do when its line reaches
Neodesha, I do not know, but it seems
to me that the Topeka Commercial
club should. Take down your map for
a minute and examine the territory
between Neodesha and Topeka. Note
the railroad lines you would cross on
trip from the former to the latter
and ever one of them pointing to kan
sas City. You would traverse Wilson,
Woodson, Coffey and Usage, a section
rich in its diversity of interests and
you would pass through Yates Center.
Burlington. Lyndon, Carbonate and
other towns where the people would
welcome a first class electric line that
would connect them with the state
capital. Why not hook up with this
good country D. 0. McCRAY.
What Could She Answer?
Robert Stra4e-a aishon Goa 5i11fo,- IF