The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-18
Proposed Extension Start From
Burlington, Kansas.
By WAY OF AUBURN.
Route Through Usage County
by Way of OIIvet.
Would Afford the Long Sought
for Connection.
W. L. Taylor Hints at What Is
in Prospect.

Within a year or two's time there is
every likelihood that the Missouri,
Kansas & Texas railway system, which
is familiarly known as THE Katy
will be knocking at the door of To-
peka to get its share of the trade OF
the great and prosperous city it will
be at that time.
1t will be possible for THE Katy to
get direct communication with this
city from the south if soma new plans
materialize which w. L. Taylor. the
promoter of Ike Topeka & Southwest
ern railway company. that is going to
build the line to Council Grove via
h'skridge, is now working on. He has
every confidence that these plans will
1faterlaltze and there seems to be no
reason why they should not
These plans include the construc-
tlcn of what might be called another
main line of the Topeka & Southwest
ern which Will run almost due south
from Topeka, through Usage countv
ana on 10 Burlington in COffey coIn-
~ The route of the Southwestern to
CounelI Grove, as is known is a bit in
doubt II. M. Herbert the consulrinqr
engineer Of Lamprecht Bros. q 60. of
New York city, the firm of bankers
which IS going to finance the line. was
on the ground last week and It is for
MN 10 determine whether the line will
run on to Eskridge via Dover or
around by Auburn. No matter which
way he decides Auburn is bound to
get on line straight into Topeka for
Mr.. Taylor is going to promote his
new proposed branch of the road iust
as hard and with just as much sue
cess. no doubt. as he has the original
proposition.
Under his agreement with Lamprecht
Bros. 4 Co, they have agreed only to
finance the line to Council Grove, but
Nj Taylor proposes to show. them the
necessity of the line south to Buriing-
ton 1t viii tap the coal fields in OsaRe
county and III ereby provide the Topeka
& southwestern company with coal al
most at hand. Then again there is z
great demand for direct line down
through this section which Will per-
nit the people in southeastern Kansas
an easy means of communication with
Topeka. Existing conditions make It
necessary for persons In WOodsOn. Al
len, Wilson, Labette and Cherokee
counties who desire to get to Topeka
to travel in a rounabout way, and the
same conditions maintain when any
southeastern part of the state
The people of Burlington and other
towns in that section are particularly
anxious to get on a line of railroad
straight into Topeka and Mr.. Taylor
has already received word from the
business men of Burlington that that
city will go the limit in the way OF
providing bonds and terminals for such
a road as he has in mind. Among the
men down there who Will lend every
hand along the project IS W. H
Wyckoff, who is a member Of the legis-
lature.
Mr.. Taylor has gone over the route
of this new line and designated its
location in a tentative sort of a way.
He proposes that it will run from To-
peka southwest through Seabrook and
4o A,1h nd
tween Burlingame and Scranton down
through Usage county, touching
Olivet and directly south to Burlington
He proposes to get to work and TX up
a report showing the necessity for such
a line and the business it would handle
and on the strength of this report he
Will have no trouble. he says, in get
ting the line financed.
And there is no doubt that when this
line is built the Missouri, Kansas &
Texas will take advantage Of it to get
the NJ K. & T. has had eyes on get
ting its share of Topeka trade for a
long time. A branch from its main line
runs up from Parsons to Junction City
and through Burlington A connection
with the new line Mr.. Taylor intends
to promote would give the Katy straight
communication with this city
AS a matter Of fact a few persons in
town who have learned of this new
scheme, are of the opinion that Mr.. Tay-
lor is actually promoting it in the in
terests OF the NJ. K. & T.
But he said today that such q cOnclu-
sion was erroneous. 4 am promoting
this new line down through Auburn as
a part of the Topeka & Southwestern
we will need it in the first place fer
our coal and then it viii be profitable
to us in many ways. It viii open up q
direct line from Topeka down through
the south and the people in the sections
where it run are anxious for It, The
population in these sections is almost
triple that in the sections where the
original Topeka & Southwestern line to
Council Grove Will run and the passen-
ger travel over the proposed line would
be unusually heavy and would mean
much to the business interests OF the
city I am not promoting this new piece
of road in the interests OF the NJ. K
& t. although I believe that when IL
Is built the NJ. K. & T. will be more
than anxious to use it to get into To-
peka, and know Of no reason why a
traffic deal could not be fixed up with
the Katy which would permit it to use
our tracks into this city"