The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-09
RAILROAD NEWS.
Plans Are Forming to Boom
Southwestern Kansas.
HOmeseekers to Be Attracted to
EngleWOOd District.
TAPPED BY SANTA FE.
Colonization Department Work
ing With Residents of Section.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.
TAPPED BY SANTA FE.

Strenuous efforts are being made by
the business men and residents of that
portion of southwestern Kansas which
is tapped by the Englewood branch of
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail-
way, to attract to that locality some
of the crowds of homeseekers and
colonists from the east and middle
west, who are f1ocking nowadays to the
southwest in great numbers. These
efforts are being seconded heartily by
the colonization department Of the
Santa Fe. which has published a series
of articles in it's magazine 1.-The
Earth" calling the attention to the
facilities of this section for all kinds
of farming This section of the state
is practically virgin farm country of
unrivaled resources, but little about 1t
was known until the Santa Fe built its
EngIewood branch through it.
During the past year or two when
the rush of homeseekers to the south
west has been of great proportions it
seems that the EngleWood district has
been overlooked. the colonists being
attracted farther south and west. But
the residents of this district are de-
termlned now to boom their country
of wonderful possibilities. Within the
last couple of months commercial
clubs have been organized at many
points in the district and representa-
tiVeS of the clubs formed at Sawyer.
Coates Belvidere, Coldwater, Protec-
ton, Ashland and Englewood are to
meet at the Carey hotel in Wichita to-
day with Charles L. SeagraVes, gen
eral colonization agent of the Santa
F'e. At this meeting the general pro-
position of developing the country and
attracting settlers there will be dis
cussed and plans formulated to gain
this end. It is probable that as a re-
c41l oF n a re- fh
commercial clubs will be sent to points
in Illinois, Ohio and other states east,
for the purpose of interesting persons,
who have intentions of migrating to
the southwest, in the possibilities Of
this section of Kansas.
Mr.. Seagraves, whose headquarters
are in Chicago, was in town yesterday
on his way to Wichita to attend this
meeting.
people in this Englewood section, -
said Mr.. Seagraves ARE just begin
ming to wake up to the possibilities of
the country and the unrivalled oppor-
tunities it offers and they are de-
termined to use all7means to attrac ct
settlers there. The Santa Fe will ex-
tend to them the same aid that it has
to other sections lin the southwest
which have been doomed. lately. For
ltl1ra PURPOSES there is no bet
ter section of land in the southwest
than THAI tapped by the EngleWoOd
branch, and there is nosreasOn why it
should not attract its share Of the
homeseekers, who are going to the
southwest in great numbers.
1T is really wonderful how this
homeseeker traffic to the southwest
keeps up. It is so heavy now that
hardly a single train on our road goes
through to the southwest without ex-
ira equipment to care for it. We have
been compelled to put on an extra
tourist car out. of Newton to handle
this travel from there