The Topeka state journal., 1906-04-23
RAILROAD NEWS.
Rock Islend and Frisco Dreams
to Be Realized.
Details of Their Plans to Reach
the Gulf Ports.
B. F. YOAKUM'S WORK.
C.R.L&P. Will Run to Galveston
ana St.L.& S.F. to New Orleans.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.
B. F. YOAKUM'S WORK.

F-o, several years past the Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific and the ST.
Louis & San Francisco systems have
been maturing plans for reaching the
gulf ports of Galveston and New Or
leans. The ambitions of the Rock Is
land were almost realized some three
or four years ago, when the company
entered into contract with the South
ern Pacific company for the purchase
Of a half interest in the Houston &
Texas Central and the Texas & New
Orleans but the deal failed because o
the position of the Texas railroad COM
mission which refused to give its Of
fetal sanction to the purchase. The
Rock Island already reached Dallas and
Fort Worth and the joint ownership of
the roads named would have given 1t
the desired outlet to the gulf without
the construction Of any new mileage.
While the action of the Texas commits
sion delayed its plan the Rock Island
has never for a moment abandoned the
idea of reaching Galveston and within
the past week the official announcement
has been made OF the consumma tion OF
new plans which Will give that com
pany an entrance into Galveston and
the ST. Louis & San Francisco line
into New orleans.
Within the past year the Trinity q
Rrazos Valley new line extending
from Cleburne to Mexia, Texas. l9
miles, was purchased by syndicate
which had acquired an interest in the
Colorado & Southern and which was
headed by Mr. B. F. YOakum, the Off
ciaI head of the Chicago, Rock Island
& Pacific and the St. Louis & san
Francisco systems, and the extension
of the road from Mexia to Houston,
with branch north to Waxahach1e IN
the direction of Dallas was begun. La
ter the same syndicate acquired the
Orange & Northwestern, extending
from Orange north to Buna, Texas, and
the Beaumont. Sour Lake & Western,
extending from Beaumont west to Sour
Lake, Texas, Furthermore. the Color
ado Southern New Orleans & Pacific
was incorporated to build from Baton
Rouge west to De Quincy, La, from
which point a line to Houston was to
he obtained by trackage arrangements
with the Kansas City Southern from
De Quincy to Belmont, and the exten-
sion of the Beaumont Sour Lake &
Western from Sour Lake to Houston
Neither the Rock Island nor the Frisco
had any interest in these lines, which
were known as Yoakum roads The
apparent intention was to make them
part Of the Colorado & Southern system
and to connect them with the ST Louls,
Brownsville & Mexico. a new ii1e built
by Mr.. Yoakum and his associates from
a connection with the Santa Fe at a
point south OF Houston, southeast along
the gulf coast to BrOWnyllle, IeXas
on the Mexican border.
Much has been written about the new
system being built up by Mr.. Yoakum
and his friends and many theories have
been advanced as to the objects which
these men had in view. These theories
are exploded by the announcement Ihat
/ the Rock Island has acquired a half
/ interest in the Trinity & Brazos valley,
! the other half interest to be held by
! the Colorado & Southern, which now
| reaches Fort Worth through its own
] q TN1F1 NreH
/ city railroad The Trinity & Brazos
/ Valley road, which will be operated as
a separate property, has acquired track
age rights over the Santa Fe from
/ Cleburne to Fort Worth and from
! Houston to Galveston and tTaekage
rights over the Missouri, Kansas &
/ Texas from Waxahachie to Dallas Inls
will give the Rock Island outlets to the
/ gulf from both Dallas and Fort Worth
/ and it expects to be able to run through
trains to Galveston by January 1, next,
! when the extensions to Houston and
Dallas will have been completed It IS
claimed that the Trinity & Brazos VAL
/ lev will have not only the shortest line,
| but the line of easiest grades between
/ Dallas and Fort Worth and Galveston.
I AS it viii be fed by the Colorado &
I Southern, as we'll as by the Rock Is
| land and Frisco systems. it will have
/ a heavy traffic. It therefore is being
| constructed in a most substantial man
ner.
The Rock Island does not expect to
! extend its service to New Orleans, leav-
ing that port to the St. Louis & san
Francisco which. it is officially an
nounced. has acquired all the rights of
the Colorado Southern, New Orleans &
Pacific Work is now in progress on
this line and it is expected to have it
| ready for operation between Houston
and Baton Rouge by January 1, 1907.
An entrance into New Orleans Will be
secured by the use of the tracks of the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley line from
Baton Rouge, a long time trackage ar
rangement with that company having
been entered into. Some years ago the
/ Frisco had surveys made for q low
grade line from Marion. Ark, opposite
/ Memphis, Tenn, south to Baton Rouge.