The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-06
RAILROAD NEWS.
First Dairy Train in Kansas a
Great Success.
Thousands Of Persons Interested
in Lectures Given.
BACK FROM THE TRIP.
Mr.. Seagrayes Tells of What
Was Accomplished.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Those who made the trip last week
on the special dairy train which was
run By the AtchisOn Topeka & Santa
F'e Railway company under the au-
spices Of the Kansas State Dairy as
ISOLATION returned to Topeka yester-
day and speak of the trip. which was
the hrst of the kind to be taken in this
state, as being a most successful one
in all of its details and one which VIII
undoubtedly be of great beneht to the
farmers of the state.
Thfs train left Atchfson last Tues
day morning and stopped at thirty-five
towns and cities between there and
Abilene. reaching the latter place on
Saturday. Lectures were delivered in
the cars and at town halls and these
lectures were unusually well attended.
Some of the audiences contained three
hundred persons and there was not
one with less than fifty people in it.
Speaking OF the trip Mr.. Charles L.
Seagraves, general colonization agent
Of the Santa Fe, who chaDeroned the
party. said:
The meetings were largely attended
everywhere. The farmers manifested
q great deal Of interest and were eager
to acquire knowledge that will increase
the returns as the result of their la
bors- The United States department Of
agriculture at Washington was rep
T.
Of the dairy division, while the Kansas
Agricultural college was represented
by Oscar Err, professor Of dairy hus-
bandry. These gentlemen were assist
ed by other well known authorities on
dalry1ng, who impaired a great deal Of
Information to the farmers. They
were not only told how TO dairy but
why dairy was profita Bile
The action Of the Santa Fe In pro-
Vidlng special train to hold these
meetings on wheels, I consider a most
commendable one.
1t was the means Of reaching thous-
ends OF people who are Interested or
engaged In dairying and who are read DIV
10 adopt any method which will give
them greater returns. Particular AZ
tenuon was paid by the lecturers in
telling the farmers of the importance
OF the careful feeding Of dairy stock
and stress was laid on the utilizing of
lne tood supplies which goes to waste
on many farms
The layman may be curious to
Know why the Santa Fe should pro
vide at great expense a special train
20 carry corps Of dairymen over their
lines in order that lectures might be
gwen. and Is a question that was fire.
gently asked by farmers. The reason
may be selfish one, which is the IN
ueriylng principle Of all business but
the santa Re figures that when # helps
the farmer II helps itself. From the
such work is far reaching. the farmer
is being educated to get the greatest
possible returns from the soil and
stock
This means smaller and possibly
more intensive farming but greater re-
turns. 1t means a denser- population
g prosperous community, less isolation.
Better social conditions, schools and
churches. better towns. larger stores
and better conditions generally. This
cannot come about by the mere waving
or magic wand but only by patience
and a persistent campaign of education
such methods should be encouraged all
over the state and they will be sure to
put Kansas at the head OF the list Of
the great agricultural states of the
union and while great deal of immf-
grafton Is being attracted to this state
the signs Of prosperity on all sides will
attract many more. We have too many
big farms for which we need thousands
or more people AS the production in
creases- the consumption increases in