The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-23
STUBS COMES AGAIN.
Replies to President RipIey's Second
Letter.

W. r. Stubs has been doing little
figuring on the value of the Santa Fe
railroad. and says that 1t is worth not
to exceed $4,000 per mile, including
all improvements. and rolling stock,
instead of its bonded and stocked
value of 100000. He thinks that the
extra $4,000 per mile is water.
Mr.. Stubs says:
Mr. Ripley's statement, which ap-
peared in the press yesterday, that the
Santa Fe railroad is not over capital
ICED, Is indeed very surprising one.
The stock and bonds of this road
amount to upward of 100000 per mile
and of the $500 miles of road in Kan
sas there are in round figures 1000
miles Of branch lines and 500 miles of
main line.
''All the branch lines can be repro
duced for less than $4,000 per mile
and the 500 miles of main line can be
reproduced for less than $4,000 per
mile and give a handsome profit to the
contractor; indeed, I would be pleased
TO have such a contract and give the
best bond on earth for its faithful per-
Torrance, this to include all tracks,
right of way, buildings, bridges and
water service. but not including ter
minals and equipment Certainly the
terminals and equipment of q railway
are large items of expense. out could
not possibly under the most extrava-
CANT estimate cost to exceed $4,000
per mile. The Santa Fe road in Kan
sas can be reproduced in its entirety,
including cost of equipment and ter
minals at Kansas City for less than
$4,000 per mile and give the contrac-
tor millions of dollars profit
Mr.. Ripley does not deny and will
not deny that the common stock of
the Santa Fe, aggregating upwards Of
100 million dollars, was practically
all pure water and did not represent
any value whatever in cash or other
wise that entered into the cost or con-
struction of this property.
Mr.. Ripleys statement that the
railroad company furnishes free
transportation to national. state and
county officers, simply and merely as
a courtesy. seems innocent enough to
the casual reader, but what are the
actual facts2 The members of the
legislature are overwhelmed with free
passes for themselves, their families
and their friends, individual members
using as much as 200 600 miles of free
transportation during one session OF
the legislature The board OF railway
assessors, and practically every promi-
nent public official in Kansas, are also
at liberty if they so desire. to use al
most an unlimited amount of free
transportation for political purposes.
In addition TO this. the general politi-
cal attorney for the railroad furnishes
nent men, under some pretext OF an
other IN nearly every city and village
IN Kansas. together with an army OF
political henchmen who are servile
Dolitical tools of the railroad. selecting
tae right kind of men for delegates to
county and state conventions looking
ont for the members Of the legisla-
ture, etc. This courtesy if indeed ii
be such. must cost the railroads OF
Kansas annually hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. MI Ripley says.
We have the same interest in
good government as any other citizen
and the same right to display that in
ierest.
s'can Mr.. Ripley suggest the name Of