The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-09
SANTA FE GETS IT
Buys Outright the Denver, Enid
& Gulf Railroad.
Stops Plan to Have a Connecting
Line.
TAPS RICH COUNTRY.
Furnishes the Santa Fe With
oklahoma Connections.
Supposed That Price Was Two
Million and a Quarter.
TAPS RICH COUNTRY.

No longer will the plans for the ex-
tension of the Denver, Enid & Gulf
railroad worry the officials of
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
railway company for the latter has
purchased all of the capital stock of
the former and will operate it i'll the
future as a subsidiary line to the Santa
Fe system.
News Of the purchase of the Denver,
Enid & Gulf by the Santa F'e reached
here in brief dispatches from st. Louis
where Edward l. Peckham, vice presi-
dent and general manager of the d. e.
& G.. and one of its promoters. con-
sulnmated the deal with officials of
the Santa Fe yesterday. And while in
formation concerning deals of this
kind properly emanate from the exec
utive officials of the Santa He. con
firmation OF the dispatch that the
Santa Fe had purchased the Denver,
Enid & Gulf was obtained today from
an authoritative source at the general
offices here.
In getting control of the Denver,
Enid & Gulf, the Santa Fe obtains
railroad that runs through the heart
of Oklahoma territory and connects
with two of the mains lines of the
Santa Fe. It runs from Kiowa, Bar
Der county, Kansas, almost southeast,
to Guthrie. Ok. a distance of one hun
bred ana nineteen miles. A branch
line has been contemplated to run
fl ON Corwin, just a few miles north
of Guthrie to Oklahoma City. 1t con-
meets with the main line of the Santa
Fe Pecos valley lines at kiowa and
with the main line to Galveston at
Guthrie. It is probable that the branch
from COrwin to Oklahoma City Will
not be built now as it would parallel
the Galveston line of the Santa Fe
from Guthrie to that place.
When the Denver, Enid & Gulf was
first promoted it was announced that
the road would eventually be built
from Denver to the Gulf. And not
many months ago the officers of the
com pany became active in making
plans to extend the road northwest
from Kiowa to Medicine Lodge and be
yond that point. Propositions were
made to the authorities of Barber
county for assistance in the way of
issuing bonds and the people of that
section greeted them favorably. 1t
was at this juncture that the Santa Fe
took a hand in the game. President
Ripley wrote a letter to the citizens of
Barber county in which he said that
the Santa Fe would extend its line
from Medicine Lodge northwest with
out asking the people for aid of any
sort except the right of way, provided
the bondB ASKED for by the D. E. & G.
We're not authorized. The people Of
Barber county went ahead and voted
bonds for the D. E. & G. and a short
while after Mr.. Ripley announced that
the Santa Fe would build an extension
from Medicine Lodge anyhow. This
announcement was followed shortly
by the Incorporation of the Medicine
Valley Railroad company, subsidiary
organiza ton of the Santa Fe, to build
a road from Medicine Lodge to Dodge
/ City. James F. Hurley. general man
ager of the Santa Fe. is the president
! Of this company and this road IS to be
built. So with the Santa Fe in control
! of the Denver. Enid & Gulf. that line
will not be extended northwest of
! Medicine Lodge. It viii undoubtedly
/ be built however. from Kiowa to
Medicine Lodge and when the Medi-
cine Valley Line is completed the
Santa F,e will have an almost direct
/ line from the central part of south
western Kansas through Oklahoma
| and thence to the Gulf.
Just what the Santa Fe has paid for
| the property of the D. F. & G. is not
! known here 1t is a new road which
1 has Just been completed and its equip
ment is not large. A man who is
! familiar with the value of roads thinks
that between $4,000 and $4,000 a
mile would be a big value for the d.
E & G.. as it has been built through
/ a country where obstacles to construc-
ton are not serious Taking the top
figure, the Santa Fe would have had
to pay about $2.250,000 for the road.