The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-04


for the roadbed and the rails.
In the party were bankers and Sue
cessful business men from Iowa, Min
nesota, Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylva-
All gathered at an informal luncheon
at the Coates House at noon of the day
OF departure. Following this a talk
was given by President Stilwell, out
lining the plan of the trip and going
over IN general what had been done by
the company to put the road in oper-
alton and what was to be done to COM
plete it to the coast.
The train left Kansas City in the
afternoon. There were seven cars
baggage car, a dining car, a convention
or assembly car of one room, contain.
ing movable wicker chairs, tables and
literature, three Pullman compartment
cars, giving a separate apartment for
every two in the party and a separate
bed for each, and Mr. StilwelIs private
car. To this was added an open OBJ
servatiOn car over the completed track
of the Orient road.
The train ran over the Rock Island
tracks to Wichita, from Wichita. 200
miles over the Orient track, to Clinton
end OF the track on that particular sec
ton, the train ran over the Rock Is
land to Fort Worth. and from Fort
Worth, over the Texas & Pacific, to
Sweetwater, Texas. Sweetwater at
present is at the southern end of the
completed portion of the Orient run
ming through Texas. Here the train
ran north to Knox City, 50 miles to
the north end of that section and back
again to Sweetwater.
The construction of this portion of
the line is of light work and easy
grades. The new houses show the towns
to be new. There are towns of 1900
less than twenty-five months old
Through the Oklahoma portion of the
Orient road the new towns are devel-
oping rapidly and indicated many large
future cities.
On this section, across the Southern
Canadian river is a steel bridge of 81
spans, with concrete piers, showing the
substantial construction.
While Sweetwater is the end of the
track for that section at present, the
roadhed has been graded as far south
as San Angelo and construction is I'M
der way so that it is expected that by
the first of January; by leasing a por-
ton of line owned by other roads, the
Orient will be in operation continu
ously from Kansas City to San Angelo,
Texas, distance of about 600 miles.
From Sweetwater the StilweH special
ran over the Texas & Pacific railroad
to Ell Paso, covering territory large
ly desert, the chief products being sand
mesquite, a small brush tree, and cac-
tus.
Into Old Mexico.
From FL Paso the train ran, during a
night, to Chihuahua, where the Mexi-
L.
which is built and in operation both
east and west from this point, SO miles
east and 1872 miles west, including
leased portion of the Chihuahua and
Pacific as far west as Minaca, the ORR
ent line proper being completed from
Minaca west about 20 miles. The party
covered this part of the road to the
end Of the track at Ruchibo, beyond
which the grading in progress has been
completed beyond the continental di-
vide. In fact, our train passed over
the continental divide twice, the line
crossing it three times.
This part of the Orient road is of the
best possible construction. The rails
are heavy, the track ballasted all the
way, the culverts of ASHER stone work,
the bridges of steel and concrete. The
embellishments and cuts are very heavy,
the line naturally winding through the
the scenery picturesque in
the extreme.
The grade of>the road has been kept
within per cent which is regarded as
for a railway line over the
Rocky Mountains.
From Chihuahua the party left the
Orient road, proceeding southwark over
the Mexican Central to the City of
Mexico.
From Chihuahua till the end of the
trip the journey was in the main one
of entertainment and instruction. Near
ly every day the pilgrims gathered in
the convention car, or in Mr.. Stilwelrs
car, and listened to talks about the
road and answers to questions that
would naturally be asked by those
seeking investment.
The banking business of the Orient
is conducted by what is known
as the United States and Mexican Trust
This company is also inter-
ested in the townsites, lands and other
property concerns, aside from mines, !
developed along its route as the road
This company has it's prin-
cipal office in Kansas City and anoth- |
aged by Edward E. Holmes and acts |
as a trustee for all the varied enter |
prises directly connected with the Or |
lent railway or subordinate to it.
70 he Of