The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-26
Santa Fe Completes Belen Cutoff
in New Mexico.
VIII Make the Freight Haul
Much Easier.
PROSPERITY OF WEST
General Manager Hurley Says
Great Crops Are Assured.
Other Items of Interest to
Railway People.

An Ell Paso dispatch to the Chicago
Tribune says:
The Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe
railroad has just completed the task
Of constructing what is known as the
Belen cutoff in New Mexico. 26s miles
in length, between Belen and Texico,
to save a long haul of freight over the
Glorietta mountain range on It's main
line to the coast. The work Is just
now completed. and the officials are
making arrangements to put it into
service.
James E. Hurley, general manager
of the company, who Is here in con-
nection with the matter said:
THE Belen cutoff Will be in use by
the middle of next month. and while
1t will not affect the passenger traffic.
at least for the present all freight
trains will be run over the new line
after the work is completed This Will
eliminate the heavy grade through the
Glorietta mountains and Will be an
immense saving in fuel. There prob
ably will be one passenger train put
on between Belen and Amarillo, but
the transcontinental passenger trains
will continue to go over the old line
through Albuquerque
Using OIL as Fuel.
Albuquerque will not be vitality af-
fected by the change. as the passen-
ger trains will continue to run through
there but there Will be reduction in
the shop and yard forces when the
short line is opened. The run over the
GIorietta mountains is a strong draw
ing card for the tourist trade. and the
old line will continue to be the main
one for passenger traffic.
Our supply of fuel oil is unlimited,
and there is no danger of the Santa Fe
reverting back to the coal burning en-
gines on the divisions where the oil
is now being used" said the general
manager The road owns it's own oil
GaIJ nd will "a n
ply forthcoming to last for years Coal
~ being used through the country
Ware it is most available, but oil,
owing to its economy and convenience,
will continue to be used on all of the
trains now being pulled by oil burners.
The roadbed is not to be neglected
while the motive power and rolling
stock is being improved, and the work
of ballasting the main line is being
pushed from Chicago to the coast.
Double track is being put down in
places and more will be added later.
Two hundred and fifty miles of second
track is now being laid on the eastern
division out of Chicago, In Illinois.
Much of this class of work will be
done during the year. The Rio Grande
division has the virtue of possessing
a natural roadbed that needs little bal
lasting but this division will receive
the same attention as to steel and ties
that the other divisions ar now getting.
In number of places heavier steel is
rails and the eighty-five pound steel is
the minimum weight for the new main
line construction.
Middle West Prosperous.
THE immense grain crops through
Kansas and the other western states
have done much to give our line
part of its prosperity. and the rapid
development of the west has also add
ed its share.
Seventy million bushels of the
beet grade of winter wheat is the rec
ord established by Kansas the finest
kind of corn is promised. and in the
Arkansas valley alone there are 10000
acres. of sugar beets under cultivation,
and 1t will tax the capacity of six sugar
factories to handle the best crop in the
history of the beet growing industry.
In addition to this there have been
1900 cars of Rocky Ford melons
shipped this season, so you can readily
see that there is no indication of BUSH
ness stagnation as far as our territory
is concerned"