The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-15
Rumored Purchase of Midland
Valley by Santa Fe.
Well Founded Story on This
Comes From Chanute.
TAKE EFFECT SEPT. 1.
Would Give Access to Rich Coal.
Timber and Fruit Lands.
Other Items Of Interest to
Railway People.


Chanute, Kan.-Rumors have been
rife for months that the Santa Fe in
| tended leasing or purchasing out
right the Midland Valley. railroad. a
southern line having trackage of
312 miles. Authentic information has
leaked out in Chanute from authorita-
tive sources which makes it seem GER
tain that the Santa, Fe will assume en-
tire control of the road September /.
In substance, the stray bits of in
formation CLEANED for several weeks
unite to form the following accurate
account of the roads purchase. Cen
eral Manager Hurley and a party of
officials including Vice President w. j.
Jensen, and General Superintendent
Fox, have both made recent trips to
Tulsa where the Midland Valley con-
meets with the Santa Fe. and their
visits have not been without signifi-
canoe. The erection of a mammoth
round house, the largest in the state
the double tracking of the main line
through Chanute, and the prepara-
tions for the installation of a private
water plant are all links of evidence
tending to corroborate the design of
the Santa Fe. It is scarcely probable
would be made here for the traffic of
the Southern Kansas alone.
If the date given by the Sun, Sep
TENDER 1st, is correct, it will witness
this division. The slate of new ap-
pointments as far as can be learned,
includes the changing of Assistant
superintendent McNally to the di-
vision superintendency of the new
road. The position of assistant super
tntaDdant e comma r9 fiva1y royu Opa
on the Southern Kansas, and observa-
ton has shown it to be chiefly con-
cerned with the care and improve
ment of trackage conditions. Assist
ant Superintendent McNally is pri-
marily a trackman. and as the ma
jority of the Midland Valley will have
to be rebuilt, his rumored selection
for promotion assumes a highly plaus-1
ible hue. Trainmaster Ramsey would
then be in line for McNally's place,
and Tim Cunningham for the position
of trainmaSter. G.. H. Miller would
be promoted to the chief dispatchers
chair. If he would accept the place. If
not the toga would fall upon Mike
Cunningham. AS side rumor it has
been frequently stated that Agent
Wisenand would be transferred to
Muskogee as an assistant to Mentally. /
which would leave the way open for
title. ALI freight en-
gineers and conductors of sufficient
seniority would be transferred to the
new road and given passenger runs.
1t has been repeated, for some time
that several of the older trainmen
have been quietly given tips of a pos
sible transfer and that they have
made arrangements to go this fall.
The Santa Fe some time ago ma
terially increased its capitalization
pose of quietly purchasing the stock
of the new road. The latter when
was regarded as a feeder
for the Santa Fe and having been
built to sell. The Midland Valley is
312 miles long, running from Arkan-
sas City to Fort Smith, a distance of
273 miles, and thence to Hartford, a
distance Of SO miles. At present 1t
handles only local passengers and
freight, but as a feeder 1t would be of
inconceivable value to the Santa Fe. 1t
runs for a hundred miles through coal
and timber lands, a traffic which the
Santa Fe does not now touch, besides
obtaining much of the southern fruit
trade from Fort Smith. These coal
fields produce 100000 tons annually |
Of the highest grade bituminous coal
in the world, including the famous
American Smokeless. The deposit in !
the mines varies from four to ten feet. |
Besides the oil and gas traffic in the |
territory field, which is at present the
heaviest in the west, this roads runs a |
regular oil train from the famous |
Glenn pool to the stations of the gulf |
pipe line companies. The Tulsa branch |
has four trains a day and the other
branch one each way. These trains
Or at least the freishts will be run
Chanute, which may account
FOR the double tracking here. Chas.
[ngersoll of Philadelphia is president,
T Holden, vice president and gen
eral manager with headquarters at
Muskogee, and J. H. Harris of Mus
xogee is general superintendent.
While the road would be a valuable
FEEDER to the Santa Fe it is not be-
ieved the latter is purchasing the line
With that end alone in view. BY build
np q short distance straight east
through unopened territory the Santa
Fe could tap Memphis and the i'm
nense southern traffic for the west
which now has to be carried north via
Kansas City. Or by building straight
,outh, through an also unopened ter
-itory it could unite it's own lines at
Center, Tex, thus affording a greatly
shortened route to Kansas via Fort
smith, Tulsa and Chanute. At pres
mt this traffic must go via Galveston
md thence west over the Panhandle
ines to Wellington and around over
he main line. The value to fruit
hippers of a short line to Kansas
-ity and Chicago markets is appar-
mt With this route the Santa Fe
would have by far the least mileage
# any road to the above points.
COMMISSIONS AT CONFLICT