The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-19
TRY A NEW PLAN.
Rock Island AbOlishes North
Side Freight Office.
Business Consolidated With the
South Side.
NO MEN ARE LET OUT.
Force Is Added to That in
General Freight Office.
Milling Shipments Will b
Handled Just as Usual.

The North Topeka freight office of
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
was discontinued this morning. Here
after all the freight business of the
Rock Island in Topeka will be ham
died from the freight office on the
south side near First and Jackson
streets.
The discontinuance Of the North
Topeka office, however, in no way
diminishes the facilities of the road in
handling freight. On the other hand
the change was made in, order to ex-
pedite the handling of freight. All
authority will be centralized in one
office and better service can in this
way, it is thought, be given to the
Rock Islands patrons on the north
side of the river. The GENERALIZATION
of cars and equipment to the controi
of the south side office will add to the
facilities and quicken the service to
the north side.
The passenger Office which has been
maintained in North Topeka for years
will still be continued in the present
location on North Kansas avenue. A
w. Lacey, the present ticket aegnt OF
the north side, will continue to looK
after the passenger interests OF the
road in the First ward.
The freight and passenger stations
were opened in North Topeka about
twentyyears ago when the Rock Island
first entered the city. At tn time
Topeka and North Topeka were two
| separate towns and required both
| freight and passenger stations. Since
that time the two towns have merged
| and have grown closer together. the
two towns have long since lost their
| identity and North Topeka has be-
come known as an integral part OF
| Topeka.
| This has caused considerable con-
fusion to North side shippers and con-
signees. The merchants in North To-
| peka have experienced considerable
] trouble in getting their consignments
on time. Freight intended for North
side merchants is generally billed for
fore the North Topeka merchants
could get their goods they had to wait
| until the shipments were sent back TO
North Topeka. Much time was neces-
sarily lost in this way. There were
other drawbacks to the old system of
maintaining two separate offices for
the local freight. A shipper on the
| North side might want several cars
for shipments, which were not To-
Gated in the North Topeka yards. The
North Topeka agent would have to
see the yardmaster and get the cars
! from him. But perhaps at the same
time there was a demand for cars on
the south side. This would lead to a
conflict. Under the new arrangement
everything will be handled from the
south side freight office and conflicts
of this kind viii lbe avoided. The new
arrangement will insure better ana
more expeditions distribution of cars.
No" will the new arrangement
cause any trouble to the North To-
peka shippers The same arrange
ments for setting out cars to the North
Side millers and shippers will prevail
as in the past Cars will be furnished
every miller and shipments for him
will be set out on the siding nearest
his mill. For smaller freight, freight
that averages less than a car load
there will be no difference in the SER
vice although this will of course have
to be taken from the South Side. The
local draymen will not charge any
more to haul goods from the South
Side freight office than they formerly
did from the North Topeka station.
The same facilities for handling
cars in North Topeka will be en-
ployed The Rock Island has three
switch engines in their Topeka yards
and one of these engines will handle
North Topeka cars. The Rock Island
has considerable mileage in side
tracks on the North Side and with
everything handled from one office
cars can be dispatched to the differ
ent sidings as soon as they arrive in
Topeka.
Just what disposition will be made
of the old freight depot in North To-
peka, has not as yet been fully deter
Gated on the Rock Island tracks be-
tween Curtis and Railroad streets
just south of the Rock Island and
Union Pacific crossing will be worth
less as a freight depot now that the
Office has been discontinued. 1t is
probable that the building will be
transformed into a sort Of storehouse
for the Rock Island.
None of the force in the North
Topeka Office lose their positions on
account Of the change. All the en-
ployes will be taken care of in the Of
fee on the South Side, the forces of
the two offices being merely combined.
w. H. Nichols, who has for several
years held the position of freight
agent for North Topeka and who has
been also known as assistant freight
agent of Topeka, will take
position as assistant freight agent in
the South Side office. o. Maxey, the
present freight agent of Topeka, will
continue as freight agent, while Mr..
Nichols will become second man in
the local freight office as assistant
agent.
OHM THE a CVrQV