The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-07
Rock Island Lets Contract fol
Thirty-TwO Miles.
Extends From Topeka to TOWI
of Mcfarland.
BEGIN WORK AT ONCE.
J. B. Berry, Chief Engineer, to
Be Here Friday.
Will Then Announce Details
and S'art Machinery.

within a few days a large force OF
graders and laborers will be working
along the Rock Island between Tope-
ka and Mcfarland, a distance OF
about thirty-two miles, laying a dou-
BILE track between the two points.
The contract for this work has
been let from the headquarters of the
system in Chicago. This line has been
talked of and a great deal has been
published about the proposed line for
the last two years. The letting of the
contract makes the construction of
the line a reality.
The actual plans and arrangements
for the starting of the work will not
be male until Friday when ]. B. Ber-
ry, the chief engineer of the Rock
Island will be in Topeka to take ac-
tive charge of the commencement of
the work and leave instructions for
the execution of the work. The con-
tract for the work covers the grading
and getting the roadbed in shape for
the laying of the track and the ball
lasting. This latter work will prob
ably be done by the Rock Island.
The construction of the line will fill
long felt want along this part of the
Rock Island. For the past few years
the business along this section of the
Rock Island has been increasing very
fast and the single track from Topeka
west has not been enough to properly
accommodate their traffic. From Nc
Farland the Rock Island runs north
west to Belleville where it connects
with the main line of the system from
Chicago to Denver. This line serves
as a connection between the main line
and Kansas City by running from
Belleville through Mcfarland and To-
peka. During the past few years the
Rock Island has tried to handle more
of their traffic via this route to Kan
Sas City. As Kansas City has a Veri-
ia BILE network of roads extending in
all directions traffic Is more quickly
distributed from the Rock Island to
the different roads than by taking it
via the main line to Chicago where It
the trackage facilities have not been.
as complete as necessary to handle all
the traffic which the Rock Island de-
sired to route this way and this is the
reason the new track will be con-
structed.
Another branch of the Rock Island
running southwest from Mcfarland to
Herington branches off to Ell Paso and
Fort Worth and this line accommo-
dates a great deal of traffic. A single
track is sufficient for the traffic from
these lines until it reaches Mcfarland
where it comes together with the traf-
VILE.
This new track when completed will
give the Rock Island excellent double
track facilities in Kansas. Between
Topeka and Kansas City the Rock
Island already is we'll equipped with
double tracks. as they run over the
Union Pacific which recently expended
over two millions and a half in pro-
viding another track between Topeka
and Kansas City. This new line will
give the Rock Island a double track
of one hundred miles.
The new line will mean a great deal
more traffic being routed through To-
peka. Already eight passenger trains
are run each way daily and a large
number of freight trains. There will
probably be no increase in the passen-
ger service Immediately as the Rock
Island already has the edge on the
other roads in this regard. However.
there will be a great increase in the
freight business which is routed
through Topeka.
This work will entail a great deal
of expense upon the Rock Island. The
country between Topeka and McFar-
land is as hiily as any area in this
section of the state. Several excava-
tions will have to be made and big
cuts constructed to say nothing of the
fills that will also have to be made
1t is not definitely known when the
new line VIII be completed. but judg- |
ing from the average amount of time |
required for such work the track |
ought to be completed and ready for |
traffic some time within a year