The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-24
People Along Route Receive
Them With Open Arms.
THREE WAYS PLANNED
All Pass Within a Few Miles of
Topeka.
Meeting at Commercial Club
Rooms Tonight.

| Vernon NJ. PIERCE. chief engineer of
the Office of public roads of the de-
partment of agriculture at Washing
ton arrived in Topeka just before the
| noon hour today on their tour of in
| spection of the routes proposed for
the military highway to be built by
the government connecting the forts
at Riley and Leavenworth.
The trip seems to have been an en-
| joyable one from all standpoints
though the party was brought into the
city by a farmer living north of To-
peka. 1t has been stated that the
| party started in an automobile owned
by Congressman Anthony but this is
denied by all those concerned who in
s1st that they have not met with an
accident and left the car at some farm
house as might be suspected.
There was no use for us to start in
machine of our own" said Con-
gresham Anthony for we started
in Leavenworth county and have been
passed on from one to another since
then. 1 had no idea that there were
so many automobiles in the country
the enthusiasm we encountered along
the proposed routes.
Every one we met gave US the glad
hand and offered to assist in any way
Easton, Winchester, Ozawkie, Oska-
loosa and Meriden and at each of
these places we were pledged the sup
port of the community in which the
town is located"
Through or Near Topeka.
There are three routes proposed,
all of them passing within a few miles
of Topeka, near enough that the
macadam roads of the county can be
made to connect with the highway.
The first route follows the old govern
ment trail west from Leavenworth to
Easton, through Winchester, Ozawkie,
Meriden and then on up the valley
The second route proposed is
through Springdale, McLouth, Oska-
loosa, Ozawkie and Meriden. passing
just north of Topeka. The third route
is to the southwark through Tonga
noxie, and Reno, passing close to
North Lawrence. then up the valley
by way of Topeka.
AS far as Topeka is concerned it
makes but little difference which one
of the routes is selected as all three Of
them pass near the city on the north.
Farmers all along the route have
have agreed to not only furnish-the
rock necessary but to haul Ito the
road.
CONGRESSMAN Anthony and Engineer
PIERCE will be followed in about two
weeks by a corps of government en-
gineers who will make a preliminary
survey and future work will be baScd
upon their reports. The road will be
about 112 miles in length. 16 to Is
feet broad and the grades are not ex-
pected to exceed per cent at any
point.
The report of the engineers and sur
veyors will be used as basis for figur-
ing the cost of the road and the
amount of the appropriation congress
will be asked to make. 1t will take
several years to complete the road
tIn hos hoo % 1aT1C ead
though it is more than likely that
from $50 to 1000 convicts will be enl-
ployed in the construction work. These
men will be taken from the two fed
eral and military prisons at Leaven-
worth.
Talk 1t Over Tonight.
A meeting will be held at the Com
mercial club this evening at 8 O'Clock
when the matter will be discussed
from all standpOints. The matter 10
one of great Importance not only to the
farmers along the proposed line. but TIC
every citizen of Topeka 1t Will mean
an era of good roads building in all
parts of the county as we'll as In the
other counties through which the road
passes.
County Commissioner Sterne is
heartily in favor of the move and said:
Il am sure that the board of county
commissioners will be only too glad to
do anything in their power to assist the
government in the project After tho
road mas DSe0 competed II Will Do IL
matter of but small cost for the county
to connect with the highway with
macadamized roads at two three
different points and give the farmers
a paved highway to the city"
1.-The people in the country through
which we passed are thoroughly alive
to their interests in the matter of get
ting an appropriation for a military
road" said Chief Engineer vernon NJ.
PIERCE, land seem willing to do every
thing in their power to assist. 1t may
be that but two of the possible routes
will be considered on account of the
distance 1t will be necessary to haul
stone on one of them. but this is
matter that will be decided by the
corps of engineers who will follow us
in the course of a week or so.
"Our inspection has been hurried,
but from what 1 saw of the outcrop.
pings of stone. L think that an abun-
dance will be found near the proposed
routes or at least two of them. The
road will increase the value of land
adjacent $40 an acre at low estimate.
as a farmer will be able to haul heav-
Ter loads and travel a longer distance
to q market. Then the roads will be
in fine shape for travel at all seasons
of the year and there will never be
time when travel will have to be aban-
doned on account of muddy or heavy