The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-02
DIRT is YlNC.
Actual Work on the South.
western Has Begun.
twenty-five Teams Used and
More Sent For.
SET THE MARK HIGH.
Promises to Complete Grade to
SET THE MARK HIGH.
Promises to Complete Grade to
County Line Dec. /.
Mr.. Griffith, the Contractor,
Expected Here This Week.

After numerous delays the actual
construction work of the Topeka &
Southwestern railroad which will con-
meet Topeka and Council Grove was
commenced at o'clock this morning
ana the contractor, j. D. Griffith
promises to have the grading completed
TO the west line of Shawnee county by
the first of December, the weather con-
ditions permitting. Twenty-Five teams
ana as many men commenced work
this morning and the force would have
peen much larger if men to handle the
outnts could have been secured.
u. j. Griffith. who has the contract
Tor grading the line, is in a Kansas
CITY hospital at this time though he
expects to be able within a week to
personally superintend the work. In
the meantime the work is being done
under the direction of Superintendent
w. e. Shotwell who has been with Mr..
Griffith in this capacity and is thor
oughly familiar with the work.
There are 10S teams and equipment
available for the work which was
started this morning and the entire
force would be at work at this time If
men could be secured to handle them.
Mr.. Griffith has 40 teams in Kansas
City and % at his home in Jandon,
near Kansas City, and they will be
shipped to Topeka and placed on the
work as soon as a sufficient number of
men to handle them can be secured.
An office has been opened at 81
Kansas avenue by Mr.. Griffith where
men will be done. There have been
numerous delays in starting the work
on account of the immense amount of
detail work which was necessary be-
fore the actual work of grading could
be commenced. All of this has been at
tended to and the right of way to the
west line of Shawnee county has beea
secured as well as nearly all of the
right of way for the entire line.
The only strenuous opposition which
was encountered in securing the right
of way was encountered near the city
of Topeka and this has been settled in
one way or another, several cases being
adjudicated by Judge Dana of the dis
trict, court. Where condemnation pro-
ceedings were. resorted to the claims for
damages have been paid to the clerk of
the district court.
The construction company has open
ed offices on the fourth floor of the Null
vane building where a corps of engi-
neerS is at work on the detail infor-
nation necessary for the grading out
fit. As fast as men can be secured the
grading force win be increased until the
entire capacity Of the outfit of 173
teams Is reached.
With a force of this size at work it
will be a matter of but short time I'M
til the grading in Shawnee county Is
completed and the outfit will then pro-
coed across the space intervening be-
tween that point and Council Grove. A
member of the construction company is
in Kansas City where an attempt will
be made to secure additional men and
Topeka employment offices have orders
for all the men they can secure = 70
H M. Herbert, president of the con-
struction company and consulting engi-
neer is in New York but he will return
to Topeka within short time and 1t is
his intention to personally supervise the
work. In the meantime the dirt Will
fly and the grading outfit which was
placed at work this morning is in the
hands of experts who have been in the
employ of Mr.. Griffith for number OF
years.
The Topeka men who are interested
in the Topeka & Southwestern railroad
project and who have worked so long
and so hard to make the venture sue
cess are jubilant.s They feel that the
herculean portion of their task has
been completed and that the building
of the road is but a question of the
time necessary to accomplish the task.
While the west has suffered but ut
tie from the panic of this year the
Topeka s. Southwestern railroad
project felt the effect of the money
stringency. Thousands of dollars have
been raised to be used in building the
ROAD ana nearly every uo1idi Sdhio
from the west and majority of it
from Topeka men and women who be-
lieye in the future of the road.
The Topeka men who were back Of
the venture were inexperienced and
numerous delays were caused from
this reason and then there was we'll
defined opposition in two or three in
stances on the part of property owners
who were opposed to the line crossing
their property. Ordinarily cold
weather will not interfere with the
graders and the hopes of the promo
tors of the Topeka & Southwestern
railroad seem in fair way to be real
lied.