The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-25
Returns From a Trip Over Pro.
posed Line.
WORK TO BE PUSHED.
Says Eight Miles Is to Be Grad
ed Now.
Then Put Down Steel and Run
Supply Train.

F. J. Curnick and A G. Goodwin,
treasurer and general manager respec-
t!Vely OF the Topeka southwestern Con-
structlon company, have returned from
their trip over the route of the road.
The trip was made to get Mr. Curnick
IN touch with the spirit of the people
ana the conditions along the line.
Everything is looking fine" was the
verdict of Mr.. Curnick when seen upon
his return Tuesday afternoon. 1.-The
people are jubilant over the prospects
OF having new road as it Will in
crease the value of land from 5 to Is
are now 16 miles from a railroad and
naturally they will welcome the ad-
vent of the road. In fact we will have
the hearty cooperation of nearly every
farmer along the line.
The work will be pushed rapidly
as possible. We now have three miles
Of the road bed graded. We want to
grade about eight miles out and then
we will begin to lay the steel. Then we
will begin work in town. The right of
way agents are almost ready to begin
securing the right of way through the
city. We don't expect much trouble in
town Then we will build short spur
connecting with the Missouri Pacific
and Santa Fe. After this is all COM
pleted we will have a track laid from
town out about eight miles.
From this point westward the grad
ing will be hard as there are some big
excavations to make. We will haul
supplies out on our tracks and this will
facilitate the work where the construc-
tion takes lots of big cuts and fills.
I'VE expect to start laying steel on
the line by the first of February. We
may possibly begin sooner but make
the date later to make sure. From that
time on the work will be rushed to
completion.
I'VE expect to have the road in op-
Grafton by January, 1910. We will have
stations every few miles and will stop
our trains on flag. We may may use
but we will have regular locomotives
for freight work. We are now watch
ing some tests made with steam motor
cars, and if they are satisfactory we
will use them for passenger work
Mr.. Curnick will remain in the city
for several days, before returning to
New York. He will handle all the
details of the work from the office of
Lamprecht Bros. In New York HIS
visit at this time is to thoroughly
familiarize himself with conditions
along the line so that he can appre-
ciate conditions that may develop:
1t is doubtful, however, If things
are progressing as favorably as Mr..
Curnick and Mr.. Goodwin Intimate.
There are strong rumors of friction
between the engineering department
and the contractor and sub-con-
tractors. Last week Spencer, one of
chief engineer, G. E. Slayton, in
measuring his work counted him
short and did not give him full credit
for the amount that his gang had
done. Other rumors, that other sub
may quit the work, are
rife. The construction company has
not complied with the legal re-
The company is required
to furnish a bond with the register
of deeds which will be sufficient to in
sure one months payment to the men,
and the purveyors of supplies.
The profile of the route is being
considerably and the line as
now planned will fall a long ways
short of the original specifications.
In the meantime, the people resfd-
ing along the Shunganunga who have
waited patiently for three years for
the shrek of the locomotive whistle,
will still wait patiently, while those
in charge seem to push the project
with accelerated slowness.