The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-23
HERBERT is HERE.
Chief Engineer of Southwestern
Arrives in Topeka.
Ready to Begin Active Work He
Says.
CONTRACTOR SENT FOR
Promises That Company Will
Proceed at Once.
Has Utmost Confidence in Sue
cess of Project.
CONTRACTOR SENT FOR

H. NJ. Herbert, president of the To-
peka & Southwestern Railroad Con-
struction company, arrived in Topeka
last night from New York city with
the avowed intention of making To-
peka his home until the Topeka &
Southwestern railroad is completed
From the first Mr.. Herbert has been
confident as to the future of the road
and he now seems to be more so than
ever.
All of the details for the construction
of the road have at last been arranged
and it seems but q question of few
days until the actual work of railroad
building will be commenced. One hum
dred teams of mules and horses are
pastured along the fright of way OF
the Topeka & Southwestern and men
are being employed as rapidly as pos
sible to handle the outfit.
The stakes which marked the route
of the final survey for the road have
in many instances been broken and
lost and 1t will be necessary for the en-
gineer to again stake the route. This
is a small matter and will require but
day or so and then grading Is to be
commenced, according to the statement
of Mr.. Herbert.
D. ]. Griffith, who owns the grading
outfit has been telegraphed to and
asked to come to Topeka Immediately.
He has replied that he will leave Jan
DON Mo, his home, Immediately, and
will be in Topeka Saturday. 1t is ex-
peeted that all of the minor detail Will
be arranged and that work on the road
will be commenced Immediately and
pushed until the line is completed.
'I have said from the first that the
road would be built said Mr.. Her
bert, land ii is the fault of the To-
peka people that the work was not
~
Topeka Just about year ago ready
and willing to close UP a contract for
building the road and went back to
New York supposing that the details
which we had discussed would be at
tended to at once.
Then something happened In To-
peka. I do not profess to know what
it was but we could get no satisfac-
tory explanation from the Topeka end
of the affair and matters have been at
stand still with us since that time.
until Mr. Merriam called on US a
week ago. We have been ready to
commence work for year if the To-
peka people who had charge of mat
ters had complied with their con-
tract.
at now seems that all details have
been arranged and that the actual
work of railroad building will be
commenced within a week or even
less. Then it will be rushed until the
line is completed. OF course work
will be slow this winter if bad weather
should prevail for we have lost the
best part of the year for out door
work.
1--WE have the utmost confidence in
the project and that road will be built
and there is no doubt of it. I have
been over the proposed line and never
saw a finer country or one which Of
fered more inducements for the con-
struction of a line of railway. The
differences which seem to have existed
at this end of the line seem to have
disappeared and with everyone pull
ing together 1 can see no reason
why the road cannot be completed
by the time stipulated in the con-
tracts. I am here ready for business
and we will do our part towards con-
Meeting Topeka and Council Grove
with a railroad"