The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-05
CURNICK IS BACK.
Says That Work on New Railway
Is to Be Resumed.
viii Begin just as Soon as
Ground Is Ready.
WAIT ON CONNECTIONS
Need to Use Santa Fe or Missouri
Pacific Lines.
Board of Condemnation to Meet
in Topeka Friday.
WAIT ON CONNECTIONS

| F. J. Curnick, general agent for
Lamprecht Bros. the firm which is
standing sponsor for the Topeka
| Southwestern railway, and the treas
| urer of the local construction COM
pany, has returned from Chicago
where he spent the holidays, and is
| accompanied by Mrs Curnick. 1t is
| their intention to reside in Topeka un-
| TIL the road is completed.
In talking with a State Journal
representative this morning Mr.. Cur
| nick volunteered the information that
the construction work on this line
would be renewed within a short time.
He said the soil on the right of way
at the present time was in no con-
dition to be worked. when we dis
continued the construction work" said
Mr.. Curnick, "the soil had been
saturated with heavy rains This was
| several weeks ago 1 know, but the
ground hasn't recovered. The soil
along the territory of our right of way
has a very peculiar makeup. 1t is
| also very deceptive in looks. On the
Chappelle farm we thought the soil
| was dry when we commenced work,
but the teams were mired before we
Egot very far and we had to quit. 1t is
a rich Back soff and absorbs moisture
readily, but it takes it a long time to
dry up., 1t has never since the heavy
rains of last fall assumed a condition
where 1t could be worked Now 1T is
frozen up as a result of the cold
weather of last night.
Another reason why the work was
stopped, continued Mr.. Curnick in
his elucidation of the matter was
because of the fact that we couldn't
go much farther with the work until
we had made a connection with the
Missouri Pacific and Santa Fe lines so
that supplies could be hauled out on
our line. and thus facilitate our work.
We can't go very far with the con-
structfon work until we have some
means of transporting the supplies out
! along the right of way. This we in
tend to do soon. when we can get
connections
'Then there are several pieces of
the right of way which are yet in lit
igation. Should we have continued
litigation We would be subject to a
damage suit on the part of the con-
tractor, for the time he lost in the de-
lay This we considered an unneces-
sary burden, SO we stopped.
Mr.. Griffith, our contractor, did
not relish working when they We're
some chances of delay, and when he
found chance to sublet some of his
teams on the North Topeka work, we
allowed him to do so. The soil along
where the .dilzes are being constructed
is very sandy and the teams can work
there with water standing on the
ground.
I'VE won't start work before next
week at the earliest. The annual
meeting of the directors of the road
Will be held in Topeka next Monday
meeting The people seem to have
some doubts as to our sincerity in the
matter of building this road and for
that reason we will allow the directors
- Re T.
Next Friday, the board of con-
demners for the right of way in To-
peka will start work. This board is
composed of c. E. Jewell, A. T. Lu-
take about a week. or perhaps little |
longer should they encounter bad |
weather.
"Then as soon as we get these little |
chances of litigation we will COM |
mence work again, and push it hard |
until the work is completed and in |
operation. We will be running trains |
before many months.
when the work starts again, there |
will be no further delays in the mat |
ter. Mr.. Griffith will recall his teams |
from North Topeka and many more |
teams and men will be employed
1.-The outlook is very bright" said /
A. G. Goodwin, who is one of the pro- |
moters of the company. "On every
hand / hear nothing but hearty ap-
prOVal Tor the early completion or the |
road. 1 have been out over the road |
several times recently and find the |
people are pinning great hopes in our /
line. Even the people of Topeka real |
ize that the road will be a good thing |
for the country and are offering us en-
couragement at every turn. Conse-
quently, I think that the appraising /
and condemning of the right of way
within the city will be a mere for
mality and that no one will balk, or
try to work the holdup game