The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-02
RAILROAD NEWS.
Smith Center Will Be Railway
Center of N. w. Kansas.
Two New Construction Projects
Headed That Way.
NORTHUMBERLAND
And the Nebraska, Kansas 4
Southern Both Busy.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.

'i SeHter, han-. June Eff the
pidhs winch are now under foot in
the railway world of this section of
ohe state materialize, Smith county
ana smith Center in particular will
nave TWO new roads within a short
tlme, and work is liable to start on
either side or both of them before
the summer is very far advanced ar
least II Is probable that both lines
VIII be laid out by the SURVEYORS
within short time
One road which is snra o.. ,;4
smith Center in the event that - :;
punt IS the loit-Kearnev line
wnlcn VIII be constructed from BE
IoiI Ran, to Kearney, Neb., and
MN Mn form an additional connecting
line between the main lines of the
railroad in Kansas and NebrasLa
rms road has been proposed for
some time, and it now seems IikeIv
soon.
A party of railroad officials who
are connected with the proposed
route were in Smith Center a few
Gays ago, and all expressed them
serves as very confident that the line
would soon be started. This party
mad been over the proposed route he.
tween Beloit and Kearney and were
on their return trip from the Neb-
raska town. All were enthusiastic
over the prospects The TERRITORY
traversed by this road is now largely
untoucned by railway lines and all
that is needed to develop the country
and increase the population of this
section two fold is the DEVELOPMENT
of this line.
Not much information was given
posed route Of the BeIoft- is.e paev
road. 1t willu however parallel the
ROCK Island road in this county from
Lebanon to Smith Center and will
then likely pass through ReamsyiIIe
a town In the northwestern part of
the county. now without railroad
facilities The road will cross the
| Burlington at Bloomington. Neb.
The party is expected back to
smith Center within a. short time,
when they will be prepared to make
a proposition to the citizens of Smith
Center, and If accepted the work on
! the preliminary survey will COM
mence within a couple of months at
the furthest. This line would give
| the towns in Smith county better
railway connections and would fur
| nish an outlet by rail to many towns
| off the railway maps
The other railway project which is
| causing much discussion here is the
| Nebraska, Kansas & Southern. This
is road which will be built from
Garden City. Kan, to Superior Neb.
| Frank Burnhum of Kansas City is
backing this road and has made sew
| eral visits here in its interests. Mr.
Burnhum is very positive in his
| statements that the road will be built,
| and says that work has already com
/ menced on the southern end of the
| line
The preliminary survey of this
| line between Garden City and
Stockton has been made and accord
| ing to Mr.. Burnhum several grading
| outfits have been put to work. The
| survey, however. has not yet been
made this side of Stockton From
| Stockton the line is expected to cross
| the divide between the two forks of
the Solomon this side of Stockton
| and reach this county crossing the
Central Branch at Cora and running
on into Smith Center, then proceed
ing to Superior.
1t is reported, and it is the gen.
eral belief here, that this line will
horn & Missouri Valley road. a
branch of the Chicago & North
western which has its terminus in
Superior, although the road has
tracks laid to the state line.
| Both of these projects are ex-
pected to be realized ere long. At
any rate it shows that Smith Center
| is being recognized as ! a strategic
point for the railway construction in
| this portion of the state. and should
both of these lines fail to furnish
facilities. 1t is evident from the
trend of the times that Smith Cen
ter will within a few years be pro-
| vided with more than one road. and
will be the real metropolis of
northwestern Kansas.