The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-04
Big Fight for Supremacy in
Southwest Being Waged.
Goulds, Hartman, Hill and
Moore Bros. COntending.
STUDIES is INTERESTED
His Projected Line to Extend
Southwest From Caney.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.

Ga 'yeston, Tex, May 4.-The great
railroad interests represented by the
Goulds. by Hartman, by James J. Hill
and by the Moore Brothers are en-
gagged in a determined struggle for
territorial conquest in the great south
west. This struggle is already having
its effect upon competitive railway
building. and the present year is likely
to see more railroad mileage con-
structed in the state of Texas than
ever before in one year in Its history
This construction is to be in the race
of regulations by the state commission
which the railroads declare to be the
most oppressive and stringent of any
state in the Union. But the Texas ter
ritory and the entire southwest are so
full of promise and SO big with pos
slbilities now and in the future when
the Panama canal shall have been
opened that no regulation by state
commission which is short of actual
confiscation can restrain the railroads
in their wild scramble after territory
which promises rich tonnage.
Get French Cash.
The states adjoining Texas are also
to be the scene of most active compe-
tition in railway construction French
capital has been secured, for example,
for the construction of two railroads
81 Oklahoma, and A. E. Stilwel has
least 100000 additional capital with
which to finish the construction of the
Kansas City, Mexico & Orient road.
One of the main construction plans
Fe, which is about to begin the con-
struction of a road from a point
near Plainwell southeast to a connec-
ton with the gulf, thereby giving a
growing and productive portion OF the
Panhandle of Texas an outlet by way
- Tc1a nd Frisco
combination is figuring on acquiring
the Gulf Coast road, which was con-
structed by B. F. Yoakum from Gal
weston to Brownsville, and other i'm
portant projects are under considera-
ton.
Governor Stubbs Interested.
A road which is of greatest interest
to Oklahoma at the present time is the
Cherryvale. Oklahoma & Texas. pro-
NOTED by w. R. Stubs, now governor
of Kansas, and Senator S. M. Porter
of Caney, Kan. Positive announce
ment was made from Paris during the
week that the road had been financed
there and would be built at once.
The survey for this road was made
some five or six years ago, but f1nanc-
ing it has been a difficult proposition.
The road is to run from Caney, Kan,
to FL Paso, Texas, passing through
Pawhuska, Blackburn, saltwater,
Guthrie and Kingfisher in Oklahoma,
and on southwest. William Kenefick,
builder of the Missouri, Oklahoma &
Gulf, which is now in operation from
Wagner to Calvin and still building,
also announced that he had enlisted
sufficient French capital to insure the
immediate completion of that road on
south to Denison, Texas, and north to
a good Kansas City connection. The
Fort Smith & Western is practically
certain to build its line on southwest
from Ell Reno, crossing the Orient at
or near Lone Wolf, and on through
Mangum to Childress, on the Colorado
& Southern. w. E. Crane. first vice
president of the road. has just COM
pleted an inspection of the proposed
line and made favorable report to
the directors. The Fort Smith &
Western proper runs from Fort Smith,
Ark, to Guthrie and acquired by pur-
chase the st. Louis, Ell Reno & West
ern from Guthrie to Ell Reno.
Connecting Links.
The completion of the Orient south
into Texas has called attention to the
possibilities for connecting lines with