The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-05
RAILROAD NEWS.
Maybe the Missouri Pacific Road
Will Help Topeka.
RumOred That X. n. & ID. Branch
Will Reach AtchisOn.
THROUGH GULF LINE.
This Would Increase the Service
Both North and South.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.
THROUGH GULF LINE

Fort Scott, Kan, Aug. 5.-The
| old rumor which was current several
years ago, before the eastern money
panic, to the effect that the Missouri
| Pacific was getting ready to so I'M
prove the X, n. & D. and the Fort
Scott & Southern lines and close the
gap between Topeka and Atchison'
thereby making a direct line from the
north to the Gulf ports, has been re-
vived again and although no official
statement has been made, it is learn
ed from sources that are pretty re-
liable that the company 1ntenoS TO
carry out this plan this fall or early
in the spring as soon as the weather
is fit. This has long been the ann
of the Gould people and the consoh-
dation Of many of the western lines
of the Gould system, which are now
operated Independently, is believed
to be for that purpose. Th1s VIII give
the Pacific the shortest line from
Omaha and the north to the CUR OF
Mexico. via Fort Scott and the White
River line which is now open and IN
operation from Carthage. The only
new Improvement that will be nee
essary is to connect Topeka and Atch-
ison. OF course it will be necessary
To improve the track and roadbed
materially in order to handle the
large volume of business that would
naturally come to such route be-
cause of it's directness.
A Missouri Pacific official who was
in the city a short time ago is quoted
as saving that this will open up the
largest field to be found in any part
of the country, aside from the through
business that the line would bring
out of that undeVeloped territory IN
Arkansas and make that state pros
porous. There are mines down there
going to waste because of inadequate
railroad facilities. Its benefit to Fort
Scott would be inestimable. This city
would be the feeder from the north
to the south. All of the trains would
run through here and there is a pos
sibiIity that it would be the biggest
division on the system. That it would
be a division point there is no gain
saying, as it is the logical point. To-
peka would be a division point. Fort
Scott would be another and the third
on the south would be at Carthage
or some other point near there. Trains |
are being operated daily between |
Carthage and the south on the White |
River line. While the Pacific gets in
to all of the southern territory this |
new enterprise would furnish direct |
line, making it the most direct line |
between Omaha and the gulf
The meeting of the stockholders of I
the various Gould lines in this part
of the country is to be held on Au-
gust 9Th in the office of Richards &
Benton, general attorneys for the |
missouri 9aClIlC III southern hdHSdS,
and it is expected that many of the |
big officials of the company, possibly |
Mr.. Gould himself, will be in attend |
ance. To open these lines and make /
them a fast freight and passenger |
road would mark an epoch in the life /
and prosperity Of this city, and while
1t is the best railroad point in the
state today it would become even
greater, employing many more men.
It would have a tendency to double
the capacity of the Missouri Pacific |
shops, and would forever quiet the
fears that the shops would ultimately
move from this city.
It is believed that If the company
finally decides to go ahead with these
improvements, such an official an
1ouncement will be made within the
next three or four months. It is
Known positively that engineers have
been sent over the entire route and
hat an estimate of the cost of put
ing the lines in first class condition
% make them capable of carrying out
he ideas of the officials has been
lsked.