The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-03
Road From Wichita to KinsIe,
Assumes Definite Form.
Construction Work Likely to BE
Started Soon.
ARE TO FORM COMPANY
Will Open Fertile Territory Now
Not Reached by Rail.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.

Wichita, Kan, July ST am con-
hdent that the Wichita, Kinsley, Scott
City and Denver Air Line will be
built this summer" remarked Levi S.
smith of Kinsley, who is the president
of the company which has been in
corporated to build the road.
Mr. Smith is in the city comforting
with Theo. Luttgerding, who is now
organizing a construction company to
have the actual work of construction
done. 1t is intended to organize a
company with a capital of 100000,
which will begin at once the work
of grading and laying the track. Mr..
Luttgerdlng has been talking with
Wichita business men, explaining the
proposition to them and getting them
interested in the road.
So far all of the work has been done
by the men at Kinsley, who first de-
cided that Edwards county and the
country between Kinsley and Wichita
needed a road leading to this city.
They have been in earnest in the mat
ter and are not into it because they
believe they will make money running
the road, for they do not consider for
one minute that they will operate the
line Their sole reason for taking an
interest in the building of the road is
that it will give them direct line to
this city, and in that way will put
them close to a market for their
farm products. AS things are now
they cannot buy, neither can they sell
in this city, because all the roads
running through their territory go
directly to Kansas City and to come
to Wichita means a long roundabout
trip, with added freight rates. This
they desire to avoid.
Wichita people have not assisted in
the matter except to give it their
moral support, which will not aid in
forming q construction company. They
must become financially interested in
the construction of the line.
All we need to get to work at
once" said Mr.. Smith, "is the organ
1zation of the construction company
with a capital of 100000. This will
be sufficient to go ahead with the line.
I'VE have made arrangements for
the disposal of bonds which we can
issue as soon as we have a few miles
of the road built, and this money will
enable us to build more road and is
sue more bonds.
1.-The townships along the line of
the road have all voted bonds for it.
The total of bonds voted is $1S5,0OO.
These bonds will be aVailab BILE when
the line is completed to Kinsley.
I'VE do not intend operating the
road, because we know nothing of
such matters. The Missouri Pacific
will operate the line when it is COM
pleted. All we want to do is to build
the gaps on the Missouri Pacific be-
tween Andale and Olcott, and from
Iuka to kinSley. This will make a |
straight road from Kinsley to Wich- |
tia
This road will run through some |
of the very best farm land in the |
country, and it is land which is not |
now near railroad. This country |
has raised a wonderful crop of wheat |
this year, and it will all go to Kan |
sas City because it cannot come to |
Wichita. The cattle also must go to /
Kansas City. We want to trade in 1
Wichita because this city is close to |
US and because we will not be COM |
PEELED to take two or three days off |
to go to our market, as we must do |
when we ship to Missouri river points. |
If we could reach Wichita we could |
get better prices and have less freight
to pay. We would like to trade with
the Wichita wholesalers, but we do I
little business with them now because
of the roundabout way goods come
from this city. We can get them
quicker under present conditions from
Kansas City.
II think the business men of Wich-
tia should take hold of this PROPOSE
lion. 1t means money in their pock-
etc.
Farmers out in our section are
rich and they have money to spend.
They would spend it here if they
l