The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-08
McKinley's Plans for Electric
Lines Announced.
Line From st. Joseph to Topeka
VIII Be Early Move.
TAKE OVER POLLYWOG
Santa Fe Branch to Be Convert
ed Into an Interurban.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

st. Joseph, Mo-, Nov. S.-St. Joseph's
first extensive and definite information
concerning the interurban railway
plans of Congressman w. B. McKin-
ley of Champaign, Ill. for this part
of the country, is contained in a let
ter " hich DR.. G. w. ALBANIAN, mayor
of Atchison, has sent to the News
Press.
Mayor ALBANIAN has been acting as
one of the Mckinley syndicate's rep
resentatives in the west, and his state
ment has all the authority of an in
terview with Mr.. Mckinley.
Briefly. the Mckinley syndicate,
which owns the street railways of Atch-
ison, Wichita and Topeka, proposes to
build two Atchison-St. Joseph lines,
one on each side of the Missouri river
line from Atchison to Leavenworth to
connect with the Observation-Disclosures
City road, and electric roads to To-
peka, and to Horton and Hiawatha-
The company already has built two
extensions of the Atchison line, and is
contemplating bridging the Missouri
river at Atchison. 1t has an option on
the Atchison coal mine and that town
will be made the center of the system
If the mine is taken over. Mr.. Nc
Kinley also is looking at the Santa
FEES "pollywog'' line, which branches
at Hawthorne, seven miles south of
Atchison, to go to LeaVenworth. If it
is secured, the company will build
line about Potter and will electrify it.
officers of the syndicate are expect
ed in Atchison before long, and they
will visit St. Joseph and other future
points on their lines, to secure the pre-
liminary information they want.
Ready to Build.
Mayor Allaman's letter follows:
THE Mckinley people bought the
Atchison line in the early summer pay
ing between five and six hundred thou
sand dollars for the same.
"They have built two extensions in
the city this summer and are preparing
to build more. They a few days ago
secured an option for 80 Tvs on the
Atchison coal mine.
ut is understood that if they Sc
cure the coal mine they will make
Atchison the central power station, US
ing a portion of the coal they mine
themselves for that purpose.
Il had a talk with Mr.. Nelson on his
last visit to the city. He is cOntem-
plating the construction of a bridge
across the Missouri river at this point.
He is DESTROYS of putting in two
lines to st. Joseph. One on the east
side to connect with the Lake Con-
trary line and one on the west side by
the way of DOniphan Lake, Wathena,
etc.
ALSO I believe they are figuring upon
an option on the Santa Fee road, COM
monty known as the Pollywog which
branches at hawthorne, ABOUT seven
miles below Atchison, going quite to
Leavenworth. If they secure this
branch line they will build from Atch-
ison southwest to connect with this
line above Potter. That will give a
line from Atchison to Leavenworth to
connect with the Kansas City and
Leavenworth lines.
"They are also contemplating a line
to Topeka and one to Horton and Hia-
watha running west and north. Mr..
Nelson assured me that something
definite would be done in this matter
in the early spring.
I'VE expect him to return soon and
have arranged with him to go over the
proposed lines. This company has Sc
cured holdings at Wichita, Topeka and
several other cities in Kansas and is
preparing for a lot of interurban roads
They are not people who usually
make promises until they are ready and
positive that they will be carried out
They are preparing to build a new
power house here but are waiting IN
til they see what is done with the coal
mine.
''If they secure this property they
win build near the coal mine.
Very truly yours.
&C w ALBANIAN Mayor'