The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-02

was with Ottawa, and the Lawrence
meeting and the Usage City meeting
were first planned by Topeka people
wit hthe hope that the proposed Pan
American route by way of Ottawa
would be defeated, as it was thought
it could not go by way of Ottawa and
Topeka.
There was a tremendous amount of
enthusiasm. and it was believed that
the Topeka fnd Lawrence crowds with
what assistance they could get else
where will enable Topeka to locate the
Pan merlcan route from Kansas City
10 Lawrence at Topeka and defeat the
proposed route from Kansas City by
way OF Ottawa and Usage City
This was the plan.
The real movement, of course was
to get improved roads into and out OF
Topeka in various directions, whether
we got the American route or not.
They had felt confident that they
would defeat Ottawa. and capture the
official Santa Fe Trail route but had
misgivings and when they arrived at
D Usage City they founo that the OF
! tawa delegation and its friends had
preceded them.
They too came in a special train
with bands and banners They had
coralled the seats in the rink in
which the meeting was to be held and
were up and ready for the fray
After ". W. Webb and J. Will KEEL
ley had canvassed the situation they
decided to adopt the late Chef Thomas
en- and this was done.
Accordingly a compromise was made
by which the Santa Fe trail route
which may never be built - be-
tween O1athe and Scranton, was des-
igDated as the official route, and the
Topeka and Ottawa routes were
viewed as branch lines
The result will be that there will be two
roads-one through Olathe, Lawrence and
Topeka and one through Olathe and OF
tawa- There may never be an official
route east of Scranton unless the gov
eminent builds it.
The many enthusiastic delegates repre-
scented masses of people which have
concluded that the roads of the entire
state should be improved, that the
state be put on an equal basis with the
surrounding states and the recognition
by this organization was sought that
the respective towns be placed on the
map of the Autoists' Blue Book. This
alone viii cause the people through
out the territory represented to i'm
prove and maintain the public high
ways and to work for the interest of
su-h which viii make the state more
popular for the overland motorists and
will cause them to visit the cities
which figure prominently in the his
story of the state and of the entire
country.
The approval of the route from Usage
City to Topeka and thence TO Kansas
City through the intermediate points
was all that was expected by the To-
Soeka and Lawrence delegation The
delegation realized that the people of
ottawa also wanted recognition and
were willing that it be given them.
Touches shawnee County.
Everybody realized that neither
town and but few Of the intermediate
towns over either route were actually
on the Old Santa Fe trail. but near
enough 70 the historic highway that
it was believed that deviation would
not be Objectionable The Santa Fe
trail crossed the southeast corner of
Shawnee county. near Richland.
miles from Topeka
In drafting the two routes proposed
the men realized the above facts and
also realized that the approved route
of the New Santa Fee Trail associa-
ton was not over the route used by
the freighters 18th oxen during the
frontier and days of the woolly west.
The delegation from Ottawa and
other points on the Santa Fe cutoff
were not willing. to share honors with
The cities on the route over the main
line They wanted exclusive recogni-
ton and this alone almost caused
riot which would have ended disas-
trously-
\ ion represented become enthused and
with the excitement that prevailed. a
riot niEht have resulted had it not
been for the good judgment of some
of the quick thinking men of the con-
vention. The meeting of the self ap-
pofnted conference committee which
was held in the parlors of the Everest
hotel early in the afternoon probably /
prevented trouble. The committee