The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-24
Big Rock Island Improvements
Planned for Kansas.
Lines Will Spend More Than
Million Dollars in 1911.
MUCH FOR BALLAST.
Nearly 100000 for This Item
of Track Work.
Other Items of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.

Despite the adverse decision of the
interstate commerce -~-~niSSion in
freight rates and the strenuous at
tempts of General Manager Sweet of
the Rock Island lines and his staff to
keep down expenses in the second
district of the road in Kansas, the
Rock Island win spend more than one
million dollars in Improvements in this
state this year.
This does not include the money to
be spent for maintenance equipment,
salaries, wages, and general running
expenses. It includes only the i'm
proyementS-the work to be done in
addition to the cost of keeping the
road in running order.
The Rock Island is well built in Kan
sas. From Kansas City to Harrington
the line handles direct traffic to Cali
fornia and to the Panhandle. The line
from Kansas City to Harrington is of
the heaviest steel. well ballaSted and
equipped. From Harrington south and
Harrington southwest the same. From
Topeka to Mcfarland and to the west
into Colorado the same conditions eX-
list. And from Topeka to st. Joe, the
main freight traffic line of the road
from Chicago to the west. the track
recently has been improved until it is
up to the standard.
But the operating officials of the Rock
Island are not satisfied. General Man
sger Sweet, of topeka, has nlans for
placing nearly 100000 more into ballast
and track Improvement.
In eating houses the Rock Island is
investing nearly 100000 in this state.
The eating houses and hotels are built
by the road and operated by the John
Greer company.
For many years the Santa Fe and
Southern Pacific with their Harvey eat
ing houses have been leading the world
in good things to eat: All other rail-
roads have bowed their heads to these
systems. d. In fact other roads have not
been especially energetic in the eat
ing house accommodations, thinking,
possibly that the investment was not
profitable.
Lately the Rock Island has been max
ing extensive improvements in their
eating house and hotel services all
over the lines. The John Greer COM
pany has been making extra provis-
ions to handle excursion and conven-
ton trains as well as regular trains
they have been handled in such shape
that the Rock Island has been given a
high standing along these lines. This
was a starter.
Now the road has aided in the con-
struction and remodeling of houses al
over the lines-with a flattering result
TO the road and to the Greer COM
pany.
Topeka will get an $4,000 portion Of
the million dollar improvement budget
in Kansas. The raising of the KaN
river bridge and the construction OF
the south side bikes will cost the Rock
Island this amount. The remodeling
of the general office building also has
been done at no small expense.
The improvements scheduled fol-
Kansas this year follows:
Reballast, st, Joe to Topeka. -. $3.50, 00(
Rebauast Mcfarland to Her
ington ............E... ....... LOG, 900
Ballast Cuba to BelleviIle. 80, 00(
Ballast north of Caldwell. ..- 100000
Eating house, Mcfarland. SO, OO(
Eating house-hotel,s Caldwell -. $1,000
Eating house-depot. Liberal. 60, 00t