The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-08

ficials of the postoffice department,
with a view to adjusting the matter.
1.-The Missouri Pacific put on it's new
fast mail train for the purpose of pre-
serving the st. Louis gateway" said
Mr.. Mack. Whatever may result from
the conference. we expect to maintain
our fast mail train
Joseph Stewart. second assistant
postmaster general, said: 81 am very
hopeful that the route via st. Louis
may be preserved. The department al
ready is routing a large quantity of
the eastern mails over the Santa Fe by
way of Chicago. We hope to be able to
maintain both routes in order that ST.
Louis may continue to receive the bene-
fit of the new service. However, unless
the Missouri Pacific can arrange to
place the eastern mails in Kansas City
early enough to allow ample time for
their transfer from union station TO
Grand avenue station the department
will be obliged to follow it's rule and
route the mails via Chicago"
Kansas City, Mo-, April S-The battle
which the Santa Fe and Missouri Pa
cific have been waging for several days
to secure the contract for handling
mails from the east seems to have re-
suited in a victory for the Santa Fe.
For three mornings the Santa Fe fast
mail train has been receiving its mail
from the Grand avenue station, Twen-
ty-second street and Grand avenue, in
stead of the Union depot. The Missouri
Pacific fast mail does not reach this
station, so it is forced to unload at
the Union depot, and before this is
accomplished the Santa Fe train is
over in Argentine on it's way through
Kansas.
The rivalry between the two roads
has been brewing for several weeks.
| In January the Santa Fe inaugurated
a new fast mail train which received
eastern mail from the Pennsylvania at
Chicago, reaching Kansas City in time
to leave at lis a. m. Then as the
period for reweighing the mails and
letting the contract for hauling them
to the Missouri river approached, the
| Pennsylvania conceived the idea of
| getting longer haul via st. Louis.
| There the mail was turned over to the
! Missouri Pacific which left st. Louis
| at o'clock and reached Kansas City
in time to connect with the Santa Fe.
| This train has been running three
weeks.
The Santa Fe, however, was not in
| clined to lose any portion of the mail.
when 1t was possible to avoid it. Now
| the Santa Fe claims it can get out of
! Kansas City before the Missouri Pa
cific gets in, and has done it three
times. This delays the Missouri Pa
ciflc's mail nine hours.
| Local Santa Fe officials say the order
| to take mail at Twenty second street
and Grand avenue is permanent. This
evidently precludes the Missouri Pa
cific from getting it's mail west from
Kansas City. Another change which
went into effect on the Santa Fe yes
terday also makes the order appear
permanent. The fast mail has been
picking up a sleeper at the Union de-
pot. The sleeper has been placed at
| the disposal of it's patrons about 10
o'clock every night. Now that the
Grand avenue station will be used ex-
| clusively the sleeper will be handled
no more. Last night a day coach was
attached to the train at the Grand
| avenue station. This is the only pas
| senger equipment carried.
| The Rock Islands local officials say
they have heard nothing from head
| quarters regarding a new fast mail
over that road from st. Louis to points
| In Kansas. Railroad men do not be-
| l1eve the Rock Island will make the
attempt. They claim the Santa Fe can
take the mails in Chicago at 80 p.
m. and get them out of Kansas City
at least half an hour earlier than could
be done by any road receiving mails
from the Pennsylvania i'll St. Louis at
Q clock. Such an experiment they say
| would be expensive, and as the con-
| tract now in dispute does not cover the
territory west of the Missouri river il
IS not thought new train from st
Louis on any line would be practical