The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-13
First Santa Fe Shopper" From
Alma a Success.
Nearly 200 Traders Came to
Topeka for Day.
THEY ALL WANT IT
Patrons of New Motor Boosters
for Capital City.
Will Get Out and Work for Ad-
ditiOnaI Service.

If the trade special from Alma to
Topeka today is an indication. Christ
mas will be the happiest in years along
this territory. Nearly two hundred
men and women shoppers. with well
filled Kansas pocketbooks. boarded
the special motor car and BurlinRame-
Topeka train this morning. Farmers.
| bankers. real estate men and their
wives all took advantage of the bar
gain day" declared by Topeka mer-
chants.
If the sentiment of the shoppers
carries with the officials of the Santa
Fe. a permanent motor car service be-
tween Alma and Burlingame to con-
meet with the Emporia-Topeka shop
per" will be established. More than
100 persons filled motor car this
morning and every man and woman
on the train stated to a representative
of the state Journal that they would
be confirmed boosters for the estab-
lishm ent of this car.
Talk of Thcatcr Service.
Five men declared they would sign
their names to make at least two trips
a month on the motor car. Another
man said 1t would raise the value of
land 50 an acre along the fertile val
ley between Alma and Burlingame. A
bankers wife said she believed a the
ater service out of Topeka on special
occasions would be a godsend to the
amusem ent loving residents along that
branch of the Santa Fe. The men and
women promised they would help the
merchants of Topeka work with the
passenger officials of the Santa Fe in
obtaining the service. It was n happy.
appreciative crowd-and the Santa Fe
Will have to produce heavy arguments
to make the patrons believe the train
would not pay
But getting back to the trip-it was
highly satisfactory to the merchants,
the railway and the patrons. 1t 10
believed that If Topeka and the Santa
Fe would have had one more week to
advertise in the rural districts the pas
sengers would have found IL necessary
to climb on the roof OF the motor. The
advertising was confined almost entire
ly to the towns and villages. AS a re-
suit, a big percentage of the traders
came from within a stones throw OF
the town han.
The women outnumbered the men
on the train. The housewives are the
real Santa Clauses anyway and the
husbands gave them their pocketbooks
and told them to come in tonight by
way of the back door so Willie and
Johnny wouldn't see.
The rumors that have been coming
to Topeka to the effect that the mer-
chants of the smaller towns are fight
ing the motor service seem to be un-
founded. It is true that along the line
some of the business men feel that the
"
their trade-but as a whole they look
at it in the right light.
Motor Service VIII Help.
S. G. Cantrell. one of the leading
cattlemen Of this part of the state.
living near Harveyville. expressed the
sentiment of practically all the COM
munity when he said
Il think the merchants in the
smaller towns look at this thing in the
right way I have talked with many
Of tn,
are not worried. The persons who
come to Topeka will buy a certain class
of goods they can not buy at home.
anyway Motor service will help the
town, boost land values. give us addi-
tional mail service and place us on the
map. Merchants between Emporia
and Topeka have ceased their kick
ing-they see advantages in the bet
terment OF the service. The people
are demanding it and the merchants
see that 1t viii do no good to hang
back and object"
In one town a half hundred townsman
came down to the depot to see the train
come in It was the first time in years
that more than one train a day whirled
around their hills and SKINNED through
their valleys. Farmers stood in their door
ways and in the barnyards waving to the
passengers.
What They say.
The shoppers who came to Topeka this
morning are not backward about expreas-
ing their views on the Alma Burlingams
motor car service. Here are "A few inter
views from representative men and wo-
men, given to representative Of the
State Journal on the train this morn
ing:
DR.. c. T. johnson, Alma: THE motor
car between Alma and BurlinEame would
be a success without doubt. Run IL
semiweekly for few weeks that the
public might be educated to its use. With
the exception Of a few merchanta-every-
one wants this new service from the San
Ia fe, and these merchants soon viii
Change their views. am out with people
quainted with their ideas on this mat
ter"
+. L. Mccoy, Eskridge: This motor
car would add IS an acre to the value OF
land in this community. 1 had sale al
most made the other day when the pro-
spective buyer asked me about the train
service. j told him. He left and
haven't heard from him since I am A
will do all / can TO help il along. L know
that Il will help build up this country 1
viii lido all can to help IL along. I know
others feel the same way about f."
Mrs. J. Y. Waugh, Eskridge. 'tEskridge
is one of the finest little towns in Kansas
in which to live. But we do want to 20
to Topeka now and then for purchases
and for the theaters- This motor car
would give us just wlrat we want. 1 know
the women of Eskridge would be strongly
in favor of the Improvement. / do hope
the Santa F'e will try II out"
John Cousins, Eskridge; You can't say
too much for me IN favor Of this motor
car. In the increased mail service alone
1t would be welcomed by persons living
here. Then there are a thousand other
way the service IS now people only go to
Topeka and along the line east OF
I1slSridge when they absolutely have to-
With the motor we Could set into the