The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-11
RAILROAD NEWS.
Santa Fe Has Its Eye on
Northwest.
Extension of Strong City Branch
Is RumOred.
TAP WHEAT FIELDS
Would Go Through Nebraska
to DakOtas.
COncOrdia Gives the Railroad
Officials Glad Hand.


The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Railway company is relaying the
Strong City branch with heavy steel.
This is the line which runs from Strong
City through Concordta to Superior,
Neb-, a distance of 156 miles. 1t is
one of the most important branch lines
of the Santa Fe sytem. traversing a
rich agricultural country, and serving
27 good towns.
There is a rumor that the Santa Fe
has an eye on the business of the
great northwest. and that an extern
sion of the Strong City branch through
Nebraska and the Dakotas to Cana
dian connection is within the realm Of
the possible. The report, doubtless, is
a continuation of gossip in railroad
circles that the Santa Fe lately enter
ed Joplin. Mo. with the view of pene-
trating the country toward New Or
leans 1t is known that the Santa Fe
is arranging to extend the scope of its
business in southern territory, and the
Joplin-New Orleans story was accept
ed as plausible. The Santa Fe already
New Orleans and another to the Ca
madam border, the Santa Fe would
serve the greatest wealth producing
territory in tie world.
4uC AODIASIC4ft1 CAuD VI OO44COAAAG'
always alive to the best interests of
the community, invited the Santa Fe
general officers to make the town a
visit. Wednesday of this week was the
day set, and a party of Is Santa Fe
men jOurneyed to ConcOrdia, to min
gle with the people there. 1t was g.
harmony meeting, such as Santa Fe
folks are wont to hold with CONNER
cial organizations in the towns along
their lines. Robert Misell, president of
A. 81 ,I.v
sided at a public meeting held in Earl
Browns beautiful theater. Talks were
made by the mayor, Senator Caldwell
and Representative Carney on the part
of the city; by General Manager kouns,
General Freight Agent Koontz, Treas
urer Copeland, Assistant General
Freight Agent Burnett. and Claims
Attorney Hamilton on the part of the
Santa Fe, and by Mr.. White of the pub
lie utilities commission, who happened
to be in town. Chairman Misell said
that President Ripley's movement to
bring about a better relationship be-
tween the Santa Fe and the people
with whom it did business had been a
great success, and as evidence he cited
the appearance of General Freight
Agent Koontz and Public Utilities Com
missioner White sitting side by side
on the platform at q Santa Fe har-
mOny meeting.
The Coucordia. boosters too the Santa
L -0AA@ANCA4NC N-~@N~
them that they wanted their town TO
be big on the map in case of an ex-
tension of the Strong City branch.
The railroad men had nothing to prom
ise about the extension, but they told
about the Improvement of the road,
and gave the boosters to understand
that Concordia is regarded as one of
the top notchers in the lists of high
class towns on the Santa F'e lines. At
ter the meeting buffet lunch was
| served in honor of the visitors in the
spacious dining room Of the handsome
new Elks' club. Here a dozen or more
short speeches were made by guests
and hosts, interspersed with music by
an orchestra. Conner T. Davies, editor
of the Daily Kansan, presided.
The Santa Fe men present were G.
w. Kouns, general manager; J. R.
Koontz, general freight agent; E. L
Copeland, secretary and treasurer; J.
| D. NJ Hamilton, claims attorney; A. A.
Hayes, freight auditor; E. H. Bunnell,
auditor of disbursements; c. F. w.
Felt, chief engineer; John Purcell, SUI
perintendent of the Topeka shops; j.
| II. McGoff, mechanical superintendent;
T. c. Burnett, assistant general freight
agent; G. G. Derby, trainmaster; w.
T. Curtis, travelling passenger agent;
r. c. Kitching, travelling freight agent,
and J. F. farrell, publicity agent.