The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-21
RAILROAD NEWS
Overflow Meetings for Santa
Fe Good Roads Train.
Colonel Savage and Frank
FARRELL Are Speakers.
FARMERS ASK QUESTIONS
Necessary to Hold Train for
the Answers.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

Chanute. Kan. March 21.-The
Santa Fe good roads train, like the
railway progress demonstration train
run last summer, is drawing crowds
far beyond the expectation of the pro-
moters. The state agricultural col
lege people, who are furnishing the
oratory figured that three lecture
cars would take care of the attend
ance everywhere, but they find that
overflow meetings are necessary every
day to accommodate the farmers and
town folks who want to hear the
speeches. Fortunately, the weather
has been favorable, and the overflow
meetings can be held on the depot
platform.
This trip" said Prof. J. H. Miller
of the agricultural college, has con-
WINGED us that the sentiment for good
roads is growing rapidly. The peo-
pie are beginning to realize that they
are spending hundreds of thousands
of dollars annually for bad roads, and
we are showing them that they can
get good roads for the same money,
and for less money in the long run.
The agricultural college is able to
make progress in this work through
the efforts of the Santa Fe railroad.
which is cooperating with it, and
giving all the assistance possible
The fact that people are interested
in the good roads movement is shown
by the many questions prOpOunded
to the speakers. A lively boom has
been started in Kansas for stone and
cement culverts and bridges, due.
doubtless, to the campaign made by
Prof. w. S. Gearhart of the college,
who is the state highway engineer. At
every meeting scores of questions are
asked about construction work of this
character. Professor Gearhart is able
to give detailed information right
off the REEL and the farmers make
notes on the subject.
Drainage is another subject which
disturbs the mind of many a farm
err Prof. H. B. Walker is authority
on drainage. At Ottawa, where there
is a drainage problem, sixty-four
questions were submitted to Professor
Walker in writing. superintendent
Ripley held the train to give Pro-
fessor Walker time to answer the
questions. The Ottawa drainage trou-
BILE has developed to the extent of
getting into court.
Prof. II. L. Kent, who has charge
of the college correspondence
courses, has worked up what the
other professors have dubbed the
kindergarten department of the good
roads special 1t has proved to be
very popular, and Prof. A. R. Losh
is trying to trade him out of it. One
lecture car is set aside for school
children, and Professor Kent talks
good roads to them on the theory
that they can be educated into good
roads enthusiasts by the time they
get old enough to have a hand in
shaping the policies of the commun-
ity. Many students, especially those
from the high schools. come to the
meetings with note books, prepared
to take down information for essay
work.
Charles J. Dillon, professor of in
dustrial Journalism at the college, is
writing up the trip for several hun
dred Kansas papers, and taking a
hand in the lecture cars. Mr.. Dill
lon is one of these versatile gentlemen
who can talk fluently on any subject
from drainage to correct punctua-
ton, and he is in demand at every
station.
Prof. L. E. Conrod of the college
engineering department, joined the
train Tuesday and will "spelF' the
other speakers the remainder of the
week.
Colonel Savage and Frank farrell
of the Santa F'e have been drafted
as speakers for overflow meetings.
They don't know anything about good
roads, except the Santa Re, but they
can keep an audience intact until a
real good roads orator gets time to
take charge of the meeting.