The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-05
THE'TOPEKA PLUC'
Santa Fe Shattered Old Tradi-
ton When Change Made.
Train Runs Through to EN-
pOry" Now-Made History.

The Kansas City Star has the fol-
lowing editorial lament on the extern
sion of the Topeka plugs route to
Emporia:
1t appears that the Santa Fe has de-
molished a sacred institution. The old
-Topeky Plug has been routed through
to Emporfa and is now merely 1.-The plug
It runs from Kansas City to Bill White
town and Topeka is only a whistling sta
ton by the way.
The ''Topeky Plug was as clearly
identified with Kansas politics in the old
days as Copeland County or the Bios
son house. and it is an institution almost
the afternoon and arrives at Topeka at
$40. Returning, it leaves Topeka at 7:3O
Gas. That has been its schedule for years
and the time between the two cities has
not been changed even now that the train
runs through to ETnporia instead of stop
ping at Topeka.
In the good old days it was convenient
train 1.-THE boys would come to Kansas
City and spend the day meeting the politi-
cal workers from eastern Kansas and
would go up to Topeka in the evening on
what was known from Argentine to the
uttermost parts of Kansas as the ''Topeky
Plug" After a night of caucusing at a
room at the old Copeland hotel the boys
would get out of that city early in the
morning. so that their presence in the cap
ital city would not be noticed
1t was regarded as smooth piece of
and out again without letting the "other
fellers'' know anything about it.
The ''Topeky Plug" by the way, is the
fastest running train on the Santa Fe. 1t
requires the best engine used on the line
in Kansas to make the speed required on
TINS train. 1t stops at every station and
the speed between stations is right around
sixty miles hour
Once a Populist representative in the
legislature of 1901, riding into Topeka on
1.-The plug was frightened at the speed
of the train as it played whip cracker
around the sharp curves in the track
along the Kaw. The old time Populists
were not accustomed to riding much on
any train. So this member introduced
bill in the legislature to compel trains to
slow down to six miles an hour in round
of the caucus measures But 1t failed TO
pass an the "Topeky Plug has been
rounding the curves at sixty miles an
hour every evening since.
Nothing but the floods of 1903 and 1904
ever caused it to vary its schedule or to
run late. 1t is one train that can be
counted upon to whistle in with the
regularity of clockwork, and the farmers
along the Kaw valley set their timepieces
by the faithful old train.
But now it is no longer the ''Topeky
Plug" That name was a part of the
charm of the train. 1t was the one popu-
lar train on the Santa Fe that was never
profaned by losing its identity by being
known only a number. Nobody knew
the number of the "Topeky Plug" There
and Two" and six" all familiar to
Kansans, and never called by any other
title than their number.
But the "Topeky Plug''-and now to
think that it, too, has changed with the
old order. passing into memory along with
the old Republican machine and with
copeland County" and with the free
pass that used to make it so popular with
1.-The boys"
Truly, truly, there is no respect in mod
ern civilization for our honored tradi-
tons or the customs of the fathers.