The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-20
Fewer Improvements on Rock
Island Lines.
President Nudge Places Blame
on Corn Crop.
ROAD is IN GOOD SHAPE
Executive Denies RumOrs of
Receivership Action.
Officials of Road Here on An
nuaI Inspection.

There will be a decrease in the
amount of money spent in Kansas on
improvements by the Rock Island
Lines in the next fiscal year CORE
spending to the decrease in business
caused by the shortage in the corn
crop. according to a statement made by
H. L. Nudge, president of the road,
who, together with other members of
the official inspection party on an
eight-day tour, spent Friday night in
Topeka.
President Nudge also stated that
nothing will be done for the present
at least relative to the erection of an
addition to the offices at Topeka or
double tracking the line between To-
peka and Caldwell. He gave as a rea-
son for putting off these improvements
the probable decrease in business in
the next few months.
President Nudge emphatically denied
the rumor that the Rock Island system
will be placed in the hands of a receiv-
err. He said: THAT rumor has been
circulated for some purpose In the
New York stock market they often
start something of the kind for an OBJ
ject. The Rock Island has sufficient
money to ..ay liabilities. However, it
is true that We should like to have
more money to spend on general inn
prOVementS."
only a declining ton mile rate, but
also a declining passenger rate, which
means a great deal to road ike
ours, that shows about $4,000 600
passenger earnings out of total or
s71,000.000. We operate in fourteen
states, including a small bit of Louis
lana and Tennessee. The only states
that contribute any consequential
travel that allow us to charge more
than cents a mile are Texas, Colo
Rado and New Mexico.
with all these handicaps we man
age to hold our earnings close to the
record volume of year ago. July
was a little ahead, August was $780,
600 behind, and up to date September
Is a little ahead
Nothing to Horton Rumor.
When asked if there is anything to
the rumor that the Horton shops will
be moved to Topeka on account of the
difficulty to procure an adequate sup
ply of water President Nudge said:
''It would cost many times more to
move the shops than to haul water.
1t would be a great calamity to move
the shops without some urgent reason.
The shops will never be moved until
it is absolutely necessary. 1t is not
the policy of the management to tear
down a place that has been built by
the Rock Island and Rock Island
men,
President Nudge and his party who
are on their annual tour of inspection
.
held Friday evening for railway men
at the Central Y. NJ. c. A. They were
escorted from their special train which
arrived in Topeka shortly before 8
O'Clock to the Y. NJ. C. A. by E. L.
Copeland. treasurer of the Santa F'e
and several others. A swimming ex-
hibition under the direction of Joseph
Reisner, physical director of the as
sociation, particularly appealed to the
distinguished visitors. pillow fight
that created much amusement was the
main attraction.
The official party left Chicago on
Thursday morning. They departed
from Topeka at Z o'clock this morning
and will spend tonight in Oklahoma.
Sunday they will be in Texas The trip
will eliminate at Memphis, Tenn. A.
E. Sweet, general manager, accom-
panied the party as far as Caldwell.
Aside from President Nudge there
were in the party: E. S. Moore, vice
president; F. c. billiard, vice president;
J. E. German, first vice president: A.
c. Ridgeway, second vice president: q.
H. Crosby, secretary and treasurer; L.
NJ. Allen, passenger traffic manager;
H. Cover, freight traffic manager: H.
NJ. Sloan, assistant to the president;
]. J. Quinlan. assistant secretary and
treasurer, and c. a. Morse. chief engi-
neer. A. B. Ramsdell, division super
intendent, and A. E. Sweet general
manager, met the men at Horton and
accompanied them to Topeka.