The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-17
II RAILROADS
in DAYS OF OLD
Early Transportation in Kan
sas Was Not Luxurious.
C.. w. KOunS Tells Railway
Guild About the West.
men WHO CAME OUT OF IT
Official Names Men Prominent
i'm Construction Days.
Other Items of General Interest
in the Traffic World.

- w. 1AOuIISp VI 4OpOhds general
manager of the Santa Fe, made
| talk in Chicago at the Railway Guild
last night on 1.-The Great West; Some
of Those Who Came Out of It." The
Railway Guild is composed of those
railroad men who have held office III
| the American Railway association
| Mr.. KOunS' address follows:
Coronado, and later Major Long,
in their early travels over the Louis
| lana Purchase and the lands ceded by
Mexico and Texas, little thought that
within a comparatively short time the
whistle of the locomotive would be
heard, calling attention of the nation
to the opportunities of the territory
described.
I'm the day of these men, the coun-
try west of the Missouri river and be-
yond, was broad expanse of waste.
1t was looked upon as arid and sweep
ing prairie whose sole products were
bad Indians, buffalo, jackra bbits, cac-
tuS, and a loneliness so intense, subtle
and seductive in its perSuasiVeneSS
that white men who ventured there,
found it impossible to remain, al
though they always returned. For
many years the furthermost outpost
was WeStport, near the present loca-
ton of Kansas City 1t was the head
quarters of freighters who undertook
the transportation OF neceSSaries, and
yond.
Here might be seen, the pictur-
esque bull whacker,' who was an i'm
portant member of the community
while waiting an assignment to COM
mand and care for eight to ten yoke
of oxen as part of a wagon train,
which at intervals laboriously and
slowly made it's way across the great
plains beyond. These men brought
exciting tales of the experiences and
dangers through which they passed
while on these journeys These were
told and re-told, until the country
thew had UarS06 han9 q GI1hinPf
of speculation among an entirely diff
ferent class of acknowledgements who
thought of things to be accomplished
and willing to risk their all in bring
gathered in New York in the fifties to
discuss projects and plans for the
construction of various lines of rail-
road which were to penetrate and
cross these uninteresting plains, in
the hope of reaching and building a
sea port somewhere on the Pacific
coast, that might become the gateway
to the countries of the Far East, and
of the vacant land upon the route.
80 earnestly and efficiently did
they plan and work, that early in the
sixties, several routes had not only
been surveyed, and located, but a linn
tied mileage of track was laid and in
operation. 1t was part of my own for
tune in 1871 to be connected in min
or way with the construction of one OF
these early roads. 1t is recalled that
as we progressed to the westward, the
camp fire talks were always unani-
nous in the conclusion that the coun-
try was beyond any chance of cult
walton. But as the roads advanced,
the venturesome and hardy settler,
willing to take chances and endure
hardships, advanced with them, first
in scattered numbers, then in battal-
ions.
1.-THE experiences Of these pioneers
dition to those usually incident to the
settlement of every new land. They |
were strengthened, encouraged and
helped in every way by the men oper- |
ating the railroads, until this great |
land became a garden spot of agri- |
culture-the home of the greatest live |
stock industry, and the largest COM !
munity of varied Industrial develop |
ment upon this continent. What |
would have been its future, but for the |
courage and energy of these menl It |
is hard to single out individuals. but |
there are some among the railroad |
men of these early days whose help |
and influence upon the agricultural
and industrial development were SO |
great, we may consider them as part |
of it's growth. The Burlington push |
ing into Nebraska and Colorado gave |
us Potter, Brown, Willard, Elliott and |
Ripley; the Union Pacific, General |
Dodge, Clark and Mohler; the Santa |
Fe, Strong, Robinson, Nicholson, Nor |
ton, Nudge and Nixon.
These men and many more whom |
you all know, not only aided in the |
early development of the west, but left |
an imprint upon it, which is at once
constructive, practical and helpful.
They were themselves the product of
the influences they helped to create,
and the measure of their achieve
ments in the earlier field has been |
multiplied in their services since that
time.
1T may be possible the lessons
taught by these great men may be still
more productive. There may be those
with us tonight who may become of
greater usefulness, due to the precept |
and example to be found in the his
tory Of these men, and the period |