The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-18
WOULD NOT Want
West Could Live if Isolated,
Says Santa Fe Folder.
But, at That, Territory Is Just
in It's Infancy.
RAILROAD INDUSTRY SECOND
Kansas Roads Spend More
Money Than Any Industry.
Car Shortage in United States
Gradually Increasing.

tractlNe exhibit at lne ldli last "SSi>'
gave visitors a souvenir folder con-
tanning an interesting story about
Kansas and the development of its
agricultural resources, and the part
the Santa Fe has had in the work
THE Santa Fe company operates in
a territory which is an empire in itself
rich in all the natural resources that
go to make a prosperous country,
the folder says. eff the thirteen states
in Santa Fe territory were isolated
from the rest of the world, the in
habitantS would lack neither neceSSI-
ties nor Injuries in all the time to
come, for in this section everything
that mankind could desire is produced
in abundance.
1.-The lines of the Santa Fe run in
Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Ne
brasl<a, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas.
Louisiana New Mexico, Arizona, Ne
vada and California. This territory is
in the course of development-much
of it in its infancy, as it were 1t is
the country to which energetic young
men and women in the overcrowded
east have turned for homes. That ac-
counts in a measure for the phe-
nomenal increase in population and
the remarkable progress made along
industrial and commercial lines in the
past few years.
A "Safe" Country
1.-THE fertility of the soil, the rich
mineral deposits the vast forests and
other natural resources attract CAPT
tai, because investment in the great
southwest is regarded as safe While
the growth of the country has been
rapid, the several states have been
com paratively free from the evil eff
feet of 'boom.' The growth has been
steady and natural. The progress
made in every line of industrial ac-
a l15ta io1
other words, to use an American
phrase in its most liberal sense. the
southwest is there with the goods
The Santa Fe has been a pioneer
IN II the development of the territory
described. Starting in Kansas when
the buffalo ran wild and Indians were
on the Warpath. the Santa Fe pushed
steadily westward and southwark
across the plains and thru mountains,
| toward the Pacific ocean and the Gulf
of Mexico and later eastward thru the
more settled states of Missouri. Iowa
and illinois, in the direction of the
Great Lakes. Reaching the goals it
sought. the Santa Fe began spreading
its network of rails into system now
aggregatng approximately 1880
miles of lines which serve the wealth
yielding farms and ranches of this
vast empire of the southwest, the ex-
tensive mines and the growing cities
which TEEN with factories, and are
the marts of trade.
Double Track to Coast.
THE Santa Fe now has two-track
railway from Chicago to Be1en, N M
distance of 1,400 miles. From Chi
cago to Newton the lines run side by
side. One line runs from Newton
thru southern Colorado and northern
New Mexico. the other thru the Pan
handle of Texas, the two joining at
Belen. Additional double tracking for
500 miles west of Belen already has
been done. 1t is the companys plan
eventually to have a two-track rail-
way from Chicago to the Pacific
coast. All the Santa Fe's main line
track is heavily ballasted and its pas
steel construction making it possible
to handle traffic expeditiously and
safely.
1.-The Santa Fe is chartered under
the laws of Kansas. and has head
quarters in Topeka. Its Kansas hold
ings are valued by the assessors at
$145, 100000, on which more than
81, 545, 900 tax was paid in this state
in 1915 The company's total invest
ment in the thirteen states traversed
by its lines is 1882, 401, 1856. Its total
operated mileage is 1892. Approx
mately 20, 900 people are employed to
operate its property, $4,000 on the
Kansas lines alone.
THE railway industry stands sec
ond only to agriculture in Kansas, the
value of all railway property in the
state being $3S7,225, 900, on which a
tax of S4,127,000 was collected by
Kansas state, county. township, school
district and city authorities in 1915.
This is about one-eighth of the tax
paid on all property in Kansas.
1.-The Kansas railroads spend more
money for labor and supplies than
does any other single industry. On
June 80, 1915, there were $4,000 peo-
pie working in Kansas for this in
dustry. which means that about 20O,-
900 Kansas people depend upon the
railroads for their living.
THE railway industry of the United
States. according to the latest data,
is owned by 626,122 people-that
many stockholders. There are 1.SO0,-
900 people employed by the railways
of the country. and they and their
antilles represent approximately g.
100000 people.
I'm correlated industries, such as
coal mines. there are 100000 en-
ployes representing 100000 more
people interested in the country's rail-
way industry. or total of 20,00O,0O0
people dependent directly or indirectly
upon this industry for a livelihood"