The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-06
BUSINESS men
ENCOURAGED BY
new SHOP PLAN
Commercial Club Revival OF
Horton Repair Plant.
Railway Age Says Rock Island
May Make Move.
STILL WAITING ON GORMAN
Promises of Many Moons Ago
Have Borne No Fruit.
However, "TOpeka Will Still
Receive Consideration"
Railway Age Says Rock Islant
May Make Move.
STILL WAITING ON GORMAN
Promises of Many Moons Ago
Have Borne No Fruit
However, "TOpeka Will Still
Receive Consideration"

Establishment of the Rock Island
shops now at Horton in Topeka or
some other city between Kansas City
and Harrington is suggested by writer
in the Railway Age Gazette. The
Horton shops employ about 500 men.
In an article concerning the man
agement of the Rock Island system,
the writer states:
The location of the locomotive
and car repair shops of the Rock
Island is not favorable. These shops
are old and will require replacement
before many years. If the projected
low grade line is built from Trenton
to Kansas City, the Horton shops Will
probably be moved to some point on
the main line between Kansas City
and Herlngton.''
Take 1t Up Tomorrow.
Considera BILE discussion of the re-
moVal OF the Rock Island shops to
Topeka has been INDUCED in at the
Commercial club recently and tomor-
row the old problem of getting the
Rock Island to give Topeka some
thing besides promises to compensate
the city for Its loss of the general
managers office and other depart
ments, will be discussed at the club
The discussion will be carried on
among members of a committee of
erll months ago tC interview ]. Z.
German, operating head of the road.
Members of the committee are: &. 5.
Elliott, G. L. Mitchell, J. B. Nicholson,
Charles Wolff, .Jr., and s. J. Hodgins-
Asks for Promises.
In the last two weeks there has
been considerable correspondence be-
tween the committee and Mr.. Cor
man. The committee wrote first in
curing if Mr.. German intended to
make good" his promises at the con-
ference. Mr.. German replied by re-
questine a memorandum of the prom
ises made by him When the committee
called. at the same time assured the
committee that the matter of supply
ing Topeka with adequate departments
to compensate the loss Occa sior ed by
the roads re-orga nization would con-
tfnue to receive consideration.
So far as is known the Reck Island
officials. up to date, have refused to
discuss the change in location of the
company's shops in this section of the
country. However, it is an admitted
fact among railroad men, as stated in
the article in the Railway Age Ga
zette, that change in the location of
the shops must be mac sooner or
later and that Topeka or Mcfarland
are the two best locations for the
shops.
Means More Traffic
Then, too, if the projected low grade
is made from Trenton to Kansas City,
it is believed that considerable more
traffic will be diverted in this direc-
ton instead of over the Nebraska
grade. which. at this time, is consid-
cred better than the present Trenton
Kansas City grade. The Railway Age
writer also sets forth another change
needed by the Rock Island in this
vicinity.
'One place of special congestion on
the Rock Island he writes, 'is from
the end of the Union Pacific joint dou-
BILE track at Topeka west to McFar-
land, where the Kansas City-DenVer
line turns off and on to Harrington,
eighty-two miles west of Topeka.
where the Texas and New Mexico lines
separate. The congestion of traffic on
this section of the line is evidenced by
the fact that while the double track
line east of Topeka also handles the
Kansas City-Denver business of the
Union Pacific, freight trains make
over twice as many miles per hour
there as between Topeka and Herring
tom