The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-05
Big SquabbIe Over TOpeka-tO-
Lawrence Road Today.
Rodgers Told Douglas Co. Off
ciaIs To $50 Ahead"
SHAWNEE TO TRAIL ALONG?
That Is Interpretation Made by
Topeka Boosters.
Vote, on New Route May Be
Taken Soon.

A. A. Rodgers Shawnee county COM
missioner today admitted to delega-
ton composed of committees from the
Chamber of Commerce, the Automo-
bile association and others, that he had
without awaiting the majority voice of
taxpayers and property owners inter-
ested, informed Douglas county that
it could so ahead and locate its end
of the Topeka-Lawrence rock high
way and Shawnee county would Sc
lect the route connecting.
The admission added further flame
to a spectacular discussion of the To-
cation of the road which was going
on before the commissioners The
Chamber of Commerce and Automo
bile assocition committee headed by
c. L. Mitchell, president of the Cham
ber of Commerce; H. S. Putney, chair
man of the chambers roads commit
tee, and A c. Nagle for the Automo-
bile association committee, headed by
commissioners to urge that further
delay of locating the highway be
eliminated. Rodgers made his admis-
sion in answer to a charge to that ef
feet made by Mitchell
Mitchell Aroused.
The reply aroused Mitchells fight
ing blood.
do you mean" demanded the
merce, that we and the taxpayers
| have nothing to say about the loca-
tion Of this road?
why should the taxpayers of Shaw
nee, a more wealthy and larger county
/ than Douglas, be compelled to let
Douglas dictate where this road will
be located. Why doesn't Shawnee
county go ahead and locate the road
and let Douglas connect with it,
Rodgers evaded the most of the
volleys of interrogatives. 81 suppose
the taxpayers have something to do
with it," he said.
Rodgers then gave his personal
/ opinion as to where the road should
be located.
! Were I locating this road now"
! Springs-Tecurnseh route. 1t would
! feed bigger territory"
Mitchell favored the Twenty-ninth
! street-Watson route THE Watson
route was the one first decided upon
| by the joint committees" he said. "It
will develop a greater territory for
Topeka than the Tecumseh route. 1t
! will open all that section between the
! Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific rail-
! roads.
| NagIe Takes Hand.
Rodgers declared the Watson route
would cost too much. 1T will cost
! in the neighborhood of $4,000 a
| mile" he said.
Nagle, of the Automobile club, took
hand in the argument. t'Your
! 1lSuTSS, ne SdlQ TO 6OORoTS, 40 nOG
! correspond with those of experts or
even with those of your own county
/ engineer. By the way, suppose we
have the county engineer bring US his
estimate on the Watson road. He has
one"
Rodgers ignored the suggestion.
Again during the discussion, Nagle
asked to have the engineers estimate.
Il don't think he has one" said
Rodgers. H. w. McAfee, commission
er, telephoned for williams, the engi-
neer. Williams came up but he didn't
! offer any estimates McAfee later
told a State Journal reporter that
| Williams estimated the Watson road
would cost about $4,000 a mile The
Tecumseh road, it was said, would
cost about $17, 900 a mile.
Mitchell, after listening to the sew
eral arguments that were going on al
once, again spoke.
1.-The Chamber of Commerce COM
mittee," he said, did not come down
here to get into an endless discussion
Neither is the Chamber of Commerce
as body in favor of either route, one
more than another. What we want
is a road. What we want the county
commissioners to do is to give us this
road. 1t is needed right now. It will
not only be a commercial asset fol
the territory but will be of military
value because of the travel to For
Riley"
Refuse Immediate Vote.
Different members of the commit.