The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-02-17
GREAT BEND WANTS ROAD

''The new PIainville, Northern and
Gulf railroad which am promoting
and viii build through this city will
be of the highest type, standard
gauge, and the equipment will be of
the latest type of cars and locomo-
tives that can be purchased" de-
clared Hal ". Neiswanger last even
ing in his opening remarks at the
Commercial Club rooms where some
forty business men of the city had
gathered to hear the promoter lay
his views of the new line before the
city.
Although it was late in the after
noon when it was known that Mr.
Neiswanger would be in the city, q
notice was run in each of the papers,
stating that a special meeting of the
Commercial Club would be held last
evening and that the man who will
give this city north and south rail
road would speak. The business
men who were out to hear the new
plans of the road represented nearly
every line of business in the city,
and ali were pleased with the re-
marks made by Mr.. Neiswanger. In
fact they were so impressed by the
talk, that at least thirty of them left
this afternoon at L 80 for school dis
trict ninety-four in Wheatland town
ship where a big railroad meeting
viii be held, the last one before the
bond election in that township to-
morrow.
Mr.. Neiswanger last evening dWelt
for sometime on the course the new
railroad would take in getting to this
city, and what towns and connections
it would make in the neighboring
cities on the north. 1t is the plan of
the road to build from Norton to this
city, which by the survey was made
sometime ago, will be a distance of
115 miles. At Norton the line would
connect with the Rock Island, and
Burlington lines, at Plainville, and
Hays with the Union Pacific in Hois-
ington with the Missouri Pacific and
in this city with the Santa Fe. This
would tap one of the richest agricul-
tural sections of the country and
would open up a new trade territory
which has heretofore never been able
to get line but has promised jerk
water line by the Santa Fe that
would run from Holloyrood, west
through the north part of Barton
County, cutting the trade relations
of Hoisington, Claim and Great Bend
in half, and would not be of any
materially, good to the farmers Of
the north part of the county.
The Santa Fe for the past thirty
years has been building" a railroad
through the north part of this county
and one business man, who is now
well along in years and who was at
the meeting last evening stated that
he had owned land in Wheatland
township for several years and the
first election he could remember was
voting bonds for the Santa Fe rail-
road, which was always promised,
every time an independent line
gang in the field The Santa Fe IS
Mr.. Neiswanger stated last evening,
was again fighting his road, but their
fight had been turned into a farce,
and the climax of the one act comedy
occurred yesterday afternoon, when
a special hurry up meeting was. held
in Wheatland township by the Santa
Fe officials to call the farmers at
tention to the fact that their plan
was the best, and to kill the Neiswan-
ger bond election which would fall on
Saturday
Mr. Neiswanger spent some time
last evening going over the equip
ment he will use on the new line, and
how the plans have been worked but
as to train schedules. He plans to
put interurban service on the line
for some of the passenger trains,
the cars to stop at every section line,
and take on passengers and express
or to let either off. 1t is his plan to
have four trains day each way be-
tween this city and Hoisington, and
two each day between here and Nor
ton, which will be the north terminus
of the line. The freight trains viii
be run under steam power and will
make their trips the same as any
| other freight train now in operation.
! The depot terminals and other equip
ment of the road will be the best,
and to site his example of what he
intends to make this line, Mr. Neis-
wanger pointed out the Salina North
ern road which he has just finished
and has the best equipment to be
/ found on any line in the country
The matter of bond issue was
raised by several business men at
the meeting and Mr.. Neiswanger ex-
planned It in detail Each mile OF
road must raise $1,000 and the ter
nlinals and cities where the road runs
through must raise its equivalent fol
depots and other buildings. Accord
ing to Mr.. Neiswanger it viii be bu
a matter of q few months until e,5zo7-1