The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-03
AWAIT new PLANS
Policy of Roads Toward Expan.
sion Creates Interest.
Budgets for New Year Being
Budgets for New Year Being
Considered by Officials.
MONEY IN EAST IS CHEAPER
If Condition Continues Cope
land Sees an Improvement.
Santa Fe Has Three Proposed
Lines on It's List.

Having had the benefit of higher
rates and an increase in business in
some lines for several months, there
is considerable speculation and inter-
est over the country as to the general
policy of the railroads toward con-
struction and expansion in 1922. Bud
gets have been prepared from all the
way down the line and are now in the
hands of high officials for final de-
termination about the first OF the
year.
The railroads have made practical
" no progress in this direction for
several years. Many projects were
under way and others were being
planned, some of which were impor-
tant - Topeka, when the war came
on and jimmed the entire program.
Government control didn't help mat
tiers any and still more recently there
have been complaints of a shortage of
III IDS.
What construction the roads have
done this year was that deemed nee
essary 10 handle the business already
- established. The odds and ends of
this work are now being finished up
and the rOadmasters, superintendent
and general managers have made up
their preliminary budgets which have
been passed on to the powers that be
to be approved or slaShed as they see
fit. In the meantime department
heads are sitting tight, taking care of
the routine only for fear of spending
more than their allowance for the
year awaiting the result. With them
are several communities waiting anx-
iously to see If they are going to get
Il railroad and there are several inn
provements which Topeka would like
to see carried out the coming year.
While railroad managers are still
declaring their resources are limited
and that they prefer to improve their
facilities for the efficient handling of
the traffic already offered. rather
than build new lines to take care OF
business in various stages of develop
ment, there are some hopeful indica-
tons that the railroads will be in a
position to stretch their construction
and expansion plans the coming year.
Money Market More Favorable.
e. L. Copeland, secretary and treas
Urer of the Santa Fe. sounded a note |
of optimism this week when he said II |
the cheaper money market in the east |
continued it would have a very no.
ticcable effect upon the railroads and |
other industries and would put bust
ress generally on a better basis. AL |
ready cheaper money in the east has
I'D favorable reflection upon stocks |
and bonds increasing their value and
making them more desirable as in |
Vestments he said.
During the past few days Santa Fe |
ADVANCE
from SO and 81 to 81, and its pre- |
ferred stock from so to 81 and ISL
with other good securities of the same
kind making similar advances. If this |
condition continues, Copeland said, it |
would mean that the countrv's indus !
trials, including the transportation |
lines, might be able to obtain the |
money or credit necessary for expan- |
sion. Eventually such a condition
might permit the Santa Fe to carry !
out some of the projects outlined be- |
fore the war. he said
TT should not be forgotten that the !
heavy payment of income taxes De
cember 5. and other taxes in this !
state December 20. and in others De- !
cember 81. may have some effect in /
tho other direction" said Copeland, !
but the price of money coming down |
has caused conditions to look more IA |
Torable. And it is not mere optimism |
because the outlook is based on actual |
conditions"
Has Three Proposed Lines.
other Santa Fe officials say they are |
able to CLEAN a ray of hope thru the !
fact that the company, in its latest |
folders, is again showing as pros |
pective. the different lines it was max |
ing preparations to construct at the !
time the war broke out. The longest |
of these lines is from Carrollton, Mo-. |
10 st. Louis. a distance of more than |
4OU miles, and IS a JOINT proposition /
with the Burlington. The latter road /
already has line between these two /
points and by the Santa Fe building a |
line from Carrollton to Mexico and /
the Burlington a second track from |
Mexico to st. Louis, and using both |
lines jointly, each road would have a |
double track from Kansas City to St |
Louis, as the Santa FEES double track |
Chicago line hits Carrollton.
Another line, nearer home, which |
the Santa Fe has under proposal, is |
an extension from Satanic, Kan, west |
to the Colorado line. and possibly as
far as Springfield. Colo, officials say.
The third proposed line is in Okla
homa, running from Ralston to Owen.
a distance of about so miles. and |
would serve as a connection between |
the Santa FEES Oklahoma City and /
Tulsa lines.
% " nrnrnm cIInno |