The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1922-07-13
CITY COUNCIL ORDERS
BYERS TO REMOVE TRACK
Declares Franchise Forfeited If Line
Does Not Connect With The
Santa Fe July 81.

The City Council is still camping
close to the trail of o. P. Byers, who
is endeavoring to build railroad
northwest from Liberal to Colorado.
The last bomb exploded by the City
dads was the official notice to the
company that unless the road was
built to connection with the Santa
Fe to the northwest by July 81 the
franchise granted the road would be
and that the company should remove
declared null and void and forfeited
its property from the street.
President Byers mailed copy Of
the official notice to residents of Lib
eral Township and it was not long
until they took the matter up with
the Democrat by mail and in person.
They are considerably agitated be-
cause they say that if the road is
compelled to take up the track in
Locke street they will have several
miles of railroad track without con-
nection at either end, and they do not
want this. They seem to feel that
Liberal is going pretty strong in the
matter and their attitude is just
little hostile.
Before harvest the X. & o. stored
quite number of box cars at the end
of their line and have been hauling
wheat to Liberal. This has proven
quite a convience to the farmers fif-
teen and sixteen miles from market
who would have had to spend large
sum for trucks to haul their grain
to town. One or more elevators are
under construction at Archer and
Pleasant Valley and the folks out
that way ar going to be plenty sore
if the deal is pushed.
The Democrat has serious doubts
whether or not the city can force
I the company to remove their tracks.
The State and Federal Interstate
Commerce Comission must give per-
mission before any railroad track is
taken up and we are of the opinion
that Byers could not remove this track
if he chose to do so.
Meanwhile the residents Of Pleas
ant Valley and Archer are wonder
ing what they are going to do If this
should come to pass. If it does Lib
eral is going to lose lot Of friends
over the deal.
The following is copy Of the
notice served upon the railroad:
NOTICE.
To The Kansas Oklahoma Railroad
Company
You are hereby notified that under
the terms and conditions of the fran
ohise granted you by tn city of Liber-
al, under which your company was
granted the permission to construct
and operate a railroad track through
and upon a part of Locke street in
said city, said contract was to become
null and void and forfeited by the
grantee therein unless the said
grantee should have constructed and
in operation its line of railway from
Liberal to the northwest on or before
the 31st day of July, 1922.
This is to notify you that the
City of Liberal intends to hold you to
strict compliance with the terms and
conditions of said franchise; and that
unless said railway track is construct
ed and connected with point on the
railway Of the A T & S. F. railway
to the northeast on or before the
31st day of July, 1922, said fran
chise will become null and void and
forfeited by you and you will re-
rove all property from the right
Of way granted in said franchise.
Dated this 5th day of July, 1922.
The City of Liberal, Kansas,
Byy W. v. Griffith, Mayor.
(Seal)