Johnson County KS Archives History - Books .....Chapter XV Railroads 1915 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 August 24, 2008, 12:24 am Book Title: History Of Johnson County Kansas CHAPTER XV. RAILROADS. Promoting Early Railroads and Voting Bonds—Pioneer Railroad Builders. Railroads.—Johnson county people, from the start, were boosters for railroads. An election was held November 7, 1865, and $100,000 bonds were voted to aid the Kansas City & Neosho Valley railroad. This road became, August 10, 1868, "The Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Golf" and later the "Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Gulf," and is now "The St. Louis & San Francisco railroad," a line from the mouth of the Kaw river to Galveston, Tex. Work was begun at the Kansas City end in 1866. The line was open to Olathe in December, 1868, and completed to Ft. Scott in 1869. It enters the county near the northeast corner, runs in a general southwest direction, leaving the county near the center of its southern boundary. On the sixth day of April, 1869, another election was held on the question of issuing $100,000 in bonds in aid of each of two railroads, the St. Louis, Lawrence & Denver, and the Kansas City & Santa Fe. There had been two elections on this proposition prior to this, and the bonds were defeated, but at this election they carried by a vote of 1,301 for and 627 against, over two to one in favor of the bond issue. The St. Louis, Lawrence & Denver was built from Lawrence to Pleasant Hill in 1871. The branch of this road running from Olathe to Pleasant Hill is now known as the Clinton Branch, and belongs to the St. Louis & San Francisco railroad. The part from Cedar Junction to Olathe is no longer operated, the ties and rails having been removed by its purchasers, the Frisco road. This part of the road never paid. It was known, locally, as the "Calamity railroad." The road bed follows the winding stream of Cedar creek to Cedar Junction. The station of Red Bud, a half-way point between Olathe and Cedar Junction, at one time shipped considerable grain from the surrounding country. Dave Hubbell and Charles Pettigrew did the buying and shipping from this point. This road was named the "Calamity railroad" by the farmers along the line, and after it had been abandoned they helped themselves to the ties and rails, and when the railroad was sold later, the buyers had a hard time finding their property. The grade of this road was so great that a car started from Olathe would run to Cedar Junction without the aid of an engine, but it was necessary to have a brake-man to check the car in rounding the curves. Sometime when Johnson county desires to build a beautiful driveway through the most picturesque part of the country they will find this old road bed awaiting them with the grading already done. The Kansas City & Santa Fe road was built as far as Ottawa in 1870, and is now a part of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe system. In the year 1873 the county refused to pay interest on the first issue of the bonds, on the ground of alleged illegality of their issue. A lawsuit resulted which terminated in a compromise. Immediately after agreeing on terms, a sinking fund was established and at present $5,000 per year is being paid, and $10,000 per annum will be paid, beginning in 1918. The present railroad bond indebtedness is $140,000. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company was chartered December 12, 1895, and was the successor of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company, whose property was sold under foreclosure December 10, 1895, and possession taken January 1, 1896. On February 11, 1859, the Atchison & Topeka Railroad Company was granted a charter, and on March 3, 1863, the name was changed to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company. The building of the line was started from Topeka, beginning in October, 1868, and was completed to the Colorado border by 1873. The line between Atchison & Topeka was not begun until 1871, and was finished in May, 1872. The road from Topeka to Lawrence was built in 1874 by the Kansas Midland Railroad Company, successors to the Lawrence & Topeka Railroad Company, which had commenced work on the prospective line in 1871. The line from Kansas City to De Soto was likewise built by the Kansas Midland in the summer of 1874. The connecting line road between Lawrence and De Soto was the St. Louis, Lawrence & Denver, which company had filed articles of incorporation July 22, 1867, with the purpose of building a road from Pleasant Hill, Mo., to Lawrence, and thence west to Denver. This road from Lawrence to Pleasant Hill was purchased, and that portion between Lawrence and De Soto consolidated with the Kansas Midland, under the name of the Kansas City, Topeka & Western railroad, and leased by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company, October 1, 1875, thus giving a direct line from Topeka to Kansas City. The Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Railroad Company was granted a charter on February 12, 1858, under the name of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Ft. Gibson Railroad Company. On February 24, 1866, the name was changed to Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston. In 1867 the line was built from Lawrence to Ottawa, and in 1870 the road was extended from Ottawa south to Thayer, and in 1871 to Coffeyville. In 1870 a line was constructed from Ottawa to Olathe by the Kansas City & Santa Fe railroad, which company, upon the completion of this line, made a lease in perpetuity to the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston. From Olathe to Kansas City, to Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston used into Kansas City the track of the Missouri river, Ft. Scott & Gulf (now Frisco). On August 9, 1878, the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston was sold under foreclosure and the name changed to Lawrence & Galveston. On March 29, 1879, the Lawrence & Galveston, the Kansas City & Santa Fe and the Southern Kansas railroad companies were consolidated, and assumed the name of the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Railroad Company. This line was purchased in 1880 by the Kansas City, Topeka & Western Railroad Company. In 1881 the Santa Fe completed a line between Olathe and Choteau, a station near Holliday, to connect with the main line out of Kansas City. The line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company from Kansas City to Chicago was completed April 29, 1888, by the Chicago, Santa Fe & California Railroad Company. The Missouri & Kansas interurban railway was built in the years 1905-06 and has 18.8 miles of road in Johnson county. This road is without a bridge and the high waters have never interfered in any way with its operation. Overland Park is situated on this line, and here a fast growing town is located. It has numerous stations along the line at convenient points for farmers and its traffic in milk and other farm products shows a steady increase. The Missouri Pacific railroad, Central Kansas division, enters Kenneth on the State line and runs southwesterly through Oxford and Aubry townships into Miami county. . The thriving little town of Stilwell is located on this line. This was formerly the Kansas City Southwestern railroad and was built in 1886 and 1887. The Kansas City & Topeka electric railway has a line running from Kansas City through Merriam and Shawnee to within one-half mile of Zarah. It has 9.55 miles of track in Johnson county. PIONEER RAILROAD BUILDERS. W. W. Fagan, of Olathe, was a prominent factor in early-day railroading in Johnson county. From the time that I could read print the writer remembers the name "W. W. Fagan." In the early days when papers were not so plentiful as now, everything in the papers was read, and the superintendent of a railroad was as big a sight as that of a governor or congressman. When the writer called on Mr. Fagan at his home in Olathe he was at work in the yard, and on being informed that I wished to talk of early railroading in Kansas he invited me to the porch, and between the puffs of his favorite pipe, we were back to the early days of the Santa Fe and the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf roads so closely interwoven with Johnson's county's early history. "The first money that the Kansas Midland railroad earned, now the Santa Fe, between Kansas City and Topeka," said Mr. Fagan, "was on Monday, April. 27, 1874. It was made by hauling passengers from Tecumseh, four miles east of Topeka, to Topeka to the New York and New Orleans circus. This road was building from Topeka, east to Kansas City, at the time." The bill advertising this excursion was printed by the Topeka "Record," Frank P. Baker's papers and the form was set up by Will Walters, foreman now of the Hudson Kimberly Printing Company, of Kansas City. Mr. Waters also set up the forms for the time table No. 1 and 3 following: Here is a copy of the bill notifying the public of the excursion. The Kansas Midland Railroad will run extra trains from end of track near Tecnmseh to Topeka for the benefit of those wishing to attend the great New York and New Orleans Circus, Monday, April 27, 1874. Trains leave Tecumseh at 10 a. m. and return at 5 p. m. Trains leave Tecumseh at 6 p. m. and return after close of night performance. Fare forty cents good for the round trip. Tickets good Monday, April 27, 1874. T. J. Anderson, general ticket agent. W. W. Fagan, general superintendent. Time table No three follows. At the time this table was issued Mr. Fagan was conductor on the Santa Fe road and he superseded T. J. Peter as superintendent a short time after this time table was issued. The time table No. one of the Kansas Midland railroad between Topeka and Kansas City follows No. three. Time table No. three of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, shown below, is in the possession of W. W. Fagan. ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE RAILROAD To Take Effect Thursday, September 23, 1869. TIME TABLE No. 3. Bound Westward Bound Eastward Passenger Mixed Passenger Mixed No. 3 No. 1. No. 2 No. 4. Lv. 1:05 Lv. 7:00 North Topeka Ar. 11:38 Lv. 6:20 p. m. a. m. a. m. p. m. Lv. 1:20 Lv. 7:15 Topeka Ar. 11:24 Ar. 6:00 Lv. 1:35 Lv. 7:35 Challenders Ar. 11:08 Ar. 5:47 Lv. 1:45 Lv. 7:48 Cottonwood Grove Ar. 10:58 Ar. 5:30 Lv. 2:00 Lv. 8:03 Wakarusa Ar. 10:43 Ar. 5:05 Lv. 2:20 Lv. 8:25 Carbondale Ar. 10:25 Ar. 4:20 Lv. 2:35 Lv. 8:43 Gables Ar. 10:10 Lv. 4:00 Ar. 2:50 Ar. 9:00 Burlingame Lv. 9:55 a. m. Employes will be governed by rules and signals on time card No. two. T. J. Peters, superintendent. Trains run daily except Sunday. KANSAS MIDLAND RAILROAD. Time Table No. 1. To take effect Saturday, June 13, 1874. No. 3 No. 1 No. 2 No. 4 Mixed K. C. Ac. Stations St. L. Ex. Mixed B A A B A. M. P. M. P. M. P. M. Ar. 9:50 Ar. 4:25 Topeka Lv. 1:05 Lv. 5:40 Ar. 9:20 Ar. 4:00 Spencerville Lv. 1:28 Lv. 6:10 Ar. 9:13 Ar. 3:50 Chandlers Mill Lv. 1:37 Lv. 6:20 Ar. 9:05 Ar. 3:43 Glendale Lv. 1:44 Lv. 6:28 Ar. 8:50 Ar. 3:33 LeCompton Lv. 1:53 Lv. 6:40 Ar. 8:37 Ar. 3:17 Lake View Lv. 2:07 Lv. 6:55 Lv. 8:15 Lv. 3:00 Lawrence Ar. 2:25 Ar. 7:15 p. m. p. m. p. m. The Santa Fe railroad began to build its road at Topeka, Kan., June 5, 1869. It shipped its material over the Kansas Pacific to Topeka, this. road having already reached there. Mr. Fagan was conductor on the Santa Fe, from Topeka to Redding Station, near Emporia, when he was also superintendent. T. J. Peter was superintendent of the construction gang. Mr. Fagan left the Santa Fe road in 1874, and took charge of the Kansas Midland from Topeka to Kansas City, Mo. The road was built to Lawrence in June '74. Wyandotte county had voted $250,000 bonds for this road and the time was about to expire for having trains into Kansas City, in order to get these bonds, so the Santa ran trains over the Pleasant Hill and Lawrence road to 01ather then up the Frisco and in this way got the bonds, "And bonds were very essential to railroad building in the early days," said Mr. Fagan, "for that was the only way we had of getting any money, for we hadn't any ourselves," and Mr. Fagan laughed. There was a good deal of truth in the statement, too, yet the bonds were not alone sufficient to build the road, but these and the mortgages on the rolling stock and road bed, built the early roads in the State. "It cost only about $8,000 a mile, in those days, to build a road," said Mr. Fagan. The early roads used a forty-five to fifty-pound rail, while now the roads use ninety-pound rails. The ties, too, were cheaper, and the right of way was often given through the farms. There was a little trick, too, in getting the right of way. One of these was to make a survey between a man's house and barn. This, of course, would raise a protest and the farmer would often say: "I would rather give you the right of way through the field yonder, than to be paid for it and have it through here." And in this way, the right of way often-times cost nothing". The capacity of the freight cars in the early days was from 18,000 to 20,000 pounds. Now the freight cars average 80,000 to 100,000 pounds capacity, and the roadbed must be constructed accordingly. Two hundred and eighty-eight miles of the Central Branch road were built at a cost of about $11,000 per mile, including depots. In the early days of the Central Branch, when Mr. Fagan had his office at Atchison, Kan., an engineer, by he name of Joe Ellison, ran a freight train, with cars of 20,000 pounds capacity, stock cars behind the engine. Fifteen to seventeen of these cars made a load at the time for an engine and Joe's report showed he had seventeen cars in his train. Mr. Fagan was a crank in having trains on time, and a rule was in effect on the road that if a train was fifteen minutes late, or over, a report must be made, giving the reason. The train left Effingham fifty minutes late, and was still later on its arrival at Atchison. Mr. Fagan wanted to know the reason at once, when Joe arrived, and asked, "What's the matter with No. 17?" "Nothing," Joe answered, "You reported only seventeen cars at Effingham," said Mr. Fagan. "Hold on, hold on," said Joe, "we had fifteen cars and two elevators." The elevators were some new 40,000-pound capacity cars, loaded with shelled corn. At a later date, when Joe was running- a passenger train, an accident occurred, between Waterville and Goff, Kan., on account of a broken rail. Two cars went off the track, leaving the engine and mail cars standing. As no one was injured, Joe loaded the passengers into the mail car and proceeded, without even notifying headquarters. When he arrived at Atchison, the superintendent, noting the absence of the two cars, asked: "Joe, what's the matter this morning?" "Struck a knot out there near Goff, and left two cars out there," Joe nonchalantly replied. "The Central Branch ought to have been one of the best-paying roads in the West," said Mr. Fagan. Mr. Fagan had kept weighbill No. 2 as a keepsake for a car of lumber from Atchison, Kan., to Waterville. The rate was $100.00 for the car or $1.00 per mile. When Jay Gould came west, he showed it to him, and Mr. Gould wanted it, saying he would photograph it and return it to him. Mr. Fagan let him have it, but that was the last he ever saw of it. "Harstick and Ray, two old steamboat men, built the Pleasant Hill & Lawrence railroad," said Mr. Fagan. It had no business from the start and the Santa Fe & Frisco bought the line. Mr. Fagan said, when they took the rails up, several years after the road had been abandoned, about 1903, there were trees 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, growing in the road bed. This road was called the Calamity Road, by the farmers. The rails were useless and sold for junk. Mr. Fagan was some railroad operator. In 1875 he went to the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad, staying 'till 1880. Then with the Central Branch until 1887, then in March, 1887, to the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf, now the Frisco. Colonel Coates and others, of Kansas City, built this road to Olathe and ran out of money after they had built this far. A few months later they raised more funds and built on to La Cygne, and the next year to Ft. Scott. "We had to work and plan," said Mr. Fagan, "to get funds. First we would get the county to vote bonds, then we would get the townships through which the road passed, and then go after the cities for what they would stand and we got the bonds in nearly every case. Ties used to cost about forty cents each, and now are worth about sixty-two cents. Speaking of how the timber has grown in value since the '70's, Mr. Fagan said he could show me four places along the Frisco where at four different times saw-mills had been operated each time, using all timber, then the cypress, then the pine, and later the black gum. This, for a while, was considered worthless, but now is in great demand for furniture. Mr. Fagan, at one time, bought 52,000 acres of timber that cost about fifty-five cents per thousand. Then they cut off the log at the first knot, now they use it to the top. The timber that cost fifty-five cents would be worth at the present time, $5.00 per thousand. Michael McCarty, a pioneer railroad man, of Johnson county, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 26, 1844. He married Adoresta Thompson, in 1873. He has two children living, Elizabeth and Charles Randall. One infant died at the age of four months. Mr. McCarty came here in 1868, worked for Hannibal railroad, from Liberty to Harlem, was superintendent of construction train. Laid track from here to Baxter Springs, Mo., on the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf road, and had 100 to 150 men under him. He laid track to Olathe, in 1868, and got to Baxter Springs on June 21, 1871. He came here with Oscar H. Chanute, from Ohio. Chanute, Kan. took its name from Mr. Chanute. Mr. McCarty laid from three-fourths to one mile of rails per day, of ten to twelve hours. He laid the track from Pleasanton to Colony for the Missouri Pacific, and from Hillsboro, Ill., to St. Louis, Mo., on the Clover Leaf. When laying the track for the former road, at Mound City, the hands struck, without notice, just at a critical time, as it was necessary to get the road into Mound City by a certain date in order to get the bonds. Robert Kincaid was on the board of commissioners at the time, and the board extended the time thirty days, giving the road time to complete the laying of the rails. A bridge was constructed across the river at this place, just at the beginning of a rainy spell, and Mr. McCarty saved the bridge from washing out, by placing ten carloads of railroad iron on the structure. Mr. McCarty was at the dedication of the Hannibal bridge in Kansas City, July 4, 1869. This bridge has stood the test ever since, and now, forty-six years after its completion, a new one is to be constructed. Mr. McCarty laid track for the following roads: Covington to Louisville, Ky.; west part of Eads bridge-at St. Louis, Mo.; Hannibal & St. Joe; Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf; Olathe, Holliday & Santa Fe; Lawrence, Topeka & Santa Fe; Pleasanton & Colony; Hillsdale, Ill. to East St. Louis; Kansas City to Paola for Missouri Pacific. He also put in the Y at the Frisco, and laid the side track at Edgerton. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF Johnson County Kansas BY ED BLAIR AUTHOR OF Kansas Zephyrs, Sunflower Sittings and Other Poems and Sketches IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY LAWRENCE, KANSAS 1915 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/johnson/history/1915/historyo/chapterx99gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 20.6 Kb