Russell Crump's Archive

Selections From The Splinters

Topeka, December 12, 1899.

Mr. E. P. Ripley,
President, Chicago.

Dear Sir:

I spent last week on the Eastern Oklahoma Railway between Guthrie and Pawnee.
With the exception of deep cut on mile 7, which is being widened by a steam shovel, the grading is completed to the east end of mile 27. Mile 28 is on Indian allotments which we did not get possession of until Thursday the 7th. I let this section to the W. R. Stubbs Contracting Co., who have a force on adjacent sections, and they can undoubtedly complete it before track reaches them. Mile 29, the W. R. Stubbs Contracting Co., contractors, is all finished except the east 1000 feet, which should be completed in a few days. Mile 30 also traverses Indian allotments and right of way was not obtained until December 7. I let this section to Ware & Maney, who have a force on the ground and are already at work, and should have it finished by Dec. 20. This brings us to Perkins, where we hope to get the track on or before January 1st. At this point I arranged with Right of Way Committee to lease a field for six months to use temporarily for wye tracks so that we can operate from Perkins when track reaches there.

Miles 31 to 35 are on Indian allotments; right of way not obtained until December
7. Have awarded contract for grading mile 31 to Ware & Maney, miles 32, 33 and 34 to the W. R. Stubbs Contracting Co., and mile 35 to Shutt Improvement Co. All of these contractors are in shape to put force on at once. The grading on miles 36 and 37 is about three-fourths about three-fourths done; A. Moore, contractor. Miles 39 and 40, A. Moore, contractor, will be started this week, which brings us to a point near the south approach of the Cimarron River bridge near month of Stillwater Creek.

On section 40 will be located a station where a line in future will branch off to the
east and extend down the river. I located depot and side tracks at this point, moving them as far north and east as possible, but not as far as the Right of Way Committee desired in order to carry out their plans for a town. It is, however, the best that can be done, and they finally accepted the situation.

Right of way has been obtained on section 41 and contractor Moore has started on
the north bank of the Cimarron River. Right of way has not been obtained on mile 42, but it was expected that the condemnation proceedings on miles 42 to 50 would consummated on yesterday, the 11th, and that deposits would be made so the contractors could

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proceed with the work. The grading on this portion of the line is light and there will be no difficulty in finishing it on time. It traverses the valley of Stillwater Creek.

I omitted to state that on section 43 we located station grounds and townsite on
very eligible ground, and that contractor can proceed at once to do the grading. This station will be about nine miles southeast of Stillwater and about seven and a half miles from Ingalls, the most important town in Oklahoma east of Stillwater.

On mile 51 the grading for depot grounds at Stillwater is in progress and about
60% of the work is completed. On miles 52 to 56 both inclusive, the Shutt Improvement Co. Have the work well in hand and it is rapidly nearing completion. Miles 57 to 74 (which is Pawnee) but little of the right of way has as yet been obtained, and the Payne County Committee at Stillwater appear to be apathetic. We have furnished them with a map of location and width of ground required at each point, and I located the station grounds for three stations between Stillwater and Pawnee, and Mr. Coyle was giving the matter his personal attention, and I expect that this right of way will be secured soon.

The Pawnee County Commitee have also been furnished with a list of right of way
and station grounds required and started at work to secure it on Saturday the 9th. Several miles of the line through Pawnee County traverses Indian allotments. The depot grounds at Pawnee are advantageously situated, but I found that part of them traverse a piece of ground dedicated to the city for a public park, and there being some question as to whether this can be legally conveyed, I have directed Major Marvin to make an alternate location there which would miss this particular tract of land, so that in case Mr. Asp should decide that we could not get good title, we can take the alternate locations, the only disadvantage being that it would place the depot and stations grounds about 300 feet further away from the center of town than as now located.

The grading of sections 58 to 68 will be quite heavy, and I have urged upon the
Right of Way Committee the importance of securing the right of way so this work can be put under contract very soon. I have let the contract for sections 60 and 59, the heaviest sections, to Ware & Maney, who will move onto it as soon as right of way is obtained. Have been obliged to pay slightly more for this work than for what we have previously done, viz: 12 cents for earth, 30 cents for loose rock, and 60 cents for solid rock, while the prices paid on work now in progress and on all other sections that have been let, are earth 10.5 cents, loose rock 25 cents, and solid rock 60 cents, The prices are low, however,

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in both cases, and I do not believe we could possible do any better.

On return, traversed the valley of Bear Creek from Pawnee to Perry, and it is one
of the finest sections of Oklahoma in the vicinity of Blackwell.

Am making every effort to get track to Perkins and road in operation there by
January 1st, and now that a sufficient number of angle bars are in sight, think we will get there unless the weather should prove to be unusually bad. Will keep you advised of progress from time to time.

Very respectfully,

(James Dun)

Chief Engineer

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