The map shows the Kansas City Indusrial Belt Railways Proposed seven and One-half
miles of track. Dotted lines indicate the right-of- way.
The Kansas City Industrial Belt Railway, with a capital stock of ¸ million dollars, was granted a charter in Jefferson City yesterday. H. L. Harmon, formerly president of the Kansas City Terminal Railway Company, who is at the head of the new company, will ask the city council for the right of construct the railroad-seven and one half miles long- which will afford switching facilities to the eastern and southeastern industrial districts of Kansas City.
The development of the project proably will be of more importantce and value to Kansas City than any since the construction of the old Kansas City Belt Railway. It will furnish a direct entrance to the new Union Station for four great systems-the Rock Island, Missouri Pacific, Frisco and the Kansas City Southern, making a savings of about five miles of slow running to each of these roads. The whole route of the Industrial Belt tracks will follow the natural lines and water levels and will have at no point a grade in excess of three-fourths of 1 per cent.
MEANS NEW FACTORY SITES
Under the terms of the new Union Depot ordinance the traffic will be interchangeable and the facilities of the railroads and factories and warehouses using the line will be equal. The new railway is expected to give impetus to the development of the southeast portion of the city. The promoters assert that the system will add fifteen miles of close-in and highly desirable switch property to Kansas Cityâs industrial property, affording factory locations at moderate cost.
The line will start from a point on the old Belt Line near Indiana Avenue, running southeasterly to a point north of Raytown Rock Road and about 300 feet west of the Blue River. At this point a spur will extend three-quarters of a mile due east to intercept the Rock Island tracks, the grade of this track to be such as to give a clearance of twenty-four feet over the tracks of the Missouri Pacific, Frisco and Kansas City Southern at Leeds. The main tack will continue from the point described at Raytown Road , south on the west side of the Blue Valley to Belt Junction, where it will make a connection with the tracks of the Missouri Pacific, Frisco and the Kansas City Southern systems, thence in a westerly direction up the Brush Creek Valley to Woodland Avenue.
OUTSIDE CAPITAL BACK OF IT.
The greater part of the stock of the company is in the name of H. L. Harmon. Mr. Harmon said yesterday that the stock is owned by outside capitalist who do not wish to divulge their names at the present time. He will be the executive head until the project is well under way.
ãThe Kansas City Industrial Belt Railway will mean a great deal to Kansas City,ä he said yesterday. ãIt will prove a great impetus to the east and southeastern industrial districts by not only furnishing railroad facilities to these districts, but by offering a savings of time to both the industrial interests ant the several railroads with which the new raod will connect. I do not see how the project can meet with other than a favorable action at the hands of the city council.ä
Clipping from Kansas City Star June 9th, 1912
Page 10 of KCOB&E report Transcribed in altered form for the web by Russell Crump
INDEX
Introduction..................................................1 Kansas City, Outer Belt & Electric R.R........................3 Estimate of Cost.........2 maps.......................7 Map......................1 map........................8 Newspaper clippings.....1 map....................9 &10Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Ry. (to be transcribed some future date).....................11-127